1802

Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, [19 February 1802]

Dear Sir

I have to thank you for your attention to my request about the German books – They arrived yesterday –

You desired to know further about the gout medicine – I can only add that in every trial it succeeds – The fits are removed by an insensible operation – & the patients come most kindly out of them – I have now a case before <me> of several years standing in which the patient says – ‘My feet have been 3 months at a time in gouty shoes – they have now their pristine elasticity & fineness – through the mediation of the remedy, I have been perfectly enabled to maintain the relations of peace & amity with my old foe’ –

I certainly w^d recommend to you a trial of it, if you are plagued with your rheumatism in full confidence of its safety & in considerable hopes of its success – And if you please, I will send you enough to begin with & an acc^t of the manner I wish to have it used in chronic chases –

Also I will satisfy any gouty patient, as far as testimony can satisfy, that he risques nothing by this trial – & so confident am I of success that I will desire nothing unless at the end of a year or two he feels essentially & permanently improved as to disease & constitution both. I will impose no abstinence from wine, but stipulate only for the giving up of gross intemperance if he has been habituated to it.

You cannot imagine the rate at which poor patients resort to the Pn^c Instⁿ – at first they were afraid of being experimented upon – But in fact except for some phthisis we cure nearly all chronic cases by the most simple means – We shall have 3000 this year if they go on – & it will not cost 60£ which I shall gladly pay out of my own pocket – I shall circulate a paper of directions, respecting some points of conduct, among the poor – & will send you some copies.

Our little girl has the cow-pox with smartish fever – nothing alarming – I think that infants need not suffer from their bowels – I am sure pain is not necessary to excite the intellect – I w^d. not desire a child of 2 months to have its faculties more alive – & this has very seldom cried – but laughed much of late – to which it can be excited at pleasure as also to open the glottis to the width of the broad A. The laughter I speak of, it is not convulsion from pain.

I imagine children are much mismanaged as to heat and cold – I have been studying this point much & think I can give parents directions & nurses motives, which latter is more difficult – Mrs Beddoes desires to join in compt^s to you & Mrs Watt & I am D^r Sir yr. obliged ser^t

Thomas Beddoes.

Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / 1802 / Feb^y 19^th // Gout medicine / Pneumatic Institution
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/044/04