DEP/DUA/1/36/33 (Transcript version)

Ronald McCraw

(1784-1785)

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Ronald McCraw. Janr. 13^th

Disease of this patient consist of very few sympt.

Whole affect, accord to hist. introd into Regist, an ulcerat on breast.

And that too, neither extens, nor painful.

But app, not that of an ulcer. which could expect to heal mildly.

And before he came under our care, had subsist for space of sever. months.

From durat. & app. joind to matter disch, might perhaps give affect in pres state, the name of a Scroph. sore.

And indeed think it not improb that origin in affect morbid condit of Lymph glands.

But to suppos of its being what comm. consid as of Scroph kind several circum occurr as obj.

Patient not attackd with it till had arrived at 40^th year.

This however a very uncommon period for app of Scroph.

And had not, as far as we could learn, been affected with any symp of it in former life.

Attackd also a place, in which scroph sores rather usual.

And although app. & disch much same as takes place in Scroph, yet same not uncommon in othr ulcers.

Upon whole then should be disp to disting this affect by name of ulcus mali moris

A term so gener. indeed that may be understood to compreh. both scroph & variety of other ill condit ulcers

But at same time as definite as nature of affect will in many cases admit of.

With regard to progn. in such inst can hardly speak with much confid.

For depends to a great degree on circumst.

And indeed very much on future condit of habit, as regul. by various circum accid partic mode of life, diet &e

As far however as could judge, both from app, & state of habit, nothing in this inst, which could give reason to appreh. danger.

And had even ground to hope, that from prop treatm, might in no long time admit of cure.

This chiefly to be accompl. by altering state of action in vessels of part.

For from such change of action had chiefly reason to expect that both separ of prop purul matter would be brought about, & adhes. infl induced.

With this intent, as an extern applic, had recourse to Saturn Oint.

An artic formd by unit. with oil & wax, in the state of Ungt Simplex, a prop of Sach. Saturn or Sal. Plumbi as more prop. calld.

Effect of saturn applic in gener, as influ state of action of vessels well known.

Since late reviv by Mr Goulard empl, & with greatest success too, in very great numb of inst.

But perhaps no mode of exhib more active or useful than Sal Plumb.

And in way of ointm admits of ready, as well as long contin applic.

Here then at least as much to be exp from this, as from any other applic, to which could have recourse

While [directed] this dressing for extern applic, had recourse to Cicuta intern.

And as here united with Pulv. Glycyrrh, latter empl. merely for diffus, for cov. taste, & giving form.

The Cicuta in such inst, have often in formr pract, empl, I think with consid benef.

Am far indeed from consid it, as that affect remed in Cancer, which Dr Stork repres.

But even there, have I think seen good conseq from it, as allev. pain.

Frequently also as altering state of disch from sore.

But as far as my obs. extends, benef. still more consid in Scroph, & other bad ulcers.

Here therefore, hoped for good effect at least as conseq of due contin.

Since put upon this course, cannot repres. progr to recov, as unif.

But change which has taken place, at least upon whole fav.

And hope that by duly persist in empl, cure may be accompl.

If this not the case, may exhib Cicuta in conj with Peruv. Bark.

For where fails by itself, this combin sometimes attended with success.

If however shall resist this also may next prob. have recourse to some othr extern applic.

And in place of sedative applic. may try how far prop state of suppurat, & due adhes inflam, may be induced, by stim or astring appl.

But in this must, be entirely regul by app. at time, as well as by effects on [caut] trial.

And indeed in such inst success. plan of cure, often more determ by prop attent to [illegible] & [illegible] than on any othr grounds