DEP/DUA/1/37/27 (Transcript version)

Alexander McKay

1785

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Alexr McKay. March 10^th. 85

Of disease of this patient very little need to said.

For as never returned after first prescript can hardly be consid as having been subj of pract.

And in hist of his affect nothing which could be consid as singul or pecul.

His case exhib the common app. which take place in inst of chron catarrh.

Could not be consid as any singul. that most [sever] in morn

This on contrary an almost const. app. in the disease.

And indeed necess conseq of accumul of mucus & viscid acq from stagn during night

Was perhaps somewhat more singul that aggrav. after taking food.

But this also prob. to be ascribed to a simil cause.

To distens of stom viz prev so free descent of diaph as might otherwise occurr.

And thus mucus collected oper. as greater cause both of cough & dyspn.

But in whatever way to be expl. while little doubt concern nature of disease opinion as to termin could be not be very fav.

For while sympt such, as to be very distress. to him, had already subs. you will obs. for space of five years.

Not indeed to be supp. that during the whole of that time, had remaind with equal violence.

Is very common with this disease to have, if not compl. remiss, at least very consid allev. during sum.

And highly probab. that this was case with our patient.

But whether this the case or not after so long contin. habit of augm secret may be consid as it were fixd.

And well known that after such contin very diff. removed.

Nay freq. remarked that only wanting when patient in greater distress from other causes.

Although therfore patient had contin regul attend. am very doubtful whether should have been able to overcome affect.

Yet diff meas might have been tried from which hopes of some allev of affect.

And by these conj with return of warm weather, may have had hopes of remain free from it, till return of succeeding winter

Began pract you will obs by direct use of an Emet, & the Squill pills.

By former hoped that the breast might be unloaded, & by determin given to surface.

By latter, an encrease of urin disch, & more freq. attempts to exert. as soon as mucus depos. in vesic.

But whether on these prin, or not, cannot be denied, that in such cases, both Emet & Squills have good effects.

What however, were here affects, have not heard.

And dissert of patient, has [prevt] us from any farther pract in this [dis]