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I wish to have your advice for a Patient
of mine - Mrs Thorp of Chillingham, 28 or 30 years
of age of a lax delicate habit naturally & rendered
more so by repeated child bearing & nursing - I
dont know whither to cal her disorder a bilous or
hysteric Colic –– a cramp in the stomach - or a
Rheumatism in the stomach & bowels – For some
years the pain was not confined to the stomach; but of
late the lower viscera are also affected - She will
sometimes continue well for months together, at
other times the attacks are frequent - sometimes
the pain comes on by slight twitchings in the stomach
& either dwindle away again or increases to an intol¬
lerable degree of agony - The stomach greatly dis¬
tended & hard, the bowels violently contracted &
drawn upwards – no purging - even Glysters
introduced with difficulty –– Most violent

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vomiting of Bile & vast quantity of ropy glutinous
stuff - The pulse low & contracted - The extremitys
cold – When the pain begins to abate she com¬
monly finds wandering Rheumatic pains in her
legs & arms &c The Rhumatism is her family disease
She has consulted several hands. Some years ago
Dr Doubleday late of Berwick was applied to - He
ordered her nervous powders viz of Castor - Valerian
and the Bark – After that Dr Askew of N Castle
put her upon his common antirheumatic Electuary
of Gum Guaiac – Cinnabar &c made very hot with the
species aromatica - This she used for a long time
without effecting a cure – Tartar: Solubilis was
also tried for some time – Tincture & infusions of
Rhubarb –– Harrogate water – The Bark & c
She is now trying the Castor Oil, which often
gives her relief, but still the complaint returns
by times with great violence –– She has had
frequent appearances of the Jaundice, from

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spasms I suppose, which left her of course as her
other complaint abated –– I intend to try her
with the warm Bath next if you approve of it, with
any other course you shall direct –– Opiates
you may be sure is our last refuge in the time
of danger, but are often repeatedly thrown up
She is quite regular in her menstrual periods
strictly temperate in diet &c. I expect to hear
[fr?]om you soon – & if what you order has {illeg}
the desired effect – I shall advise her to take
a jaunt to Edinburgh in the spring – I am Dear Sir

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To
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh

✍
Dr Buckham about
Mrs Thorp. 15th Janry.
1776
Vol. Vth p.104