1794

Thomas Beddoes to Thomas Wedgwood [?late November] 1794]

Dear Sir

I some time since received from Mr Byerley a letter written by your father’s direction, stating the subscription of your family & mentioning a scruple on the part of the banker to enter two sets of sums – one for advertisement – the other not to be publicly mentioned. My opinion is that the ostensible subscription is liberal & sufficient. If but a small part of the public subscribes but moderate sums, which I hope will be the case & which, I think, ought to be the case, your generosity may well be transferred to some other object.

Since my last letter, some attempts have been made at York & Hull to raise sums for this purpose of ours & at Berwick upon Tweed the business is already or soon will be set on foot – At Edin^r I am informed the proposal has gained much attention. Two days ago I had advice that the medical society, had unanimously subscribed 25 guineas – I think it well to wait yet a few days before I issue a new set of proposals, as some other names of weight may yet be expected & immediately on the opening of the Parliament, public affairs will engage the whole attention of the nation – Some names, however, which I wish for, I shall not have for reasons I could easily assign – & I am afraid as the new practice of medicine becomes formidable from its success a cabal will arise to decry it, perhaps the public may be frightened by their representations –

This practice however continues universally successful in cancers & foul ulcers – That the experience of others confirms my obs^ns with regard to phthisis pulm^y the following extract of a letter from the physician of the Birm. Dispensary will shew. By the use of the hydrocarbonate 3 persons in the last stage have had their sufferings most materially alleviated but in none of them can I expect a cure. I must say that in one case appearances are very flattering – the breathing is wonderfully better; the pains on the thorax are removed. The patient c^d only sleep on one side formerly but now on either, indifferently or on his back. The expectoration evidently purulent, is more than half diminished but the strength does not increase’ – Two cases of accidental recovery from confirmed phthisis pulmonalis have lately communicated to me, & it seems as if it had been owing in both to a lowered atmosphere – One is very curious it is of a negro in the W. Indies, who certainly did inhale such an atmosphere for a constancy & with^t any <medical> means recovered I hope to procure it for insertion in a new Ed. of my Observations – which will contain some curious communications – but I have not leisure to prepare it for the press at present.

I am at this moment oxygenating a patient, lately affected with hydrothorax & anasarca – He declared with^t any previous intimation that he breathed more freely that his chest seemed expanded &c – but this is only the 4^th day of very gradual inhalation – I am D^r Sir

Yours with true regard

Tho^s Beddoes

Address: Thos. Wedgwood / Basford / Leek / Staffordshire
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes
MS: WE/WM/1/1/1/WM35.9