1796

Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, 5 April [1796]

5 April

Dear Sir

I am glad to hear you have a case of carious hip bone under your care. I think your obs^ns prove beyond a doubt that oxygene has done service. My case of lumbar abscess is calculated to do credit to oxygene. The patient recovered, has been well for months & the constitution seems renovated – I have sometimes doubted whether oxygene is not the only known power, capable of effecting a cure in scrophulous phthisis. But I fear the constitution c^d not stand the curative process. If this is obscure, the following fact will elucidate it. To a foul (scrophulous?) ulcer of the lip & nose, which had baffled the surgeons, young Gimbernat & Mr Townshend applied the Irish remedy, sorrel. Much pain & inflammation ensued. But the discharge, appearance &c rapidly mended: the other parts healed but the cartilage proved obstinate & the cure was not compleat when I heard last. If such a change were to take place in the lungs, it w^d produce coughing & fever enough to kill the patient, as in Fourcroy’s cases. But he, I believe exhibited oxygene unmixed. And may not a change be gradually induced by dilute oxygene, so as to evade the violent symptoms?

Since I wrote, a fact respecting the inhalation of lead has much surprized me. A Mr Watkins, surgeon of Abergavenny, came to me last Sep^r I tried hydrocarb^e – no effect – I tried bark & calx of zinc from Darwin’s dusting box – no effect. At last I tried ceruss alone. He left this place so weak that I rather expected, he w^d die in the way home. He persevered most strenuously in the dusting plan. He is alive & stronger than 5 months ago. Here he c^d not walk from his bed to the fire. He has lately rode out on horseback. It is the only instance in which ceruss alone is great qt^y & for a long time has been employed – He was never easy but when he was in a cloud of it. I did not fear the poison of lead. It is my opinion at present that scrophulous consumptive patients are not susceptible of the bad effects of lead, while that is solely or principally applied to the diseased lungs. If I get £1000, I do not see why it may not be laid out in procuring knowledge. I intend by & by to circulate a small pamphlet, containing views how to apply it to advantage. If your patient is greatly benefited, so that you can assert it as a fact, it w^d have much weight with the public. Surgeons in general are more obstinate than doctors.

My idea is to invite those who choose to propose ideas as to the diseases to be treated & the mode of execution to select the best & to set to work –

I suppose you do not think my idea of giving fixed air unremittingly promising or practicable – as you suggest hdcarbonated instead.

I am d^r Sir y^rs

Thomas Beddoes

Address: Mr Watt / Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Ap^l 5^th 1796 / case of Watkins ceruss
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/029/03