Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, 9 June 1794
I was sincerely grieved on acct of the event Mr Barr communicated to me; I felt the suddenness of Miss Watt’s death as a great disappointment. I did not expect to hear from yourself so soon, if at all; your letter gives me much satisfaction and makes me wish much for the advantage of personal communication with you, while you are thinking upon the subject of airs. I am glad on two accounts that you are following up this train of thought; 1. because the public may be greatly benefitted by result and 2. because the prospect of doing good is the only thing that can afford you consolation or that will not appear insipid to you at present. – I wish to know the concluding symptoms in order to form a judgment whether any of the peculiarities in the mode of treatment cd be suspected of doing harm, & on this point I wish for your opinion. Your promise to communicate your observations on the apparatus when compleated obliges me extremely. In case you do not choose to give it to the public yourself, I much wish you wd let me along with some experiments on animals & a little information I gathered in Ireland respecting a successful domestic application to scrophulous abcesses, which has some connection with chemical principles & of which I soon expect a more detailed & authentic account than I was able to bring away with me – In Inflammation of ye chest a lowered atmosphere has seemed to do great & immediate service & so may prevent abscesses & consumptions sometimes. I am by no means sanguine as to the cure of consumption; but till some more feasible project occurs, will try this. – Oxygene air during my absence has performed essential service in the case of an asthmatic with whom I left an ill-constructed apparatus – as your thoughts are turned to the subject, I enclose two letters containing some encouraging facts.
When you favour me with another letter, pray, inform me whether you think the mixture of fixed air procured any better nights to Miss Watt. I am very ready to imagine with you that the air from charcoal & water will be most likely to benefit consumptive patients. I am not acquainted with that from iron scales and charcoal in an earthen retort. <I shall consult Priestly. > Do the scales contribute to its production. If your method of destroying the smell of oiled silk bags answers upon further trial, it will be a discovery very useful to pneumatic medicine & if you have no objection to tell it, I cd turn it to use – I have just been called to far-gone case of consumption, in which I will try yeast – an asthmatic patient whom I desired to try it, says it did him hurt.
Poor Mrs Watt! I wish I cd suggest something interesting enough to engage her mind! Shd you some time soon think a journey likely to dissipate her sorrow or any part of it, I hope to heaven you will bend your course hither – I am Dear Sir,
with true sympathy
your much-obliged servant
Thomas Beddoes
June 9 1794
Hotwells
Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / June 9th 1794
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/28/04