DEP/DUA/1/47/53 (Transcript version)

Betty Smith

(1790)

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No31 Betty Smith at 9.

When formerly spoke of case of this pat. repres it as distinctly markd inst of Chorea or convuls. strictly so calld.

The St Vitus’s dance as comm stild.

Then took occas to state sentim with regard to it at consid length.

And during course of patients attend here no circum has occurd to lead me to alter opin formerly [delv].

Then obs. that though affect consid & extended, affect by turns almost every muscle, yet hoped for fav termin.

To this led in first place, from reflecting that Chorea a disease which in gener has fav termin.

And partic when occurs during 7^th and 15^th year of age.

The period at which more common than any other.

But consid it as still more fav that patient not affected with any inord actions during sleep in the night.

A circum evid shewing, that morbid irritab, not at least so great as in some inst.

And that for [induct] the conj of some of these stimuli, to which when awake we are naturally exp was here requis.

On these grounds the founded fav expect.

But this I must acknowl. took place sooner than expected.

And must also add, that am inclind to think was in good meas. the effect of remed here empl.

Taking it for granted as formerly obs. that disease the effect of uncommon irritab. in mov. fibres great obj was to dimin this tend to inordin action.

For this purpose had here [recor] to Zincum praecipit.

An artic of which at our last lect. had occas to make some obs. when treating of case of John Miller.

Then obs. that consid it as pref either to Calx of Zinc on one hand or to White Vitriol [on] other.

Artic both of which of late freq. empl. to remove dispos to inord action.

And although by no means succ in every case, yet have freq. I think seen best effect from them.

To Zinc praecip for introd of which are indebted to Pearson of London

I have of late only had recourse.

But as far as my exper goes, am inclind to consid it as more active that the calx formd by [illegible].

And as less apt to nauseate than the salt formd by the Vitriol acid.

In this case as well as in that of Miller was also conj with Valer.

An artic which even from very early periods of med, empl with view of prev return of inord actions.

And indeed by some repres as having even prod cure in Epilep.

Its influence as antisp. demonst by effects on some of brute creat. part its affects on Cats.

But to prod much effect of hum system must be given in large doses.

And these stomachs of young people often not able to bear.

There with five gr of Zinc praecip conj ℈i of Valer.

And hoped that might at least operate as adjuv.

This dose taken thrice a day without any inconv.

And may also add without any obv. operat.

Such indeed it seld has unless where excites naus.

And this as in no degree [comp] with benef of med always to be avoided.

From time however that this med begun affect grad dimin.

And contin to do so till entirely left him.

About end of month was able to dismiss her entirely free from compl.

And are I am inclind to think, principally if not entirely to be ascribd to Zinc & Valer.