DEP/DUA/1/46/34 (Transcript version)

Agnes Henderson

(1789)

---

N^o10^th Agnes Henderson at 2.

Formerly stated at some length my opin or rather diffic with regard to this case.

In some respects consid resemb. to Cynan. Trachealis or Croup.

Was however upon whole disp to consider, diff respir & pecul noise with which attended as being effects of spasm action of musc of Larynx.

As being an ex of that affect describd by late Dr Sim of St Andrew in Inaug dissert. under title of Asthma infant spasmod cum nausea voce & respirat sibila

To this however admitted that could by no means be consid as having exact resemb.

Partic from durat & also from freq recurr of fits.

Was therefore inclind to view it, merely in gener light, of being pecul modif of Asthma.

And that depend prin on affect of muscles of Larynx.

On this idea of the disease began & indeed have hitherto [cond] treatm.

In first place directed for patient the use of a gentle emet.

And from this was inclind to expect benef on diff. footings.

Emet I need hardly obs. a very comm pract in case of prop croup, to which pres disease some resemb.

And indeed for my own part am inclind to think that no pract there equally benef.

At least have met with some inst in which by means of them, pat saved from imm danger of suffoc.

And where in conseq of disch of app. viscid mucus & in one inst of a [illegible] formd tube, respir immed [seemd] perf. easy.

For whatever opin we adopt as to prim morb. affect in this disease, can be no doubt that suffoc in these immed conseq of matter obst Trach.

Here then expectd also that might be of some use on same prin.

And if mucus oper even as cause of irrit any influ as induc affect would tend to remove it.

For no doubt that next to coughing of all means of disch mucus [whether] from Trachea or lungs action of vomit the most powerful.

But besides this expected still more benef from Emet here on anoth footing.

Well known, that by one inord action, anoth often remov or susp.

Thus even even severe inst of hiccough stopt by sneezing.

Hoped therefore that here by inord action of vomiting, spasm affect at larynx might be remov.

For whether supp. that vomiting solely a convuls affect of stom, as in opin of some, or admit with others that is extended also to diaph & abd musc. can be no doubt that the inord convuls motion which takes place very consid.

And if, an inord action occurs, capab. of being allayed by any other, may be expected of this.

Cannot however with confid say that in this way had here consid influence

Seems however prob. that had at least some affect.

For while operat briskly mother sensib that during whole of succeed day respir easier.

Emet howevr a pract, which could not daily repeat, without consid [incon] & even some danger.

When order emet therefore directed also what we call Mist. Oleos.

Of all these mixt the basis oil diffus in water by means of some active prom union.

In many cases the volat alk. as for ex Spt of Hartsh empl for this purp.

But to many has affect of rend the med disagr by purg.

Others again direct mucil, the yolk of egg or other glut matter.

But from these prop. & perm union cannot be obt.

In our Disp formul. two ounces of olive oil, united to four of water, by means of grV of fixd veg. alk.

And from this either with or without addit of syrup one of most pleas. of [oily] mixt with which I am acq.

To this then had here recourse.

Such mixt empl. in med with various intent.

Most freq used as what calld [hector] med.

But perhaps more proper to be consid as demult.

And can I think be no doubt as app from affects in cases of Catarrh of Hoarseness & simil aff. that have very great influ as lubric fauces.

On this ground might here be supp of some service.

For no doubt that with this affec a certain degree both of [Rauscedo] & Catarrhus were conn.

But in pres inst chiefly expectd benef from it on anoth footing.

Can be no doubt that oil app. to sensib surf gives pecul imp.

And that from this not unfreq. an affect means of allaying viol inord actions.

In this way have I think seen it effect in allaying severe cramps.

And often empl in that spec of Croup, if can be so calld, which dep. on spasm.

In one case of that kind, which however I must confess, put on a very anom app. when pat subj alm to strangul, from spasm affect of tongue introd of small quant of oil into mouth seemd prod of imm good affect.

And I think prob. operated in allaying spasm from pecul impress which it occas.

From operat [then] in simil mannr hoped that might here be of service to our pat.

But in this our expect disap.

For although her moth imag. that noise in respir less consid, yet fits of Dysp. returned with same sever as before.

And were even obs. to be of longer contin.

In this situat, still holding same opin as to nature of the disease consid a more powerful antisp. as necess.

And with this intent had recourse to one of most active with which I am acq. the Vitriol Aether.

This directed under form of Mxt with prop of Syrup & Mucil, to cover taste & prev escape of Aether from volatil.

This mixt directd to be taken to quant of ℥p. cont. five drops of [Aether] which for an inf only two years old consid as a suff. dose.

And this dose to be repeated every hour during course of fit.

To this extent taken not only [withou] inconv but app. with good affect.

For as soon as began use viol of fits mitig

And in short time altog. ceasd.

This event it is true, might perhaps have taken place without the mixt.

But was at least more prob that they were connected as cause & affect.

For if idea of the disease well founded might at least be consid as a cause adeq. to the affect.

And this opin that disease rem by Aethr, rend I think still more prob. by what has since happ.

The recurr viz of affect when the med given up.

Had become so well that [recknd] farther contin of the med unnecss.

And directed merely the applic of simple linim. against slight excoriat of lip.

But in place of contin free from affect, which had been case for sev weeks before, had now a return of compl.

And that too with some sympt. more alarm than formerly.

Such for ex as bloody expector.

In this situat have again had recourse to the mixt with Aether.

And if again simil allev of compl shall ensue, will not only tend to corrob opin that former relief to be attrib to it, but also conf. conj as to nature of disease.

But if simil remiss again obt shall now think of doing something with view of prev. returns.

And with this intent may perhaps have recourse to Peruv Bark, or Zincum Praecip.

But in this must be entirely regulated by circumstances.