DEP/DUA/1/38/59 (Transcript version)

Mary Sprent

(1785-1786)

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Mary Sprent Decr 24.

If amb. respect last case, no less so with regard to pres.

Not so much howevr from sympt here occurring, as from doubt how far relian, could be put on acct given us.

Patient you will obs, an unmarr wom.

But at same time, was by no means imposs, or even improb, that should be preg.

And although she pos. denied any such cause for her compl. yet I own could not from this, considr it, as by any means cert. that this was not the case.

Must here indeed be acknowl, as some what in support of verac, that did not even pretend, any sympt. which are not freq. the attend of pregn.

Nausea, Sickness at Stom. faintness & headach, most urg. compl with our pat. well known to be among most freq. attend of pregn.

While need hardly add, that its almost univ attend, is obst of menst disch.

These therefore, had our pat. been married, would to herself, have afford strong evid of pregn.

Hence if wanted to impos upon us, did not do it, with much art.

And must also be acknow, that indep of denial, provided hist of case a fair one, presum afforded against pregn.

Sympt here occur, while are the attend of pregn, are also known often to arise from Amennor.

And after contin of pregn to sixth month, time for which menst. disch here said to be obt. in most inst even, if do not disapp at least much dimin.

Besides ere that period pregn in gener. markd by other sympt

In most cases even, obv encr of bulk.

A circum, which could hardly I think, be said to have occurrd with our pat.

But while these sympt [arguin] rather amenorrh, than pregn, here also, in judge from hist of case, might even have been disp to pron. Amen, only sympt.

For to be obs, that menses said to be abs. only, for six months.

While on other hand told, that to sickness, faintness, & othr stom ailm, had been affectd subj for more than a year.

And well known, that while amen may oper as cause of many sympt so also induc by others.

Cannot indeed be said, that a comm conseq of dysp. [affect]

Is however cert. that from these even greatest exhaust of syst, may be prod.

Hence diffic to say, to what affect, may not at times give rise.

If therefore, to put perf. confid in hist given of compl, should have been disp to concl, not only that did not arise from pregn, but that Amen. sympt of othr compl.

But, as have already obs, the desir of conceal pregn, will in some inst lead even to much more artf. fabr.

Hence no part of hist, in which absolute confid to be put.

While, I own, am disp to trust as little, to circum which told, since pat. came under care, as to those ment in hist. of case.

Hence then, consid alledged restor of disch, as no decis evid, on this subj.

But must at same time allow, that during attend here, as little proof has occurrd, of actual exist of pregn.

And as, has not [now] app here for some time past, prob. that shall see no more of her.

Farther obs. therefore, with respect to prognos, altog. unnecss.

Indeed, if account to be dep upon, may consid pat, as at last report having been cured of prin. affect.

If account not true, all conject which could be formed from sympt. rested on imagn found.

May only remark that if any truth in conject as to preg. reason, to hope that unless by [imprud] [interp]. of art. in due time fav. termin.

And this doubt need hardly remark add, affords strong argum, for at least avoid any very active remed in cure.

Here therefore, was my obj. to empl. pract., which if compl. depend on Amenor. would have some chance to rest. disch., But if want of menst, arise from pregn, could do no harm

With these views, began treatm by direct for pat. an aloet pill every night at bed time, & ℥p of powd of Rub. Tinct, repeat twice in course of day

From even former of these, some tend at least, to restor of menst. disch.

For no doubt, that stim which give to rectum, in some degree [prop]. to uterus.

But at same time, influ not such as to cause abort.

And nothing to be feard from them to small extent here empl.

If however, might have been of som use, as tend to restor of disch, reason to hope, still more from obv. costiv.

Here you will obs, belly in a bound state.

And whatever might be cause of symp had reason to hope for some allev., from obt. regul. disch.

Was then, chiefly with this view, that the aloet pill, here empl.

Rubia, more immed empl. as mean of restor menst. disch.

Need hardly obs, that of late years, with some pract, this med, has obt. very high reput, as an emmen.

For most partic acct of it, may refer you, to vol of Clin Cas. pub. by Dr Home, & to inaug dissert of Dr Spens.

If no decept in cases which they have related, has not in not a few inst, been prod of very remark affect.

While at same time, accord to all acct, opr. in easiest & most gentle manner

From not even prod of any obv. affect

Hence then at least a safe emmen. where suspic of preg.

And not to be rankd, with sabin, [melemp], or others, whose affects of most active nature.

May farther add, that notwith reput as an emmen, has never as far as I know at least, been rankd among those veget, which have charact of prod abort.

App. to me therefore, in such a doubt. case as pres, at least a safe remed.

While its being possessd, if not of very powerful, yet of pecul & penet stim power, some corrob of obs. urged in support of emmin. virtue

For my own prop. exper. indeed, can draw no conclus, with resp. to it.

Have it is true, often empl. it in pract.

And in some inst, after use, flow of mens. restor., in others this not the case.

But in alm every inst of Ammen, great room for decept.

Med although conf. powerf, will by no means succeed, in every inst.

And while partic med empl, mens. often restord, while there no concern in that restor.

Is only, after mark prop allow. for these partic, that can judge of effic of any emmen.

And my own pract, has not afford me, any decis ground of judgm either in fav of this med or against it.

But on footing already ment. here though that might at least, with saf. be tried.

Use contin for space of a week, without any obv affect.

At least, no app. of menst. disch

Pills indeed, had affect of keep. belly gently open

And to this prob., are to attrib. [som] some relief which had of stom ail.

These circum however suff. [encoura] not only to contin med, but even to encr. dose

Accord now ord it, to extent of Jii ter de die

But very day following, accord to acct at least which receivd at next rep. menst. flux restored.

Hence then if that event realy truly as repres to us, augm dose could be consid as having no share in it.

But on contrary, if were not decievd, some presumpt in fav of Rubia.

For after obst. for space of six month accid return, at this time, rather extr.

And at least happ, when, if med of any effic, might have exp. it.

This case then, would by some have been consid, as strong evid in fav of the Rubia.

But as doubtful in othr partic of case, so not free from uncert in this also.

For return of disch, may be alledged, even where does not take place.

And have before met with inst, where females in pregn state, pret. that there had been some disch. in hopes prob that active med empl. to prom. it.

But whatever rely case, after auth of pat. herself for return of disch, & to full extent farther contin of Rubia unnecess.

In place therefore of this, now directed a mixt with Peruv. Bark, & Aromat with view of counteract flat, & strengh tone of bowels.

Since that however, have seen nothing more of pat. & now presumpt is that will not again return.

But whether to consid desert, as arising from affect being removed, or from any other cause, dare not even venture to conject.