DEP/DUA/1/42/06 (Transcript version)

Duncan Stewart

(1787-1788)

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N^o6. Duncan Stewart at 77.

Affection of this patient consists almost entirely in open ulcerat in Scrot.

At least little doubt that to this all sympt to be attrib.

And as little that this ulcert of a cancer nature.

Nay from [ichor] disch & freq haem

From [illegible] edges.

And from excess. pain, may even consider it as in worst state.

When this the case need hardly add that hopes of cure extrem slight.

Partic as from situat & other circ does not admit of operat.

Cancer long rankd among [illegible] medic

And although at diff times partic artic held forth as cert modes of cure yet farther exper has demonst. that of little avail.

And for my own part at least have met with no case where cancer had proceeded to same extent as in pres case which did not in end prove fatal.

This therefore I take it for grantd will be conclus of disease with pr. pa

And that too probab. in no long time.

For although has not yet prod what can be calld prop. hect. fever yet evid quick & irregul of pulse.

And should not be surpr. at his being attacked with shiv fits as prelude to severe febrile access.

This however need not prev. us from having recourse to meas both with view to allev & cure.

But after fruitless attempts already made diff. to say what remains to be tried.

For told that during course of affect patient has used consid variety of med. without either checking progr of affect or even giving tempor ease.

And among these may presum that all more comm remed. Cicut. Op. &e. had recourse to.

These circum led me to begin treatm here by empl. of deadly night shade or Bella Donna.

The atropa Bella Donna of Linnaeus.

An artic which need hardly obs. long reckond among most delit of veget. poisons.

And of which for my own part have hitherto no exper.

Has however of late been recom as remed for cancr. & empl. I am told with app. success by some pract at this place.

Use extended not only to Cancer but also to othr disease.

And a dissert lately [written] prof with respect to it by Dr Munch a Germ. recom it in cases of Mania Melanchol. & Epilep. Med Com. 12^th

On these grounds mean to give it trial in pres. inst.

Encr dose with that caution which a med of such activ requires