The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1195] From: Reverend Bateman / To: Reverend Daniel Renaud (Renoud; of Whitchurch) / Regarding: Mrs (Patient), Dr George Bullman (Patient), Mr William Gregory (of Woolhope) (Patient) / 19? August? 1771? / (Incoming)
Letter from Rev. Dr. Bateman to Rev. Mr. Renaud [Renoud] of Whitchurch, describing 'an extraordinary Cure performed by the use of Clivers otherwise Goose Grass',which took place in the writer's parish, in the form of a copy in the hand of Dr Christopher Douglas of Kelso as sent to Cullen by Douglas on behalf of Mrs Baillie at Mellerstein as an enclosure in Letter ID:814. The date of 1771 is not necessarily the date of the actual cure but indicates when Douglas made the copy. The precise status and origins of this letter are obscure since a version, dated 1 September 1783, was printed in The Gentleman's Magazine, in 1790, (Volume 60, Part 2), pp. 1164-65.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1195 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/295 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 19? August? 1771? |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from Rev. Dr. Bateman to Rev. Mr. Renaud [Renoud] of Whitchurch, describing 'an extraordinary Cure performed by the use of Clivers otherwise Goose Grass',which took place in the writer's parish, in the form of a copy in the hand of Dr Christopher Douglas of Kelso as sent to Cullen by Douglas on behalf of Mrs Baillie at Mellerstein as an enclosure in Letter ID:814. The date of 1771 is not necessarily the date of the actual cure but indicates when Douglas made the copy. The precise status and origins of this letter are obscure since a version, dated 1 September 1783, was printed in The Gentleman's Magazine, in 1790, (Volume 60, Part 2), pp. 1164-65. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:430] |
Case of 'an extraordinary Cure performed by the use of Clivers otherwise Goose Grass' communciated to Cullen by Mrs Baillie of Mellerstain, through other parties. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1396] | Author | Reverend Bateman |
| [PERS ID:1397] | Addressee | Reverend Daniel Renaud (Renoud; of Whitchurch) |
| [PERS ID:571] | Scribe | Dr Christopher Douglas (of Kelso) |
| [PERS ID:1398] | Patient | Mrs |
| [PERS ID:1400] | Patient | Dr George Bullman |
| [PERS ID:1401] | Patient | Mr William Gregory (of Woolhope) |
| [PERS ID:1399] | Other | Dr Johann Jacob Dillen (Dillenius) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Kelso | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Destination of Letter | Whitchurch | Midlands | England | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Abingdon | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Woolhope | Midlands | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Lincoln College | Oxford | East | England | Europe | certain |
| Mentioned / Other | Magdalen College | Oxford | East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Copy of a Letter from the Reverend Dr. Bateman to the Reverend Mr Renoud,
discribing an extraordinary Cure performed by the use of Clivers other¬
wise Goose Grass, or Hayriff 1
An old Woman in my parish who had what she called a
bloody Cancer continuing to eat away the flesh for several
years, had a relation at Abingdon to which place she went
for the help of a Surgeon. As his Visits were on act of Cha¬
rity, and as she was near him he called on her, but without
any good effect. At last dispairing of Sucess she went (↑was sent↑) home
with the comfortable Assurance that she would be eased of
her misery in a fortnight or less. Upon her return to
my parish I was sent for to pray by her, & never met
with so deplorable an Object in the whole course
of my life; and nothing could be so offensive as the smell.
Just at that time I was destined to write to Dr Dilennius
[Diplomii?] Professor of Botany, and to acquaint my
self with some botanick expressions he had referred to
some books in our Library at Magdalene College and after I had
finished my Compliments I amused my self with reading
the Virtues of several plants I was acquainted with, par¬
ticularly Clivers or Hayriff. The Manner that I recommended
and which was strictly followed by the patient as above men¬
tioned was as follows. She first took a Mercurial purge,
was charged to abstain from salt meats and to use only
thin diet, twice a day between meals to drink a quarter of
[Page 2]
a pint of the Juice of Clivers by pounding & squeezing them,
at the same time I desired her to take of the juice boiled, mix'd
with Hogs Lard so as to make a very soft green Ointment,
and constantly apply it to the wound, laying the bruised over
it and to refresh it as often as it dried; to take particular
care to keep the wound very clean. This was immediately
put in practice & continued six months partly by com¬
pulsion and using great Importunity, for the benefit
was so gradual I could hardly perswade the old woman
she was anything better, and I began to be under some
doubt myself, only that she was yet alive, and the often
[offen?] sive smell abated were convincing proofs to me that a
Cure would in time be effected; accordingly I pressed and
insisted upon her continuing the practice as above, &
it being a mild winter there were Clivers to be procured in
warm Hedges, the same course was continued and in
three months after the wound was perfectly healed. I
afterwards advised her to take them every Spring, which
she did & by this practice she prevented any return of
her disorder. -- Sometime after I had an opportunity
of putting the receipt again in practice. Dr Bullman
of Lincoln College had an acrid humour in his blood
breaking out in blotches all over his Arms, somewhat like
a leprosy: As I was acquainted with him I told him of
the case above mentioned, and as he informed me that
[Page 3]
Mercurials & Aethiops mineral never reached his Case,
He was resolved to try Clivers, and applied the Ointment
and drank the juice and was perfectly cured in a quarter
of a year. He told me he had improved on my prescription
for besides taking the Juice he had constantly eat them
as sallet with oil, as to his Meals, he confined himself
to Lamb, boiled Chicken and Veal. These two cases I ---
know myself, and I pray God they may be of service to the
person you mention Mr Gregory of Woolhope. _______
The Ointment
To a pound of fresh Liquour of Hogs Lard melted without
spice or salt, put as much Hayriff as the Lord will moisten
boil it over a slow fire, then strain it thro' a cloth & when cold
take the Ointment off the Water which will remain at the ______
bottom.
The Juice of Clivers is a remedy for the bite of
poisonous Spiders or Vipers if it be drank with wine, &
the herb bruised with swines grease wasteth away Kernels
by the th↑r↑oat, and the bruised leaves applied do also stay
the abundance of blood issuing from wounds.
Physic should be taken and the juice drunk a week
at least before the Ointment is made use of; laying the
bruised Hayriff over the wound is thought to be of use:
but it heals the part prodigeously, and when it is past
bearing must be taken off and applied a little at a time
and often just as the person can suffer it. ______
Notes:
1: See general head-note for the context in which this document reached Cullen.
Diplomatic Text
Copy of a Letter from the Rev.d Dr. Bateman to the Rev.d Mr Renoud,
discribing an extraordinary Cure performed by the use of Clivers other¬
wise Goose Grass, or Hayriff 1
An old Woman in my parish who had what she called a
bloody Cancer continuing to eat away the flesh for several
years, had a relation at Abingdon to which place she went
for the help of a Surgeon. As his Visits were on act of Cha¬
rity, and as she was near him he called on her, but without
any good effect. At last dispairing of Sucess she went (↑was sent↑) home
with the comfortable Assurance that she would be eased of
her misery in a fortnight or less. Upon her return to
my parish I was sent for to pray by her, & never met
with so deplorable an Object in the whole course
of my life; and nothing could be so offensive as the smell.
Just at that time I was destined to write to Dr Dilennius
[Diplomii?] Professor of Botany, and to acquaint my
self with some botanick expressions he had referred to
some books in our Library at Mag: Coll: and after I had
finished my Compliments I amused my self with reading
the Virtues of several plants I was acquainted with, par¬
ticularly Clivers or Hayriff. The Manner that I recommended
and which was strictly followed by the patient as above men¬
tioned was as follows. She first took a Mercurial purge,
was charged to abstain from salt meats and to use only
thin diet, twice a day between meals to drink a quarter of
[Page 2]
a pint of the Juice of Clivers by pounding & squeezing them,
at the same time I desired her to take of the juice boiled, mix'd
with Hogs Lard so as to make a very soft green Ointment,
and constantly apply it to the wound, laying the bruised over
it and to refresh it as often as it dried; to take particular
care to keep the wound very clean. This was immediately
put in practice & continued six months partly by com¬
pulsion and using great Importunity, for the benefit
was so gradual I could hardly perswade the old woman
she was anything better, and I began to be under some
doubt myself, only that she was yet alive, and the often
[offen?] sive smell abated were convincing proofs to me that a
Cure would in time be effected; accordingly I pressed and
insisted upon her continuing the practice as above, &
it being a mild winter there were Clivers to be procured in
warm Hedges, the same course was continued and in
three months after the wound was perfectly healed. I
afterwards advised her to take them every Spring, which
she did & by this practice she prevented any return of
her disorder. -- Sometime after I had an opportunity
of putting the receipt again in practice. Dr Bullman
of Lincoln College had an acrid humour in his blood
breaking out in blotches all over his Arms, somewhat like
a leprosy: As I was acquainted with him I told him of
the case above mentioned, and as he informed me that
[Page 3]
Mercurials & Aethiops mineral never reached his Case,
He was resolved to try Clivers, and applied the Ointment
and drank the juice and was perfectly cured in a quarter
of a year. He told me he had improved on my prescription
for besides taking the Juice he had constantly eat them
as sallet with oil, as to his Meals, he confined himself
to Lamb, boiled Chicken and Veal. These two cases I ---
know myself, and I pray God they may be of service to the
person you mention Mr Gregory of Woolhope. _______
The Ointment
To a pound of fresh Liquour of Hogs Lard melted without
spice or salt, put as much Hayriff as the Lord will moisten
boil it over a slow fire, then strain it thro' a cloth & when cold
take the Ointment off the Water which will remain at the ______
bottom.
The Juice of Clivers is a remedy for the bite of
poisonous Spiders or Vipers if it be drank with wine, &
the herb bruised with swines grease wasteth away Kernels
by the th↑r↑oat, and the bruised leaves applied do also stay
the abundance of blood issuing from wounds.
Physic should be taken and the juice drunk a week
at least before the Ointment is made use of; laying the
bruised Hayriff over the wound is thought to be of use:
but it heals the part prodigeously, and when it is past
bearing must be taken off and applied a little at a time
and often just as the person can suffer it. ______
Notes:
1: See general head-note for the context in which this document reached Cullen.
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