DEP/DUA/1/39/40 (Transcript version)

May Pinkerton

1786

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Mary Pinkerton. April 15. 86

In descript of fits to which this patient subj. have all those symp which to be consid as necess. const of Hysteria Epilep.

Partic involunt actions of muscles natural subj to influ of will, attend with total insensib. or compl. abolit of sens both extr. & intern

By these alone, should consider this disease, as suff marked.

But in other circum of hister, have also strong resemb. to it.

Among others, may mention occur of fits, in night time prin.

For though epilep may occurr at any time, yet then at least most freq.

May ment also sympt precedin fits such for example as lowness of spt. heaviness of head, & spasm, [illegible]

Sympt. by which fits termin, & followed, copious disch of high colour urine, flatus, anorex. &e.

And finally cause from which susp. to have origin, viz fright.

Need hardly mention, that in all these have common & ordin app in Epilep.

And indeed, no sympt in case, which can be consid as pecul.

But while thus pron. it to be epilep, should also from thence inferr, that an obst. inst of disease.

Cannot indeed say that has [resist] employm of powerful remed.

At least pat. herself, imagine not any she took.

And from her acct from acct of patient herself but few empl.

But before came under our care disease had been of fourteen years standing

And when to this add that Epil an affect often baffling every attempt to cure, could have no sang. hopes.

Have indeed met with sever cases, where under use, both of Cap. Ammon, of Calx of Zinc, & of some other med also, disease cert has disap.

And was, for my own part at least, disp to attrib remov. to affect of remed.

But at same time, a very consid major of cases, which have had [ocs] to treat, have resist every remed I could think off.

And have partic found this to be case, when, as with pres pat., treatm not begun, till consid numb of years, after comm of affect.

On these grounds then, expectation here, at comm of treatm, were I own but very faint.

At same time, circum by no means such, as on other hand to lead us to despair.

And nothing in case which to mean app, to occur as obj. to those pract. of which am disp. to entert highest opin.

During attend of pat. here, prospects at least, somewhat more fav.

For since came under our care, has had no fit.

And at last report, had enjoyd interv from affect, for upw. of 7 weeks.

A period, more than double her usual interval.

This I own, am disp to attrib. to only remd empl. with this pat since came under care, viz Cup. Amm.

Without entering into any conject as to mode of operat. would only ment that have met with sev facts leading to fav opn

That is cases of pat whose fits have entirely disapp during employ.

And when last spoke of this pres. case ment a man whom had seen the preceding day whom I put on use of it, when subj to freq. fits, & after empl it for about 3 month had cont. perf. free from any return for space of 18m.

So that in him, great reason I think to hope that has been means of radic cure.

In pres. inst, seems at least, to have had affect of giving an interv from fit much longer than com.

Are therfore encouragd to persist in use, till have more reason to concl. that here also disease comp. overcm

And of this, as already obs, have now I own greater hopes, than formerly

If no return shall be disp to rank this among numb of cure perf by Cupr.

And even if should still I [thinks] may be consid, as shewing influ of remed, in this disease.