The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:101] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Robert Hunter (Collector Hunter) (Patient) / 21? July? 1770? / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Robert Hunter Esquire' at Montrose, with advice on regimen and travel. This Cullen's response to being sent Hunter's case-history, which has been bound into the middle of this entry in the case-book but for practical purposes the sequential images for this continuous transcript are presented here as being continuous [ID: 6247] The date estimated from place in case-book and the date of the incoming case-history. The addressee remains untraced as the case-history bears no practitioner's name.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 101 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/1/96 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 21? July? 1770? |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Robert Hunter Esquire' at Montrose, with advice on regimen and travel. This Cullen's response to being sent Hunter's case-history, which has been bound into the middle of this entry in the case-book but for practical purposes the sequential images for this continuous transcript are presented here as being continuous [ID: 6247] The date estimated from place in case-book and the date of the incoming case-history. The addressee remains untraced as the case-history bears no practitioner's name. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:60] |
Case of Robert Hunter with a history of nosebleeds, blurred vision and an apoplectic fit. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:31] | Patient | Mr Robert Hunter (Collector Hunter) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Destination of Letter | Montrose | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Robert Hunter Esqr
Mr Hunters ailments seem to have been
owing entirely to a fullness of blood by his origina↑l↑
constitution determined to his head. From this he
has been in danger of Apoplexy but the evacuations
he has suffered and the emaciating diet he has used
have removed the danger of apoplexy but the
repeated attacks have weakn'd his Brain and
Nerves and put him in some hazard of Palsy
[Page 2]
This however may we hope be entirely obviated
by the following measures
1 He is still to consider himself as liable to fullness
& therefore his low diet must be continued on the same
footing as hitherto that is taking a little meat at
dinner but making the most part of his meal meal
of vegetables & continuing to avoid all kind of strong
drink except a little wine in his water at dinner
2 To keep his head free it is absolutely necessary to
keep his belly regular & rather open For this purpose
I would prefer cream of Tartar to every other Laxative
and he shou'd take as much of this every morning {illeg}
with an equal part of pulp of prunes as shall be found
necessary to move him once a day he may at the
same time continue to take half a dram of Nitre every
night & morning as it will contribute to the effect of
the cream of Tartar
3 An Issue must still be continued near to his head
& perhaps the present may be more tolerable if [treat'd?]
with a milder ointment but if it should continue very
painfull a pea Issue may be put into the Nape of his
Neck & the perpetual Issue dryed up
4 The evacuations mentioned may I hope prevent
any return of his disorder but after the evacuation
of blood he has suffered both from the nose & by the
lancet it may still be necessary to repeat bleeding
not only in case of attacks of stupor deafness or
[Page 3]
dimness of sight but also by way of prevention
On this account for a year or two to come he may
bleed three or four times a year but this way that
he both[s?] lengthens the intervals & diminishes the
quantity at each time till he can afford to leave
it of altogether
5 Nothing will secure against fullness or
strengthen his Nerves more than frequent Exercise
moderate walking & such walks as he now takes
are very proper and he had better guard agains↑t↑
a rupture by wearing a truss than to forego his
walking However he must consider the walking
mentioned is not sufficient & he must contrive to take
as much more as he conveniently can in a Carriage
The best is a single horse carriage that he drives
himself but he should not be without a servant
riding by who may also lead in case of very bad
weather
In taking Exercise at all other times he
must take care to guard against cold particularly
in his feet and legs Against the first of september
next he shou'd put on a flannel shirt next his
skin & resolve to wear it night and day for Life
Cold will certainly do him harm but he may
also be hurt by heat and he ought to avoid
the heat of the sun and of warm chambers
Mr Hunters hours of sleeping and walk walking
[Page 4]
are at prsent very well ordered & should be continued
Every morning before he goes out to take his walk
as he first gets out of bed it wou'd be usefull to have
his arms & legs very well rubbed with a felsh (↑flesh↑) brush
6 The above is the Regimen which I hope will
secure his health & very few medicines can be of
service to him But to support his Nerves under
the above course I have prescribed on the othr
page an Electuary which he may take now and
than for a fortnight together intermitting two or three
weeks between every course of it
Take one ounce each of powdered wild Valerian Root and powdered Peruvian Bark, one drachm each of shavings of nutmeg and powdered Ginger, two ounces of Conserve of Roses and a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Cloves, and make an electuary. Label: Strengthening Cephalic Electuary, the bigness of a nutmeg to be taken three times a day half an hour before every meal.
Diplomatic Text
For Robert Hunter Esqr
Mr Hunters ailments seem to have been
owing entirely to a fullness of blood by his origina↑l↑
constitution determined to his head. From this he
has been in danger of Apoplexy but the evacuations
he has suffered and the emaciating diet he has used
have removed the danger of apoplexy but the
repeated attacks have weakn'd his Brain and
Nerves and put him in some hazard of Palsy
[Page 2]
This however may we hope be entirely obviated
by the following measures
1 He is still to consider himself as liable to fullness
& therefore his low diet must be continued on the same
footing as hitherto that is taking a little meat at
dinner but making the most part of his meal meal
of vegetables & continuing to avoid all kind of strong
drink except a little wine in his water at dinner
2 To keep his head free it is absolutely necessary to
keep his belly regular & rather open For this purpose
I would prefer cream of Tartar to every other Laxative
and he shou'd take as much of this every morning {illeg}
with an equal part of pulp of prunes as shall be found
necessary to move him once a day he may at the
same time continue to take half a dram of Nitre every
night & morning as it will contribute to the effect of
the cream of Tartar
3 An Issue must still be continued near to his head
& perhaps the present may be more tolerable if [treat'd?]
with a milder ointment but if it should continue very
painfull a pea Issue may be put into the Nape of his
Neck & the perpetual Issue dryed up
4 The evacuations mentioned may I hope prevent
any return of his disorder but after the evacuation
of blood he has suffered both from the nose & by the
lancet it may still be necessary to repeat bleeding
not only in case of attacks of stupor deafness or
[Page 3]
dimness of sight but also by way of prevention
On this account for a year or two to come he may
bleed three or four times a year but this way that
he both[s?] lengthens the intervals & diminishes the
quantity at each time till he can afford to leave
it of altogether
5 Nothing will secure against fullness or
strengthen his Nerves more than frequent Exercise
moderate walking & such walks as he now takes
are very proper and he had better guard agains↑t↑
a rupture by wearing a truss than to forego his
walking However he must consider the walking
mentioned is not sufficient & he must contrive to take
as much more as he conveniently can in a Carriage
The best is a single horse carriage that he drives
himself but he should not be without a servant
riding by who may also lead in case of very bad
weather
In taking Exercise at all other times he
must take care to guard against cold particularly
in his feet and legs Against the first of september
next he shou'd put on a flannel shirt next his
skin & resolve to wear it night and day for Life
Cold will certainly do him harm but he may
also be hurt by heat and he ought to avoid
the heat of the sun and of warm chambers
Mr Hunters hours of sleeping and walk walking
[Page 4]
are at prsent very well ordered & should be continued
Every morning before he goes out to take his walk
as he first gets out of bed it wou'd be usefull to have
his arms & legs very well rubbed with a felsh (↑flesh↑) brush
6 The above is the Regimen which I hope will
secure his health & very few medicines can be of
service to him But to support his Nerves under
the above course I have prescribed on the othr
page an Electuary which he may take now and
than for a fortnight together intermitting two or three
weeks between every course of it
℞ Rad. Valer. sylv. pulv. Cort. Quinquin. pulv. @ ℥j Nuc. Mosch. ras.
Zingiber pulv. @ ʒj Cons. Rosar. ℥iſs Syr. Caryoph. q. s. ut f. Electuarium
Signa Strengthening Cephalic Electuary the bigness of a Nutmeg to be taken
three times a day half an hour before every meal
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