The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1895] From: Dr Robert Innes / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Dr Robert Innes (Patient) / 12 August 1780 / (Incoming)
Letter from Robert Innes concerning his own case. He is now feeling better and jokes with Cullen about the distastefulness of the 'emetic and nauseating Draughts' that Cullen recommended, while sincerely thanking him for his kind attentions. This cheerful letter also includes an anecdote about the famous Edinburgh physician, poet and wit, Dr Archibald Pitcairn, and the proverb, 'Fleshers are not fond of collops'. The letter is also interesting for what it reveals about the workings of 'the [medical] faculty' and the delivery and interception of another (lost?) letter.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1895 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/975 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 12 August 1780 |
| 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 Robert Innes concerning his own case. He is now feeling better and jokes with Cullen about the distastefulness of the 'emetic and nauseating Draughts' that Cullen recommended, while sincerely thanking him for his kind attentions. This cheerful letter also includes an anecdote about the famous Edinburgh physician, poet and wit, Dr Archibald Pitcairn, and the proverb, 'Fleshers are not fond of collops'. The letter is also interesting for what it reveals about the workings of 'the [medical] faculty' and the delivery and interception of another (lost?) letter. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:808] |
Case of Dr Robert Innes who, over several years, has stomach complaints, then piles, then a cold and cough. |
6 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:3089] | Author | Dr Robert Innes |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3089] | Patient | Dr Robert Innes |
| [PERS ID:3089] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Robert Innes |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3419] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr Archibald Pitcairn |
| [PERS ID:3418] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | |
| [PERS ID:3420] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | John |
| [PERS ID:743] | Other | Mrs Anna Cullen |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Taymouth Castle / Taymouth | Kenmore | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Stirling | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Taymouth 12th August
1780
I am very much obliged to you for your friendly
attention to my Case, but thaknk God was much in my ordinary
health before your Letter arrived - The Day after I wrote you
I turned greatly easier & having an opportunity sent a Letter by
Stirling to a Correspondent in Town desiring my Letter to you might
not be delivered or if it was to beg you might not take the
trouble to answer it. - Your Theory & Mine as to the nausea and
Anorexia are entirely the Same but how Came the nausea to Con¬
tinue so long after the fever was quite gone - This I can now
easily Account for from Consequences that have happened Since
I wrote you & which I shall mention at meeting - As also
My objections to the emetic and nauseating Draughts which I would
indeed have prescribed to any other person with Similar Symptoms
but you know I have a very Singular Constitution - Upon Dr
Pitcairn's being taken ill there was a meeting of the faculty
to prescribe, after Consultation a vomit was thought proper
which was brought to him by an uncle of Mine, then a Surgeon's
Apprentice, he took the Bottle out of his hand which held the
emetic wine, Let it drop on the Hearth stone, and Said, Tis all (↑as↑)
well there John as in My Stomach, perhaps both he & I were
[Page 2]
in the wrong but you know Flesher's are not fond of
Collops & perhaps If you had been either in the Doctor's
Situation or Mine you would have been as refractory as any
of us, Jesting Apart, I return you my Sincere thanks for your
kind Advice with respectfull Compliments to Mrs Cullen and family
[Page 3]
To
Dr William Cullen
Physician in
Edinburgh
Diplomatic Text
Taymouth 12th August
1780
I am very much obliged to you for your friendly
attention to my Case, but thaknk God was much in my ordinary
health before your Letter arrived - The Day after I wrote you
I turned greatly easier & having an opportunity sent a Letter by
Stirling to a Correspondent in Town desiring my Letter to you might
not be delivered or if it was to beg you might not take the
trouble to answer it. - Your Theory & Mine as to the nausea and
Anorexia are entirely the Same but how Came the nausea to Con¬
tinue so long after the fever was quite gone - This I can now
easily Account for from Consequences that have happened Since
I wrote you & which I shall mention at meeting - As also
My objections to the emetic and nauseating Draughts which I would
indeed have prescribed to any other person with Similar Symptoms
but you know I have a very Singular Constitution - Upon Dr
Pitcairn's being taken ill there was a meeting of the faculty
to prescribe, after Consultation a vomit was thought proper
which was brought to him by an uncle of Mine, then a Surgeon's
Apprentice, he took the Bottle out of his hand which held the
emetic wine, Let it drop on the Hearth stone, and Said, Tis all (↑as↑)
well there John as in My Stomach, perhaps both he & I were
[Page 2]
in the wrong but you know Flesher's are not fond of
Collops & perhaps If you had been either in the Doctor's
Situation or Mine you would have been as refractory as any
of us, Jesting Apart, I return you my Sincere thanks for your
kind Advice with respectfull Compt. to Mrs Cullen and family
[Page 3]
To
Dr William Cullen
Physician in
Edinr
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