DEP/DUA/1/36/29 (Transcript version)

Margaret Runciman

(1784-1785)

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Margt Runciman.

Disease of this patient consist of very few sympt.

For may consider it as entirely constit by erupt which took place in face.

And this as far as could judge from app. might I think very read. consider as being of Herpet. kind.

To app had much resemb. of conflu small pox.

A proof that for the format of incrust. a consid disch. had taken place

Here may perhaps be quest. how far disease in any degree depend on small Pox

For to this disease are told that patient subj. about two months befor comm of pres. affect.

And well known that many obstin affect occurring as sequelae of these.

Thus in part often give rise to even Scroph.

But in these cases sequelae immed conseq of precced. small Pox.

Here however there took place an interval of near two months of good health.

And besides well known that such erupt. often occurr partic at early periods of life without any [mani] cause.

Here therefore am inclind to concl. that no connex.

Would therefore be rather disp. to referr it, to some accid circum, giving obstr. perspir, encreased action of vessels or like.

But whatever cause now almost unnecess to offer any thing respect prognos.

For disease already compl. removed.

And if any return, should now rather consider it, as a fresh affect than cont of formr disease.

Whether recov. conseq of remed empl. cannot pos. pretend to say.

For from app. of affect, when came under our care, had reason to hope that would soon scale off.

But if no influ in remov, probab. that had at least some share, in prev return

And this, in such affect, an obj of no less, if not of greater import. than remov.

Remed to which had here recour were Ungt. Saturn externally & Crude Antim internally.

First even from simple frict & from operat by oily matters which cont. might be supp. to prom [illegible]

But still more benef to be expected from saturn impregn.

For influence of these as allaying inord action well known.

And from affect in this way may be supp to prev. fresh effus renewing incrust.

And indeed as far as my exper. goes am convinced that in immed removal at least of such affect more may be done by extern than intern [med]

Former however not in every case equally safe.

And indeed by many consid as highly danger. to repell cutan erupt as has been calld by extern remed.

But without giving into idea that actual repuls of matter takes place, yet no doubt that sometimes bad conseq.

Probab. the effect of change in mode of circulat.

As thus determ may occur to parts in the syst. more import.

Hence then, when extern means empl, partic if to check any consid disch, is prop that determ should be given to some other part.

To intest canal for ex by purgat.

To partic part of surface by issue.

Or to surface in gener. by diaph.

Was with latter of these intent, that had here recourse to Crude Antim.

Which here conj with powder of Liquor, merely to cover taste, & to give form.

Crude Antim unquest not the most active state under which the regul part of that metal can be exhib.

But while one of most gentle, not least effic prepar.

For while in gener. without either vomiting or looseness & indeed but rarely any consid sickness at stom. has effect of induc & support regul encr. perspir.

Accord often success. empl. in cutan affect.

And indeed not merely with human species, but against cutan diseases of horses.

For with Ferriars, freq. empl. to give to horses, fine & smoth skin.

In case before us, neither extern nor intern med, attended with any obv. operat.

Nor were they prod of any uneasiness.

And in short time incrust on brow fell off, leaving parts below app in sound state.

In this situat reckond contin of ointm unnecess.

But directed that should persist in Antim, as hoped that by free perspir, return might be prev.

At this time, what might in some meas be consid as new compl app.

A swelling viz, of submax. glands.

Not improbab. that this the conseq of erupt being removed.

Or perhaps may have proceeded from matter absorbed affect these glands, in course through [lymph].

But from whatever cause might [arise] hoped that would soon yeiled to fric with Camph oil.

To this therefore had recourse.

And from this, together with contin of antim, soon freed from all sympt

In this condit has now remaind for such time without return, that reckon farther attend unnecss.

And as have already remarkd if again subj to same affect should rather consider it, as new disease, than contin of former