1798

Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 25 January 1798

Dear Giddy

I know not if you have heard from her father the subsequent history of poor Miss Baines – By the use of an inhaling mixture of aether & some other ingredients (which last did so far excellent service) her symptoms became wonderfully mitigated. At this moment a respectable family, having a vessel to themselves, are about to sail to Madeira & I procured Miss B. leave to accompany them – She however resisted all my persuasions – though I imagine the expedition w^d have put her fairly on her legs – I suppose this connected some disagreeable feelings with me in her mind – she dismissed me – 2 or 3 days <ago> I was recalled – I find her much worse – The hectic is formed – she has profuse sweats – & much more expectⁿ – I left her without any bad symptom whatever except a very trifling expectoration of a bad quality – The inhalation has saved her much suffering – The certainty with which it removes pain in the chest in this case is admirable. My next proposal is to imitate the exhalations from a cow-house Some cases I have had & the effects of the medicated aether are very encouraging – But a childish scrupulosity, which I have never seen surpassed, will I fear be an effectual bar to the execution of the project & I foresee we shall part – she disgusted with me & I pitying the spoiled child – You will not tell all this to any body but your mother – The part you may tell any body I need not point out –

You can imagine nothing beyond the consternation at Birm^m during the alarm respecting Hamburgh, as I have it from James Watt Jun^r – The sensation generally felt in this country will induce the Directory to execute the thing, if they had not resolved upon it before – & if they be not intent on attacking us in points supposed by them more vulnerable & more mortal –

I hoped to see Dick Edwards as Mrs Kivell said he was coming – I sh^d have requested him to furnish me with specimens from the copper furnaces, as he did once before – Will you be so good as to ask him – If I receive them in March it will be time enough, though I care not how soon – They are for the chemical lectures – If he does not keep his process with pseudogalina a secret, I sh^d be glad of any specimens belonging to it – If any thing worth shewing lies within your reach, please to add it. – I shall have two good operators – & I trust they will get up an infinity of experiments – You w^d have been pleased to see the select anatomical lectures for women go off so well – Nothing c^d be better adapted & I dare say several of the audience learned to spare their children some suffering. There were 36 subscribers but generally 50 women present. – I rec^d your fathers parcel & ½ guinea The occasional necessity of excitement to his hearing is curious – but why does not he use aether & oil – see Zoonomia – My wife had one of those <late> bad colds – was confined 5 days to bed – Some cough remaining, I sent her to Mr Keir’s where she now is she has 50 times resolved to write to Miss Giddy & 100 times regretted not having written – I have sometimes sinned ag^t my conscience in this way myself

I am dear Giddy
Yr^s truly

T.B.

25 Jan

Address: Davies Giddy Esq / Tredrea / Marazion / Cornwall
Endorsement: Doctor Beddoes / 1798 / Jan^y the 25^th
MS: Cornish Archives MS DG 42/32