The Cullen Project | [ID:2309] From: Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr John Glassford (of Dougalston) (Patient) / 29 August 1783 / (Incoming)

[ID:2309] From: Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr John Glassford (of Dougalston) (Patient) / 29 August 1783 / (Incoming)

Letter from Alexander Stevenson, giving a report on the post-mortem of John Glassford: his stomach is hardened and thickened, with 'an ugly Schirrous or even Carcinomatous appearance', and signs of 'incipient mortification'. Stevenson is surprised he could have survived so long and experienced so little pain. He asks Cullen whether Glassford could have had his disease when Cullen attended him 15 years ago, and asks also that this letter be given to Dr Black.

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Metadata

Field	Data
DOC ID	2309
RCPE Catalogue Number	CUL/1/2/1366
Main Language	English
Document Direction	Incoming
Date	29 August 1783
Annotation	None
Type	Authorial original
Enclosure(s)	No enclosure(s)
Autopsy	Yes
Recipe	No
Regimen	No
Letter of Introduction	No
Case Note	No
Summary	Letter from Alexander Stevenson, giving a report on the post-mortem of John Glassford: his stomach is hardened and thickened, with 'an ugly Schirrous or even Carcinomatous appearance', and signs of 'incipient mortification'. Stevenson is surprised he could have survived so long and experienced so little pain. He asks Cullen whether Glassford could have had his disease when Cullen attended him 15 years ago, and asks also that this letter be given to Dr Black.
Manuscript Incomplete?	No
Evidence of Commercial Posting	No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID	Description	Num Docs
[Case ID:330]	Case of John Glassford, the 'Tobacco Lord' who suffers from a long-term stomach complaint which eventually proves fatal. Includes post-mortem report. Internal reference implies he was Cullen's patient in 1768, though no letters are extant.	11

People linked to this document

Person ID	Role in document	Person
[PERS ID:563]	Author	Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn )
[PERS ID:1]	Addressee	Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1619]	Patient	Mr John Glassford (of Dougalston)
[PERS ID:1]	Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary	Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:563]	Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary	Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn )
[PERS ID:1003]	Other Physician / Surgeon	Dr Joseph Black

Places linked to this document

Role in document	Specific Place	Settlements / Areas	Region	Country	Global Region	Confidence
Place of Writing		Glasgow	Glasgow and West	Scotland	Europe	certain
Destination of Letter		Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain

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[Page 1]

Glasgow August 29 1783

Dear Doctor,

Yesterday Mr Glassford's body
was opened - It is surprising to find such a
quantity of subcutaneous fat, after so long
want of Nutrition.

The Viscera, in general, in tolerable
condition: the Liver tho' less in size was
otherwise natural, the Gall bladder dis¬
tended with bile, had no concretions.

I never saw any Stomach so
much vitiated. It was indurated & thick¬
ened from the Pylorus along towards the
left Hypochondrium for a span, or 8 Inches.
The remainder was of a natural appearance
& consistence – but formed a very large pouch
containing a great quantity of such black
stuff as He had vomited.

The stomach being slit lengthways,
at the Pylorus it was more than two Inches
thick; it became gradually thinner

[Page 2]

towards the sound part; but even near to that,
it was one Inch in thickness all round.
The finger with difficulty passed the Pylorus,
& found the Duodenum sound.

The Stomach when viewed on the inside
had an ugly Schirrous or even Carcinoma¬
tous appearance – the Vessels that were cut
thro', shed a blackish blood – even on the in¬
nermost coat we thought we observed
pores that furnished the black colluvies.
This served to give the whole of the affec¬
ted part the appearance of an incipient
mortification

From such Appearances it is amazing
how the functions went on so long & that He
died with so little pain.

2. Was this Disease begun at the time you
attended him, 15 years ago?

Pray communicate this to Dr Black with
my Compliments – I am &c

your most humble Servant

A. Stevenson

[Page 3]

Dr Cullen
Professor of Physic
Edinburgh

✍
Mr Glassfords
Dissection
August 1783

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

Glasgow Augt 29 1783

Dear Doctor,

Yesterday Mr Glassford's body
was opened - It is surprising to find such a
quantity of subcutaneous fat, after so long
want of Nutrition.

The Viscera, in general, in tolerable
condition: the Liver tho' less in size was
otherwise natural, the Gall bladder dis¬
tended with bile, had no concretions.

The stomach being slit lengthways,
at the Pylorus it was more than two Inches
thick; it became gradually thinner

[Page 2]

towards the sound part; but even near to that,
it was one Inch in thickness all round.
The finger with difficulty passed the Pylorus,
& found the Duodenum sound.

From such Appearances it is amazing
how the functions went on so long & that He
died with so little pain.

2. Was this Disease begun at the time you
attended him, 15 years ago?

Pray communicate this to Dr Black with
my Compts – I am &c

yr most humb. Servt

A. Stevenson

[Page 3]

Dr Cullen
Professor of Physic
Edinburgh

✍
Mr Glassfords
Dissection
Aug. 1783

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