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The Case of a Young lady

A Young Lady in the Twenty fifth year of her Age, of
a delicate constitution, yet 'till that time had Enjoyed good
health, was in the Autumn 1768 Attacked with a Pain, and
Giddiness in her Head, an uneasiness at her Stomach, and
Suppression of her Menses, and was ordered by her Physician
to lose Blood, and take certain medicines which he presecribed
by which her Complaints soon after went off. She continued
for near Ten Years, in a tolerable state of good Health.
In Autumn 1770 her Complaints returned upon her
much more Violent than before, with the addition of Loss of
Appetite, Loss of Strength, and incipient nocturnal Sweats
threatening a Consumption. Soon after she also complained
of a Pain all over her (apparently of the Rheumatick kind)
and which at last fixt in her Breast, & Side, & was attended
with a difficulty of Breathing, for which she was again
ordered to be Bled, her Blood at that time did not
appear Sizy, and what was little expected her Menses
now returned notwithstanding which, the Pain of her Breast,
still continued which was (always) accompanied with the
difficulty of Breathing for which she was again Bled,
and that part of the Side affected Blistered. This gave her

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some relief for a few Days, and then the Symptoms returned
as Violent as before. Bleeding was again ordered, which only
relieved her for 24 Hours. During this time she had various
sorts of medicines ordered but to very little effect, & her
Physician at last put her upon a very abstemious Diet
and ordered her to live chiefly upon Vegetables. In the
Year 1771 the Pain in her Breast came on every Evening, but
without any Pain of her Side as formerly; which obliged
her to be repeatedly Bled, according to the Severity of the Pain,
and difficulty of Breathing, which was ↑frequently↑ so very Violent, so
very Violent, that if she was not immediately Bled,
she had not Power to speak. These Complaints became
so habitual to her, that During the Winters of 1771, 72, 73
and 74, she was ↑Bled↑ almost every evening once, frequently twice,
and sometimes thrice; between the Hours of 5, and 10, in
the same Evening. During the Warm months in Summer,
she would sometimes continue without Blood-letting, 3 Weeks
or a month, and sometimes longer. In the year 1773 in
which she was not so bad as the 2 years preceeding, I my self
Bled her, (for I kept an Account) 110 Times, the Quantity
taken away, was according to the Pain, difficulty of
Breathing, & apparent strength, sometimes not above 2 Ounces,
at other Times 4, or 6, During the frequency of this Operation
the Blood would appear so thin & watery, that it would have scarce
Tinged my Hankerchief. She has kept her room, ever

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since the year 1772, is still Bled, but not near so often {illeg}
, and still continues to live upon an abstemious and {illeg}
Diet. In the Summer months when the necessity of {illeg}
was less frequent, her Blood was some times very {illeg}
at other times not at all so. - Since the Autumn {illeg}
to May 1774, I am very certain she must have {illeg}
taken away, to the {illeg} of 500 Times, which on {illeg} average
could not be less than two ounces at a Time, and consequently,
that she could not lose less than two thousand ounces, of Blood in the
space of 3 Years and 3/4. She has good Spirits while
free from Pain. Her Legs swells a little towards night.

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Doctor Cullen
Mint

✍ Young Lady –