1794

Thomas Beddoes to James Watt Jr, 12 December 1794

Dear Sir

The 200 copies on better paper (if Bristol affords it) of the first 2 plates will be done next week. The Digitalis has a second time emptied Mr Gladwell & he will have the apparatus just in the nick of time – Mr Tobin breathes 6 of his cylinders (2 c.H ) every day with an equal qt^y of atm^c air – no effect, but difficulty in staunching the blood when he cuts himself in shaving; & as I think manifest increase of irritability of the iris – but no amendment of sight Below you have the extract from Dr Thornton’s letter – Some expressions in his letters might bear the interpretation of a wish to monopolize the pneumatic practice in London; & I am afraid your information points the same way. I wish you c^d see these letters – He has subscribed 10 guineas – Facts are accumulating in our favour – Mr Townshend – the Spanish traveller – has given a very distinct case of asthma, croup –melancholia & affection of the stomach — you may refer to his Guide to Health – In the Manchester reports (see Wheeler for Nov^r) there is most honourable mention of the pneumatic treatment in cancers & ulcers – & what will astonish you is that Alford’s breast did not ulcerate again. I saw Ewart & Dr Robertson (an army surgeon on the staff) – They assured me they examined her on Wednesday – no ulceration but a little oozing of thin liquid sometimes so as to mark the shift – Robertson said she had no more hectic fever than myself – In another case carb^c acid air has dissipated the indurations in a most wonderful manner – the ulcer was but small here – & Dr Ewart says he now is of my opinion that this air stimulates the absorbents – whence hopes in tubercular phthisis. I have now a case of this kind, where the lungs have been 10 weeks ulcerated, in which the pneumatic treatment is distinctly advantageous, & yet I cannot prevail upon them to have an apparatus, though very rich. I manage this way, which may be useful with the apparatus.

A tin vessel <of 5 or 6 gallons> with a rim Round for a groove to receive water – chalk balls, water & oil of vitriol boiled together, are used for the effervescence – b. capital with long pipe. a. little vessel hung on a cross bar, containing mild or caustic volatile alkali to arrest the fumes of vit^l acid – I just receive a letter from Mr Forman, which puts me in an awkward predicament. I have given Mr Gladwell the invoice of L^d Daer’s apparatus. He has put only 10 pounds into my hands. This large apparatus will cost 14 guineas at least, carriage & all. I cannot explain the matter to him in a satisfactory way; & what makes the business still more awkward is that your invoice is in Mr Gladwell’s name & this in mine – some alteration must be made – at least, an invoice sh^dbe sent to Mr Gladwell & some explanation of the charge given.

I even doubt whether he will pay me the surplus. Were it possible, i.e. were the boxes not yet forwarded, I think the 2 fire-pots – capital one & the 4 succeeding articles sh^d be taken out, which w^d bring the charge nearer the former – Mr Gl. is rich but excessively avaricious – Such an embarrassment will not happen again – I wish too the apparatus to be directed to Mr Gl. No. 8 Parade Dowry Square (as I believe I mentioned in my first letter) for 2 reasons 1. that he may pay the carriage: 2 because it will make double trouble in the carriage for Bristol. This will make you rage ag^t the Douglasses. This unexpected affair hardly leaves room for Dr Thornton – who says as follows.

‘The first intimation I had of the importance of oxygen air for the removal of gutta serena was in a lady, who was a patient of mine for a nervous head-ach. By accident, she took up at church a prayer-book & was surprised to find her eye sight so strengthened that she c^d read in it, when before so small a print was perfect confusion. Having mentioned this, I was anxious for the trial in the worst case of defective energy of y^e optic nerve. The 1^st patient Mr Hill’ (a surgeon) tried the air with, was the sister of L^d Walpole. She early lost one eye, though the defect c^d not be discovered by a bye-stander – & the sight of the other had become very feeble. Elect^y was conjoined with the vital air. She c^d not discern, as she told Mr Walton, the dial-plate belonging to the Horse Guards clock, but before she left him she c^d readily perceive both the hour & minute hands. I gave you the acc^t of benefit received in gutta serena by a poor patient, who contented with a moderate sight, left off attending.... A lad was 7 weeks in St Thomas’s Hospital & turned out incurable. Mr Wathen, having no success in such a desperate case sent him to inhale the vital air. In 9 days he said he had a glimmering of sight & in 15 discerned objects whether luminous or not. To day he sees very well – The factor whose crystalline lens was rendered opaque by the sea-scurvy is coming forward in a surprising manner. He has now not a blotch & he gets florid. Mr Sharp expressed his astonishment at y^e cure. At the same time Mr Hill showed him a lady, who had had an open ulcer of y^e leg for 18 years – 27 months she had been under him (Mr S) & 4 under Pott, neither of whom c^d prevent it But in 3 weeks (as you see Mr Sharp) Mr Hill has healed up the ulcer by giving her the oxygen air to inhale. It produced such an effect on his mind that he desired Mr Hill to attend his sister’ –

Extracts from Dr Thornton’s letter of Nov^r 15^th 1794 to Dr Beddoes

Address: Mr J. Watt / Mr Boulton’s / Soho / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Dec^r 12 1794
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/27/08