DEP/DUA/1/46/28 (Transcript version)

Jean Martin

(1789)

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N^o7. Jean Martin at 5.

Formerly pron case of this pat. to be an ex of Scroph.

And then I think, no doubt abund evid from app & feel of Tum.

From situation

From obstin with which resist diff modes of cure.

And from period of life at which occurrd.

If in addit to these any evid want now afforded by what has since hap.

Partic from termin of one of Tum in state of suppurat.

And from ichor & bloody disch which for some time took place from it.

Although however a distinct markd inst of Scroph could not be consid as an unfav. one.

For as far as we could learn not a hered or family affect.

No traces of this disease had app. either in par or relat.

Still occurrd only in few places.

And accord to account given origin in first of these from an accid.

Must indeed be allowed that accid often [accused] as giving rise to tum of this kind where in real. no inf.

Parents & relat very anxious [wherever] the can to avoid susp of Scroph.

And accord. willing to flatter thems that partic blows & hurts have given rise to swellings, even when these app in many parts at same time.

But notwith such decept. yet cannot be denied, that by accid injur lymph glands as well as other parts may be brought into state of inflam. swelling & suppur.

That one thus affected, will comm simil state to others in the lymph above.

And in such affect of these no doubt that pres & simil inst of scroph. consist.

Has indeed been thought by some, that disease in every inst origin in the bones.

And that is only in conseq of something abs from bones that the glands affected.

Accord remark that prev to gland swellings of arm enlargem of bones of hand, partic of finger often to be obs.

That this sometimes the cause am very far from denying.

But at same time may I think safely venture to assert that neither univ nor even gener.

And among others in case before us no evid of it.

Hence then may unquest view it as more favour, than if such a [form] if may be allowed the express. existed in body itself.

Still however app. that could not by any means be consid as slight or triffling.

For has resisted diff modes of cure & these too in gener consid as of powerful nature.

Such for ex as Sea bathing & Cicuta.

And that too though contin reg. for consid length of time.

App. therefore no unfav inst for trial of a new remed, lately strongly recomm in Scroph.

I mean solut in water, of the Terra powder mercurial or Mur. Bary.

For introd of this med both in scroph & other diseases are indebted to Dr Ad. Crawf of London.

Formerly obs. that had been fav. with a letter from him giving a short acct of his pract.

That letter will now find pub in Med Comn for 1789.

And a still fuller acct of it, will soon app in a vol of London Med communicat which may soon be expected.

In that paper Dr Crawf. gives brief acct of all prin cases in which exhib. for four months in 1789.

Here may only obs. that several years ago Dr Crawf. lead to susp. from sensib qualit of this salt that might be useful addit to Mat. Med.

But is only within course of last year that has empl it extens.

And from use during that time has found that scroph subd by it, even when arrived at last stage & assum most malign form.

Even in Cancer has found it not only a palliat, but sometimes prod radic cure.

And that too after disease had assumed ulcerated state.

Has found it also success in cutan erupt & old ulcers of legs.

And in cases of dropsy has been led to consid it as a good auxil.

How far in hands of others will be found prod of equally good affects, still I believe remains to be determ

For hardly any other pract who can be consid as having hitherto given it fair trial.

At least since introd into this country suff time has not been allowed for that purp.

For in a disease like scroph [cannot] expect any remark change in space of few days or even of weeks.

Is only by consid contin, that radic remov of affect from constit to be expected.

And if can erad even slight cases of scroph in some months is a val. discov.

From what has happ. with regard to other med, the char of which much higher on first introd than afterw. may natur be led to susp. that medic prop of murated baryt. also over rated.

And not to be imag. that Dr Crawf. free from that partial which [illegible] almost every discov.

But at same time every one acquainted with him will readily admit both integ & accur.

And these at least addit [inducem] to put his discov. to test of repeated & fair trials.

Form in which Dr Crawf exhib the murated Baryt is that of satur. solut of the salt in pure water

To this however, prob in order to secure susp. adds a little excess of acid.

The med of this strength exhib to in adult in doses from four to ten drops, twice a day.

May be given in any vehic.

But care must be taken that be made with soft or distilld water.

For if given in hard water the med rend inert.

As thus exhib accord to Dr Crawf. often attend with obv. operat.

Sometimes laxat, sometim diaph.

And in few inst even powerfully [sudor].

But most gener. operat that of encr. flow of urine.

Unless can consider as such its influ as improv. appet & gen health.

But often without any othr obv affect sympt of disease grad erad.

Resp. manner however in which operates as comb this disease have not heard any conj.

But from facts already afford. may justly be consid as meriting trial.

Accord had here recourse to it.

As however altog. altog unacq. with use in former pract. thought it more safe to lose a little time, than to run any risk from large dose.

And to this the rather led as had here to do with a young & delic patient.

To six ounce mixt. therefore, of a distilld water mucil & syrup added only six drops of mixt solut.

And this taken to extent of ounce in day.

When med first begun even to this quant, mother of pat thought that excited some slight sickness at stom.

This however if in reality took place in all prob. accid only.

And at least was not to such ext as to excite vomiting.

This however suff. reason for avoiding encr. of quant at succeed. report.

And during succeed week were restr in simil manner, from accid occurr. of some febrile sympt.

But although during these vom occurred yet was not as conseq of med.

And had every reason to believe that this as well as former uneas. merely accid.

And as found at following report that health good & med taken without inconv. could have now little hesit in direct encr of quant.

During this time however, prog of affect contin.

And one of tumours after disch consid quant of purul matter gave out that bloody ichor comm in scroph sores.

A farther evid, if any requis, of the nature of the affect to which the patient was subj.

And indeed a circum giving presumpt. that unless by artif aid the ulcer thus formd would prove as obstin as the tum had been before.

And if speedy recov some ground at least for ascr. it to the med.

And an addit motiv for now pushing it to extent of giving fair trial.

Accord have grad encr. dose till now 48 drops in six ounce mixt.

So that patient daily takes 8 drop of solut.

Under this course may at least venture to say that no bad appear have taken place.

At same time can, as yet, as little pretend to affirm, that has had any decided influ in cure.

And from progr. which second tumour has lately made, may conc that from this also disch will soon occur if such an event has not already taken place.

From what has already happened however are undoubtedly rather encour to use than otherwise.

And in ulcer formd from first tumour there app. a very consid dispos to heal.

If this event shall take place with both, without appear of ulcers or tumours on other parts, will I [think] afford, though not demonst evid, yet strong presumpt of power of med.

And shall consider it as strong inducem to empl in other cases.