DEP/DUA/1/35/24 (Transcript version)

Jean Grant

(1784)

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Jean Grant. July 2^d.

Of disease of this patient have not I own been able to form any decided opin

And from want of attend at the Dispens. since first app. for assist here, have had almost no opport. of acquir farther inform respect disease than commun in first acct.

Accord to repres. then given sympt cheifly distress to her, sickness at stom & uneasin from wind.

Than these few affect more common.

And indeed are among most freq mon sympt of that troublesm & very common disease Dyspepsia.

But as the attend of Dyspep are what may be reckond constant sympt.

Or at least patient daily subj. to them without any other period [remiss] or exacerb, than what arise from obv. causes as taking food or like

In case before us however, state periods of diff kind.

Has we are told regular remissn & exacerbat. contin each for space of eight days.

And this had occurd not merely for one or two periods but during space of whole year.

If therefore from sympt. to give disease name of Dyspep. & must confess am at loss what othr name to affix to it, is at least a modif of that affect. diff from what have ever before met with.

In this point of view might be consid as no less singul. than [curious]

And many conject might be offerd respect. cause

But before prop. any of these, should first here esteem it necess to determ fact.

For even suppos. that patient no motive in deceiv us, may yet have deceivd herself.

And if any degree of that [mental] affect which in Hypochond. united with dyspept. sympt. can easily conceive, that without any prop. foundat. may suppose herself one week, worse than anoth.

Here therefore improp to conject as to cause till reality of [Phaenom] [illegible] duly ascert.

May only obs. that if such period exacerb. & remiss had realy taken place, one conject at least as to cause afforded from aguish state of habit.

For informd that subj to a very severe intermitt six years before from which would app. that nevr had compl. recov.

At least seldom free from symp of it during easterly winds

And in partic had been regul subj to these every spring.

Well known however that aguish habit, often gives modif to other dis.

Partic in way of inducing in them uncommon remiss & exacerb.

These however it must be allowd, in general obs. the type of the intermitt.

And a type with remiss & exacerb. for space of eight days, at least very uncommon.

Such however sometimes obs. under diff modif of erratic interm as have been calld.

And at least not imposs. that from something of this nature, pres compl. modif in mannr here repres, at least if such modif actually takes place.

But with respect to this have already expressd doubts.

And as now but little prospect that shall have farther opport of seing patient, these doubts not probab. resolved.

Hence little need here be said [either] with respect to prognos, or cure.

May only obs. that as far as had opport of seeing case, or hearing acct of patient nothing that could be consid as danger or alarming.

For although compl distressing yet had prod no effect on general habit.

Except funct of stom all others remaind in sound state.

And disorder in these would prob. have less influ. as now in some degree habit to patient.

But from this very circum great reason to be appreh of obstin.

For after contin in mannr that had done for space of year, could not expect that would readily yeild.

And although appar. mitig for short time yet had reason to fear that renewed again by slight causes.

Especially if in any degree connectd with aguish habit, to which now subj for six years.

And to causes excit sympt of which, freq. & unavoid exposed not only during spring & autumn [seasn] but also on every change of wind to east.

Hence then although had contin regul. attend yet might prob. have at last been obliged to dismiss her, little better than when came under care.

[At] same time, both with view of combat stom compl, & likewise dispos to intermitt some pract might have been empl.

And that too not altogeth without hopes of success.

Here in partic with view to both affect, might have expected some benef from use of Peruv. Bark.

Especially if conj with air & exercise.

But prior to having recourse to Bark, was intent in first place to make trial of anoth med, nearly with same view.

viz. Tinct. Absinth.

Need not obs. that this one of strongest, & most common of veget bitters, which this country affords.

And before Bark known was in freq. use for removal of interm.

While at all times held to be one of most effic remed [against] those stom compl. to which bitters suited

[Hence] therefore wishd at least to see, what could be obt. from it.

And as best form of exhib it had recourse to Tinct. Absinth.

These however impregn so strong that requires some dilut

And with this view [added] to it equal parts of common & of pepp. water.

On this med was intent to contin patient for some time.

But having given up attend, have had no opport of knowing affect & [unnecss] to say any thing farther with respect to case