The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1637] From: Mr William Bruce / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr William Bruce (Patient) / 2 March 1779 / (Incoming)
Letter from William Bruce, writing from Bigton, Shetland, concerning his own case.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 1637 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/726 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 2 March 1779 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Authorial original |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | No |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Letter from William Bruce, writing from Bigton, Shetland, concerning his own case. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:988] |
Case of Mr William Bruce of Shetland who has breathing problems, but Cullen consider his symptoms essentially rheumatic. |
3 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:2525] | Author | Mr William Bruce |
[PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:2525] | Patient | Mr William Bruce |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:2526] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Wood ('Mr Wood the Taylor') |
Places linked to this document
Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Writing | Bigton | Shetlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
Destination of Letter | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Mentioned / Other | Shetlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | ||
Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Agreeable to Your kind Request, I
here Presume to Trouble You with an Accountt of my former
Complaints, & How they have Gone on dureing the Winter,
after Leaveing Edinburgh we had but a Tedious &
Cross Passage, did not Arrive in Shetland before the 28 of october
It was not [Improable?] but in the Course
of so Long a Passage, Dissagreeable Weather & Events- Con¬
tributed not a Little to awaken them. However I held it
out Pretty well, now and then the Difficulty of Breathing
was more or Less at Times Troublesome and Continued so
till the first if January, when both the Shortness of Breathing
and pain in my side attacked me with Violence, the
former indeed to a Degree I had never before Experienced.
Such as being unable without the Greatest Pain to Ly
in Bed Either on my Left side or back. This Continued
about a forthnight, in the Meantine I applyed the
Blister Repeatedly, to which the pain in my side yeilded,
and at same time Begun a Course of the Medicine You
Prescribed, which I Continued till the Materialls were
above Half Expended, I then Desisted as I thought the
Decoction Clogg'd my Stomach, the same might have
Proceeded from Want of Exercise, which I was Incapable
of Takeing had the season admitted of Going abroad
[Page 2]
still Continuing & Rather Encreasing then abateing
to the first if February was at a Loss how to Behave, Haveing
Reaped no Benefitt former Applications here, And my
Distress Truely Great. I Ventured to Try the Effect of the
following, Haveing some Gum Ammoniac by me I Caused
a Pretty Strong Emulsion be made, & Continued the use of it
for a forthnight takeing the Quantity a Gill four times
a day. Not Knowing how faar I was Right, or ought to
Persist, that was laid asside also, Without any Immediate
Benefitt being observed, Till about a Week thereafter
in attempting a short walk in the feilds I found that the
pain in my Breast which formerly oppress'd me, together
with the Difficulty of Breathing was Mutch easier.
I Could not say or Pretend to Judge from what Cause, but
I lookt on it as a favourable Circumstance. And since
Blessed [bei?] Kind Providence I am able to Walk about
with little or no Pain, Either in my Breast, Breathing
or side. Tho I Can not Exert my self in any way
as formerly, The being Relieved of the Acute pain
and Disagreeable feeling I long under went is a
Great Comfort. Thus Dear Sir I have Endeavour'd
to Give You the most Accurate Accountt of my Complaints
in my power, since I left You. If You Judge a
Recruit of the former Medicines Necessary, or any
other, a Note of such from you to Mr Wood the Taylor
who will Dilever this. Will Direct him to a Labo¬
ratory 1 for them, He will advise You when
[Page 3]
the [Packwch?] 2 is to saill. & Wait of You for Your further
Commands. And your Opinion Will be oblidging therwith
And I am With Sincere Esteem
Dear Sir
Your most obedient humble servantt
Warm Cloathing & a
Constant use of flannell's
have not been Neglected
and I do beleive have been
usefull
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
Mr William Bruce
March. 1779.
9. p.152.
Diplomatic Text
Agreeable to Your kind Request, I
here Presume to Trouble You with an Accott of my former
Complaints, & How they have Gone on dureing the Winter,
after Leaveing Edinburgh we had but a Tedious &
Cross Passage, did not Arrive in Shetland before the 28 of octobr
It was not [Improable?] but in the Course
of so Long a Passage, Dissagreeable Weather & Events- Con¬
tributed not a Little to awaken them. However I held it
out Pretty well, now and then the Difficulty of Breathing
was more or Less at Times Troublesome and Continued so
till the first if January, when both the Shortness of Breathing
and pain in my side attacked me with Violence, ye
former indeed to a Degree I had never before Experienced.
Such as being unable without the Greatest Pain to Ly
in Bed Either on my Left side or back. This Continued
about a forthnight, in the Meantine I applyed the
Blister Repeatedly, to which the pain in my side yeilded,
and at same time Begun a Course of the Medicine You
Prescribed, which I Continued till the Materialls were
above Half Expended, I then Desisted as I thought the
Decoction Clogg'd my Stomach, the same might have
Proceeded from Want of Exercise, which I was Incapable
of Takeing had the season admitted of Going abroad
[Page 2]
still Continuing & Rather Encreasing then abateing
to the first if Feby was at a Loss how to Behave, Haveing
Reaped no Benefitt former Applications here, And my
Distress Truely Great. I Ventured to Try the Effect of ye
following, Haveing some Gum Ammoniac by me I Caused
a Pretty Strong Emulsion be made, & Continued ye use of it
for a forthnight takeing the Quantity a Gill four times
a day. Not Knowing how faar I was Right, or ought to
Persist, that was laid asside also, Without any Immediate
Benefitt being observed, Till about a Week thereafter
in attempting a short walk in the feilds I found that ye
pain in my Breast which formerly oppress'd me, together
with the Difficulty of Breathing was Mutch easier.
I Could not say or Pretend to Judge from what Cause, but
I lookt on it as a favourable Circumstance. And since
Blessed [bei?] Kind Providence I am able to Walk about
wt little or no Pain, Either in my Breast, Breathing
or side. Tho I Can not Exert my self in any way
as formerly, The being Relieved of the Acute pain
and Disagreeable feeling I long under went is a
Great Comfort. Thus Dear Sir I have Endeavour'd
to Give You the most Accurate Accott of my Complaints
in my power, since I left You. If You Judge a
Recruit of the former Medicines Necessary, or any
other, a Note of such from you to Mr Wood the Taylor
who will Dilever this. Will Direct him to a Labo¬
ratory 1 for them, He will advise You when
[Page 3]
the [Packwch?] 2 is to saill. & Wait of You for Your further
Commands. And your Opinion Will be oblidging therwith
And I am With Sincere Esteem
Dear Sir
Your most obt Humbe sertt
Warm Cloathing & a
Constant use of flannell's
have not been Neglected
and I do beleive have been
usefull
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
Mr Wm Bruce
March. 1779.
9. p.152.
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