The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:2892] Case Note / Regarding: Mrs Jane Fraser (of Relick) (Patient) / September 1786 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Mrs. Fraser of Relic'. Cullen recommends Mr and Mrs Fraser to spend the Winter in Madiera. He advises on Mrs Fraser's conduct during her stay at Madiera and details strategies on coping with sea-sickness, on diet, and exercise.
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
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Facsimile
There are 6 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 2892 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1925 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | September 1786 |
| 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 | Reply, 'For Mrs. Fraser of Relic'. Cullen recommends Mr and Mrs Fraser to spend the Winter in Madiera. He advises on Mrs Fraser's conduct during her stay at Madiera and details strategies on coping with sea-sickness, on diet, and exercise. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:788] |
Case of Mrs [Jane] Fraser of Relict [Relig/Reelig], who suffers from breathlessness and pain in her side; she subsequently falls down stairs, becomes pregnant and is then dissuaded from suckling her child for fear of her catching milk fever and a cold. |
21 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:148] | Addressee | Dr John Alves |
| [PERS ID:857] | Patient | Mrs Jane Fraser (of Relick) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:148] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Alves |
| [PERS ID:858] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Fraser (of Relick) |
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 | Inverness | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Madeira | Spain | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Mrs. Fraser of Relic
Before Mrs. Fraser came from the North
and when she first came here I was a good
deal alarmed with her ailments, but now
after seeing her ↑for↑ so long a time and considering
every circumstance I am by no means so
much alarmed as I was and hope she will
get entirely the better of her disease, But
still She has such symptoms as I have
known by a Brutish Winter turned into
a very dangerous state and I should con¬
sider it as the highest imprudence
not to take precaution against this
by her going to winter in a better Climate.
I have therefore advised this measure
and I am perfectly satisfied with my
self in advising Madeira as the best
winter Climate she can go to, and that
it has advantages from the length of
Voyage that it engages her in. and
With respect to her conduct during the
Voyage and during her stay at Madeira
I am now to offer the best advices
I can.
In entering upon the Voyage the
first thing that is likely to require
[Page 2]
attention is the Sea sickness, which is more
or less according to some difference of
constitution, and when this is disposed
to favour it I know no means that can
possibly avoid it, but by lying much
abed and with the head close to a pillow
it may generally be rendered more
moderate. If Vomiting comes on it must
be indulged a little but should be indul¬
ged as little as possible. Some drinking
may be necessary, but it should be very
little at a time. Either weak tea, or a
weak broth may be employed, the latter
I think the best, and neither of them
should be taken warm. Some mouthfuls
of Sea water may be tried when the
Vomitingis considerable. A little Mulled
Port wine with some water has given
some possible relief, but especially by lying
close abed all these means may be super¬
seded and the distress commonly goes off
in a very few days.
When the Sea sickness is over, so
that Mrs. Fraser can take some food I
have given a list of the Provisions that
may be employed. They are still upom
the plan of a vegetable diet, and the
[Page 3]
substance of them is the different kinds
of grain, which by being prepared in
different forms, and by being combined
with different fruits may give a
considerable variety of dishes. I am
clearly of opinion that both during the
Voyage, and during a part of the time she
is to be in Madeira that this should
be the plan of her diet, but I would not
in either cas be so rigid as I have
hitherto been, and during the Voyage
I would allow her frequently to have
some broth made either of Portable
Soup, or of fresh Meat as may be most
convenient, but with this broth she
should always take Roots or grain
both of them separately well boiled.
I would even go further than this, and
when her appetite is good, and is not
quite satisfied with her broth and pudding
I would allow her to have a ↑bit of↑ boiled Chicken
fowl, or other tender meat, but this I
would have considered as an indulgence
never ↑to be↑ largely, or frequently granted, and
if it shall be ever perceived to give heat
or frequency of pulse, more sweat in the
[Page 4]
night, or more cough in the morning it
should be avoided altogether. ✍
[Start of margin text]Mrs. Fraser
of Relic September 86[End of margin text]
Her drink must still be water or
watery liquors, water gruel or Barley water
these may be sharpened with a little
Lemon, or made agreeable with a
little wine, but the taking of wine
either aboard a Ship or at Madeira
must be under the same restrictions
as given above with respect to Animal
food. She may take at times either Tea
or Coffee as may be agreeable to her
but neither of them strong nor in
large quantity. I ↑have↑ put Chocolate into
the list of her provisions, and should
think it a good one, but with regard to
it she must consult her own stomach
When she is at Madeira, she may get
milk, and may take it at pleasure
in the morning or Evening, or at both
times as I still consider it as the
most proper part of her diet.
I hope I have now said enough with
respect to diet, and the next thing I
would have her study is the guarding
[Page 5]
against cold. For this purpose both aboard
a ship and during the winter months
at Madeira she should be always warmly
clothed, and this is the only means by
which she can safely bear the free air
of very great importance to her health.
Aboard a Ship she should be as often
upon the deck as the weather will allow
but discretion both with respect to
wind and cold must be studied [Start of margin text]She may g walk gently upon the deck but sit down on it only in the finest weather[End of margin text]. At
Madeira the constitution of their house
is such as to give fresh air enough
and even perhaps so much as to require
some caution on Mrs. Frasers part and
I am of opinion that she should always
lie long abed in the morning, longer
or shorter according to the weather and
I think Relic should always be up so
early, as to give directions in this
matter.
Although at Madeira Mrs.
Fraser may have fresh air enough within
doors I think she should also go fre¬
quently abroad in p a Palanquin
or upon a Mule as roads and weather
[Page 6]
may direct. Whatever the fashion of the
Inhabitants may be I would not have
Mrs. Fraser ever to be abroad late
in the Evening.
With respect to medicines there
are very few that can be of service
to her, and Pomfret cakes is the
only one I would send along with her.
If cough, difficulty of breathing, or pain
of the side happen to arise the remedy
must be bleeding and blistering, for
unforeseen accidents which I dont
expect they muct be left to the discretion
of her (↑a↑) Physician upon the spot.
One accident I can foresee and
that is costiveness which may especially
happen at Sea, if it should she must
try to mend it by taking more fruit
in her diet, but if that does not
answer she should without letting
the costiveness go too far take a
medicine, and an Andersons Pill
taken at bedtime will answer as
well as any thing I know
Diplomatic Text
For Mrs. Fraser of Relic
Before Mrs. F. came from the North
and when she first came here I was a good
deal alarmed with her ailments, but now
after seeing her ↑for↑ so long a time and considering
every circumstance I am by no means so
much alarmed as I was and hope she will
get entirely the better of her disease, But
still She has such symptoms as I have
known by a Brutish Winter turned into
a very dangerous state and I should con¬
sider it as the highest imprudence
not to take precaution against this
by her going to winter in a better Climate.
I have therefore advised this measure
and I am perfectly satisfied with my
self in advising Madeira as the best
winter Climate she can go to, and that
it has advantages from the length of
Voyage that it engages her in. and
With respect to her conduct during the
Voyage and during her stay at Madeira
I am now to offer the best advices
I can.
In entering upon the Voyage the
first thing that is likely to require
[Page 2]
attention is the Sea sickness, which is more
or less according to some difference of
constitution, and when this is disposed
to favour it I know no means that can
possibly avoid it, but by lying much
abed and with the head close to a pillow
it may generally be rendered more
moderate. If Vomiting comes on it must
be indulged a little but should be indul¬
ged as little as possible. Some drinking
may be necessary, but it should be very
little at a time. Either weak tea, or a
weak broth may be employed, the latter
I think the best, and neither of them
should be taken warm. Some mouthfuls
of Sea water may be tried when the
Vomitingis considerable. A little Mulled
Port wine with some water has given
some possible relief, but especially by lying
close abed all these means may be super¬
seded and the distress commonly goes off
in a very few days.
When the Sea sickness is over, so
that Mrs. F. can take some food I
have given a list of the Provisions that
may be employed. They are still upom
the plan of a vegetable diet, and the
[Page 3]
substance of them is the different kinds
of grain, which by being prepared in
different forms, and by being combined
with different fruits may give a
considerable variety of dishes. I am
clearly of opinion that both during the
Voyage, and during a part of the time she
is to be in Madeira that this should
be the plan of her diet, but I would not
in either cas be so rigid as I have
hitherto been, and during the Voyage
I would allow her frequently to have
some broth made either of Portable
Soup, or of fresh Meat as may be most
convenient, but with this broth she
should always take Roots or grain
both of them separately well boiled.
I would even go further than this, and
when her appetite is good, and is not
quite satisfied with her broth and pudding
I would allow her to have a ↑bit of↑ boiled Chicken
fowl, or other tender meat, but this I
would have considered as an indulgence
never ↑to be↑ largely, or frequently granted, and
if it shall be ever perceived to give heat
or frequency of pulse, more sweat in the
[Page 4]
night, or more cough in the morning it
should be avoided altogether. ✍
[Start of margin text]Mrs. Fraser
of Relic Septr. 86[End of margin text]
Her drink must still be water or
watery liquors, water gruel or Barley water
these may be sharpened with a little
Lemon, or made agreeable with a
little wine, but the taking of wine
either aboard a Ship or at Madeira
must be under the same restrictions
as given above with respect to Animal
food. She may take at times either Tea
or Coffee as may be agreeable to her
but neither of them strong nor in
large quantity. I ↑have↑ put Chocolate into
the list of her provisions, and should
think it a good one, but with regard to
it she must consult her own stomach
When she is at Madeira, she may get
milk, and may take it at pleasure
in the morning or Evening, or at both
times as I still consider it as the
most proper part of her diet.
I hope I have now said enough with
respect to diet, and the next thing I
would have her study is the guarding
[Page 5]
against cold. For this purpose both aboard
a ship and during the winter months
at Madeira she should be always warmly
clothed, and this is the only means by
which she can safely bear the free air
of very great importance to her health.
Aboard a Ship she should be as often
upon the deck as the weather will allow
but discretion both with respect to
wind and cold must be studied [Start of margin text]She may g walk gently upon the deck but sit down on it only in the finest weather[End of margin text]. At
Madeira the constitution of their house
is such as to give fresh air enough
and even perhaps so much as to require
some caution on Mrs. Frasers part and
I am of opinion that she should always
lie long abed in the morning, longer
or shorter according to the weather and
I think Relic should always be up so
early, as to give directions in this
matter.
Although at Madeira Mrs.
F. may have fresh air enough within
doors I think she should also go fre¬
quently abroad in p a Palanquin
or upon a Mule as roads and weather
[Page 6]
may direct. Whatever the fashion of the
Inhabitants may be I would not have
Mrs. Fraser ever to be abroad late
in the Evening.
With respect to medicines there
are very few that can be of service
to her, and Pomfret cakes is the
only one I would send along with her.
If cough, difficulty of breathing, or pain
of the side happen to arise the remedy
must be bleeding and blistering, for
unforeseen accidents which I dont
expect they muct be left to the discretion
of her (↑a↑) Physician upon the spot.
One accident I can foresee and
that is costiveness which may especially
happen at Sea, if it should she must
try to mend it by taking more fruit
in her diet, but if that does not
answer she should without letting
the costiveness go too far take a
medicine, and an Andersons Pill
taken at bedtime will answer as
well as any thing I know
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