DEP/DUA/1/37/33 (Transcript version)

Alexander Henderson

(1785)

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Alexr Henderson

Disease of this patient might be said to consist almost entirely of one sympt.

Severe pain viz of his head & that too entirely situated in fore part.

But neither affected circulat nor [respir]

While at same time appetite & excret contin in natural state.

Here then, might I think consid it as an exampl of idiopath headach

At least if such a disease can ever be said to exist.

Has it is true been by some alledgd that never to be consid in this point of view.

And accord some of nosol. syst as for example that of Dr Cullen where does not enter

But on other hand, by other system as Sauv. consid accord to [manner] in which modif as constit sever gener.

Thus have given place to these diff gener. of Cephal. Cephal & Hemic.

For my own part am inclind to think that equal error on both sides

But unnecess & improp to [multip] genera where no advant from it in pract.

But no reason, why pain of head, should not be consid as constit a genus, as well as any other.

Indeed has much more influ on syst. than almost any other part.

Hold therfore that Cephalea with prop. consid as a genus of disease.

And of this had I think a manif example in case before us

As to prognos after fav termin which has now taken place no obs need be offered.

May only remark that from natur of disease itself, should have been inclind to hope fav.

For although sometimes obstin yet this upon whole rather a rare occur.

And often after being very severe termin without aid of any med.

When this not the case, diff artic which often success. used in remov.

But besides these circum had here farther ground for hope from anoth partic.

What formerly happend to patient when under our care for same compl

As then readily yeilded had reason to expect simil conclus on pres occas.

Hence then termin which has now occurrd no more than reason to hope for.

But at same time in judging from formr occurr. may here also draw anoth conclus.

Have reason to fear, that on triffling accid will again be subj to recurr of affect.

And indeed may be obs. that after this disease once becomes habit. few more diff to be entirely removed.

For pres. however at least remov has been obt.

And this I am inclind to think may in part, if not altogeth attrib to med here empl.

Began pract you will obs. by direct for this patient the use of an Emet.

Emetics in cases of headach often very serviceab. as unloading the stom.

For from viscid sordes collected there by gener. sympath headach often produced.

When this however the case not only reluct. or avers to food, but even in gener. natural vomiting.

Here therefore from state of app. had no reason to expect, any such affect.

In every such case however unload the stomach of some conseq.

Has at least the effect of rendering that viscus more succeptib of action of other med.

And was here chiefly as an [introd] to use of valer that had recourse to employm.

Of use of this artic in a variety of affect of the nerv. kind have already had occas to speak.

And as such, consider that pain to be, which in most inst constit cephalea.

But whether this conject well founded or not have often in former pract employd valer again cephal.

And that too with best effects.

On ground therefore of former expr. here expected that would be attended with good conseq.

And in that expect. were not disap.

For use after use begun very consid remiss obt.

During empl. indeed had from some accid circum a severe return.

But this of short contin only.

And in no long time had it in our power to dismiss him free from the affect.

An affect which am I own disp. chiefly at least to attrib to use of the Valer.