DEP/DUA/1/34/20 (Transcript version)

Peter Campbell

(1783-1784)

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Peter Campbell. March 13

Case of this patient in some resp. singul.

And when first came under our care, was I own very doubtful with respect to it

He himself, from opin given him by his neighb. lookd upon it as convuls. the name gen. empl for Epilp.

But for this suppos. from [accur] exam of hist, can be no doubt that there is no foundat.

This only supposed from pecul tremb. & pecul intern sensat to which has of late been often subj.

But from [daily] return of these as well as from method in which termin strong presumpt of their being merely pecul modif of cold stage of intermittent.

And this now still farther confirmd by remed to which have yeilded.

Upon whole then disp to view princip part of affect to which this pat subj as irregul & anom interm.

At least this app. to me most probab conject with regard to fits of tremb. succeed by heat & sweating to which subj.

But besides these had also othr sympt prob. perhaps unconn with what ment. above.

Partic distress. cough.

To this sympt had been subj for six weeks before came under our care at the Dispen.

And whether connected with form affect or not was yet of same date.

Both having arisen immed after expos to cold when sweating.

And hence at least some prob. grounds for conject that both from this cause.

Anoth circum to be remarkd with regard to cough, is that always most severe during cold, or as may be more prop stild in this case tremb. fit.

Well known that in some partic intermitt & remitt fevers cough a sympt of cold stage.

And pat., free from it at other times, then remark distressd with it.

Never saw this more remark strongly the case, than in some fevers of [Typh] type which however attended with very remark remiss which had occas to treat this winter.

These every fresh access. const markd by distress fits of coughing contin for hour or upwards

This partic have had occas to observe in sever cases which have of late fallen under my care in priv pract.

In so much that to me app. to prevail to greater degree than have ever before obs.

And as well as ted length to which many of these fevers have run is a circum disting those of pres season.

Here however am not I own incl. to consid cough as entirely a sympt. of the Intermitt.

For with pres pat. contin both during paroxis & intermiss.

If however cough often a symp of cold stage, may presume that when accid pres. will then be aggrav.

And nothing more I am inclind to think took place in pres. inst

But if reason to believe that cough not entirely symptom of intermit, may still more presume that flatul unconn. with it.

With this not a little distressd when came under our care.

Espec after taking food which occas great uneas till relievd by [disch] of wind.

In this sympt then nothing diff from ordin cases of flatul

And may presume, that in conseq of weak tone of alim canal extric from alim empl.

Here then inclind to view pat as lab. under complic of affect.

And with regard to all same progn not prob. with justice to be given.

Of differ affect to which subj [looked] on those sympt which consid as constit interm to be by much most import.

If however our conject with regard to these well founded might have inferrd that would soon be brought to fav. termin.

For certain, that very few disease, at least of febrile kind, where can more dep on cure.

This indeed less certain [where] parox freq & with little interv. than where suffic long intermiss for empl. of bark.

And less certain where under any anom form, than when of distinct & regul type.

Still however under even most unfav circum, have every day exampl. of yielding readily to Bark

And in pres. inst. nothing to deter us from entert simil expect.

And may I think presume from app. that such a termin has already taken place.

Catarrhal affect also whether in conseq of remov of interm or from any other cause now consid dim.

And from occurr of mild weather alone which may soon at least be expected, may hope that will be entirely removed.

Reason however to think that will be more tedious than former part of affect.

But probab less so than [than] flatul.

For this much more an obstin than a danger. disease.

And after has once taken place very liab in some degree to return from most triffl. causes.

Should therfore inferr that will continue longer subj to it than to any othr part of compl.

But if freed from other will hardly reckon this an obj. require attend

In treatm however was you will observe one of first obj of attent.

For was with view to flatul that had recourse that had recourse to Pil. Foetid cum Aloe

These I trusted might be of some service as allev. this sympt.

Would hardly however have at this time prescr. for flatul had I not been somewhat doubtful with regard to other part of affect.

But was not, at this time, so conf. of affect being interm, as to lead me immed to use of bark.

Wishd before employing that [illegible] to see it assume more regul & distinct type.

And was with view of obt this, that when prescr. Foetid pills, had recourse also, to repeated Emet.

These in interm in general much employd

And indeed in diff. cases indic on various grounds.

But in no way more useful than as procur. prop. resolut of parox & distinct interm.

Is prob. in this way that sometimes even by themselves said to cure interm.

Imagind therfore that might here have effect of prod such change on disease that would at least be more distinct markd.

And am I own inclind to think that here followed by des. affect

For though fits contin, now returned only every second day.

In this situat whether change effect of emet or not, interm. much more distinctly marked.

And had therfore now no hesit in direct the Bark.

Employd with this pat, the red bark.

Which while much stronger [sensb] qualit than pale, has also as far as my exper. goes, more consid effects in disease.

And here limited the quantity ordered to an ounce that might see how far this would prod cure.

Directed it to be thrown in under small doses freq repeated begin imm after fit.

As this I am conv is both most conven & efficac form.

With bark directed also the contin of pills as found that had not only effect of keeping belly gently open, but also of promot free disch of flatus.

This effect the persist in use still cont. to prod.

While from empl. of Bark which taken without any inconv, parox seemed to be entirely termin.

That might have evid of effic of bark ordered that after ounce taken should be omitted.

And if no return takes place will consider this as strong evid of consid power.

Should howevr fresh access occur must again have recourse to same remed.

And at this season of year, partic when easterly winds prevail the recurrence of interm parox is by no means uncommon.

If howevr from this circum again necess to employ it, shall continue use longer.

And with view of prev. farther returns persist in it for some time to quant of ℥i or so in course of day.

But am I own in hopes that neither this nor any othr meas. will now be necess.

And that in no long time patient may be dismissd free from all his affect.