1794

Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, [24 October 1794]

Dear Sir

I will send you 2 dozen of copies if I can get them to day or as soon as I can – for the stock of paper (which was very good) on which the engravings were taken off, was soon exhausted, & we are obliged to wait for more

Consumption must be curable if we can apply our power; but we shall hardly do this with^t rooms filled with modified air – in other words, without a constant application of it – It evidently acts by promoting absorption, as appears not only from the dryness of the ulcer in Dr E’s cases but by the dispersion of the hard lumps – hence I have hope it will disperse tubercles – fixed air, I mean. I certainly will establish a pneumatic magazine or commentary; if the Pneumatic hospital succeeds – As for the hypercritic, it was only a sally –

As soon as the smaller apparatus arrives, I will labour to investigate the cause of speedy death from hydrocarbonate. If I cannot see any distinct appearances, then your opinion as expressed in your former letter, viz of its acting on the nerves must be adopted. To which I have no objection but that it is an expression to which no ideas correspond, as all similar expressions respecting the phaenomena of health & disease must be. At the same time, I am aware this, though unsatisfactory, is better philosophy than assigning causes that do act in nature but not upon the particular occasion. This investigation will furnish an article for such a periodical work as you suggest & I hope you will yet furnish me hints of conjectures if your health excludes you from ascertaining new facts. I wish you w^d be so good as read Dr Darwin’s chapter on vertigo & combine his theory with your obs^ns & reflections.

Lord Daer bears fixed air astonishingly. He takes as 1 to 3½ atmospheric – with^t the least titileation or disagreeable effect or feeling. I wish he was not going to Lisbon; for having brought him to this standard, I w^d contrive to give him f. a. constantly. But he goes to certain death from a possibility of help. In the Nottingham hospital they have been using f. a. in psoas & other fatal abscesses with perfect success.

Capper was many, many days in the way. He declined very rapidly – certainly he did not decline much, while here: & seemed rather gaining after his imprudence – Whether these circumstances arose from any action of elastic fluids, time, the great unriddler of mysteries, must determine. I have been busy & much indisposed – otherwise I w^d have written to you sooner. I had a smart febrile attack, which affected my head much. It is scarce clear yet or easy. Y^rs

T. Beddoes

I gave the printer a frank from L^d Selkirk to inclose your engravings. He, I suppose, neglected the day & had the modesty to pay carriage. I did not know the circumstance but from your letter.

Do not you think Caoutchouc in linseed oil, or copal varnish might be used instead of, or along with, linseed oil & litharge?

Have you brought your mind at all to bear on the problem I stated last –? Perhaps if you contrive any apparatus, it will do equally to warm & cool air – which last may have an useful application.

Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Oct^r 24^th 1794
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/27/06