DEP/DUA/1/43/04 (Transcript version)

Mary Dickson

(1787-1788)

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Mary Dickson

Formerly pron case of this pat an ex. of Flatulent.

And in that view consid it as an affect. no less comm than troub. & obstin.

Still inclind to think that this opin not ill founded.

And no room to doubt that at least greater part of compl. are effects of flatul.

But do not now look upon case as so simple as then imag.

For reason to presume that pain in part at least proceed from other causes.

This at least prob. with resp. to pain of back.

For from situat as well as sense of heat with which attended, little probab. of its arising from flatul.

While at same time from [trans] nature can as little supp. it effect of inflam or any other local affect.

More prob. that to be ascribd to inordin action taking place in musc fibres at part.

And if this case simil action even without flatul. may give rise to pain in side

Or may arise not from affect of musc fibres of intest canal, but of other & more superf. parts.

But still can be no doubt, that from flatul, many of most urgent & what shall prob find most obst sympt have arisen.

To these therefore pract first was & still is princip directed.

Begun by direct. for her, the Pil. Foetid cum Aloe to extent of gr V every night at bed time, & mixt with bitter & aromat Tinct during course of day.

From first of these obj was to facilitate disch & prom expuls of wind already accum in intest.

And from second to prevent farther generat.

In Foetid pills have aloes oper as laxat & Assaf. as Antisp.

Hence while force for expuls of flatus augm. passage at same time facilitated.

Accord with those not difficulty moved even to extent of gr V very gener found to give one stool a day

And at same time to promote free disch of flatus.

Probab. by relaxat of these spasm strict tend to retain it.

From these pills in circum where distress from wind very great have often seen very consid relief.

And here cannot be said that disapp. of effect.

For from comm of use consid disch of wind.

And with this some allev of affect.

Still however at times consid pain in abdom.

Prob. the conseq of fresh air extricated.

For where tone of intest weak this very apt to happen

Is partic indeed conseq. of alim abounding with air in very [detachd] state.

Or what calld flatul. food

From this will [arise] even where tone of stom in natur state.

As then power of extricat greater than resist can oppose.

But when tone of intest weakened & this resist dimin will arise from any alim.

For no alim matters which do not cont. air in fixd state.

Is therefore by encr. tone that regenerat of air to be prev.

This however only to be expectd as work of time.

Perhaps prin by means augm vigour of syst. in gener.

Such for example as air [excric] & the like.

But in part also by an immed action on alim. canal itself.

And in this way few artic more gener. useful than bitters.

Partic when at same time combine, a gentle stim to stomach, from aroma.

For by this in general obt immed expuls of flatul at least from stom.

Was on this grounds then, that in conj with foetid pills here [direc] for pat mixt of Bitter & Aromat Tinc

An artic from which in weakn of alim canal, partic of stom have often seen best effects.

These however as have already said not to be expected at once.

But hoped that by contin might at least have some effect.

Hence notwith returns of pains directed merely that should persist in use.

Accord on cont. thought app. somewhat mended.

An evid that stom exertd [funct] with more facility than before.

Now however became affected with a compl in some meas new.

viz sense of heat in back.

This seemd to me [unconn]. with other parts of affect.

And hoped that might soon of its cease.

And as not very urgent to give at least chance of this directed [merly] contin of former course.

At succeeding report however found that still more distr. to her.

And that besides heat affected also with consid pain

Without howev any marks of infl or other local affect

Hoped therefore that might be allev. by a sedat applic

And as such had recourse to frict with Anod Bals.

Upon use of this became much easier.

While at same time almost free from other sympt partic pains stricking through whole bely & [unea] from flatul.

Still however compl much of costiveness.

In this situat contin of Foetid pills & aromat Tinct seemd [unnec]

And did not wish that should be long habit to use

For from this alim canal [becom] incap of exert funct without such stimuli.

Was however necess to pres. regul disch by belly.

For constip a powerful cause both of weakening tone & [incon] from flatul.

Was therefore with this intent that directed Pil ex Colocynth cum Aloe.

A more powerful laxat than aloet pill alone.

By this hoped that regul disch would be obt

But to prev. doing too much ord only to quant of gr V & every second night.

From this dose on day [second] use of pills had in gener. two stool

And with this state of disch all affect of alim canal contin easier.

Compl. however of pain of side

But as without [marks] of flatu susp. that might be of same kind with that of back.

Hence directed contin of [form] friction

And hope that may be attend with good effect.

If this the case & patient in other respects as well as at last report shall reckon farther attend unnecss.

For preven of future flatul. & compl. restorat of tone only to be expectd from regimen.

Partic from air, exercise & diet.