The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3765] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Andrew Liddell (Liddle) / Regarding: Miss Sinclair (Patient) / 14 September 1774 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'headed To Mr Riddel [in error for Andrew Liddel at Thurso] about Miss Sinclair' reassuring that her condition is not yet consumptive, but urging a journey south to avoid 'a Caithness winter'. Cullen also offers advice on bleeding, diet etc'. The heading which mistakenly has the name as 'Liddel' may be an added note by another hand. Answers Letter ID:913.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 3765 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/5/28 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 14 September 1774 |
| 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 'headed To Mr Riddel [in error for Andrew Liddel at Thurso] about Miss Sinclair' reassuring that her condition is not yet consumptive, but urging a journey south to avoid 'a Caithness winter'. Cullen also offers advice on bleeding, diet etc'. The heading which mistakenly has the name as 'Liddel' may be an added note by another hand. Answers Letter ID:913. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:374] |
Case of Miss Sinclair with a severe cough and various other symptoms. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:339] | Addressee | Mr Andrew Liddell (Liddle) |
| [PERS ID:429] | Patient | Miss Sinclair |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:339] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Andrew Liddell (Liddle) |
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 | Thurso | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | South-West | England | Europe | certain | ||
| Therapeutic Recommendation | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Scotland | Europe | certain | |||
| Mentioned / Other | Caithness | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
To Mr Riddel 1 about Miss Sinclair
Dear Sir
your letter of the 4th I received only
this morning & as this is a Post day & no other
till Saturday I have sat down to give an answer
tho I am very uncertain of having time to finish
it today. Your letters are always full & accurate
& I beg you may never make any apology for being
minute as you can never go to any improper
excess in that way. --
I have considered Miss Sinclairs case very
attentively & am sorry I can not say she is in
absolute security but I can with great Confidence
say that there is nothing desperate nothing cer¬
tainly consumptive yet in it. It is to me very
Probable that the ailment has been entirely owing
to Cold. If it had been of the Consumptive kind
she could not have got so entirely free of the
Cough as she did in June last & I have no doubt
that a fresh Cold brought it back in August. -
The appearance of Blood in her spitting for some
[Page 2]
days maybe accounted for many ways and its
ceasing ↑entirely↑ soon shows it of little Consequence. -
If the Summer had not been so uncommonly
bad I dare say Miss Sinclair would have
been well before now but this leads me to say
also that tho she seems to be in no danger at
present I can not answer for the consequences
of a Caithness Winter & if the Circumstances of
the family will Permit I think she can not be
in safety without setting out as soon as Possible
for a better Climate. I think she can not be
Safe in any part of Scotland but how far further she
should go I would not determine till I knew the
effects of her journey or Voyage because if good
accommodation can be got for her coming South
by Water either to this Place or to London. I think
it would do her more service than coming by land
but if has neither convenience nor Courage for this
she should however set out immediately by land
& take to ↑a↑ carriage as soon as she can get it as it will
save her better than going on horse back from both
fatigue & bad Weather. - This Past of my advice
I have begun with as I think it the most important
but I must now speak of what she is to do in case
of remaining where she is. On this subject I
have very little to say as you have already done
everything in the most judicious manner. -
[Page 3]
The Bleedings were certainly Proper and
considering all the symptoms & the appearance
of the Blood it is Possible she might have been
the better of a little more & I think it will
be right to take away a little blood before
she sets out upon a journey. - I am sorry to
find she bears Blistering so very ill for it
should have been an usefull remedy to her &
still if she can bear it I would have her wear
a Burgundy pitch plaster on the Pained
side or between her shoulders. You have
already ordered her diet very Properly & I have
only to say that she must continue to abstain
from all animal food & her friends may depend
it that any weakness she complains of is owing to
the Progress of the Disease & not to her diet. However
I shall allow. However I shall allow that when
She is upon the road she may have a
little broth once a day & even a little
boiled Chicken. With regard to exercise
I need say nothing as I hope she is to enter
upon a journey or voyage, but if she does
not she must continue to take her forenoon
ride as long as the weather will allow.
you must still take care to obviate
costiveness, & as long as the tamarinds & prunes
answer they are as proper as any thing.
[Page 4]
If they fail you must have recourse to something
stronger but it must still be of the cooling
kind & I would prefer Cream of Tartar.
It is by these [pieces?] of management, by
diet or exercise & climate that Miss Sinclair
must get the better of her complaints
and I find at present very little room
for any medicines especially if she is to
come South, but if she does not & symptoms
come one to reguire medicines or other
remedies I shall be very ready to advise.
Wishing you all success I am to very great
regard -----------------
Your very faithfull
& most Obedient Servant:
Wm. Cullen
Edinburgh September 14. 1774
Notes:
1: This is an error for 'Liddel'.
Diplomatic Text
To Mr Riddel 1 about Miss Sinclair
Dear Sir
your letter of the 4th I received only
this morning & as this is a Post day & no other
till Saturday I have sat down to give an answer
tho I am very uncertain of having time to finish
it today. Your letters are always full & accurate
& I beg you may never make any apology for being
minute as you can never go to any improper
excess in that way. --
I have considered Miss Sinclairs case very
attentively & am sorry I can not say she is in
absolute security but I can with great Confidence
say that there is nothing desperate nothing cer¬
tainly consumptive yet in it. It is to me very
Probable that the ailment has been entirely owing
to Cold. If it had been of the Consumptive kind
she could not have got so entirely free of the
Cough as she did in June last & I have no doubt
that a fresh Cold brought it back in August. -
The appearance of Blood in her spitting for some
[Page 2]
days maybe accounted for many ways and its
ceasing ↑entirely↑ soon shows it of little Consequence. -
If the Summer had not been so uncommonly
bad I dare say Miss Sinclair would have
been well before now but this leads me to say
also that tho she seems to be in no danger at
present I can not answer for the consequences
of a Caithness Winter & if the Circumstances of
the family will Permit I think she can not be
in safety without setting out as soon as Possible
for a better Climate. I think she can not be
Safe in any part of Scotland but how far further she
should go I would not determine till I knew the
effects of her journey or Voyage because if good
accommodation can be got for her coming South
by Water either to this Place or to London. I think
it would do her more service than coming by land
but if has neither convenience nor Courage for this
she should however set out immediately by land
& take to ↑a↑ carriage as soon as she can get it as it will
save her better than going on horse back from both
fatigue & bad Weather. - This Past of my advice
I have begun with as I think it the most important
but I must now speak of what she is to do in case
of remaining where she is. On this subject I
have very little to say as you have already done
everything in the most judicious manner. -
[Page 3]
The Bleedings were certainly Proper and
considering all the symptoms & the appearance
of the Blood it is Possible she might have been
the better of a little more & I think it will
be right to take away a little blood before
she sets out upon a journey. - I am sorry to
find she bears Blistering so very ill for it
should have been an usefull remedy to her &
still if she can bear it I would have her wear
a Burgundy pitch plaster on the Pained
side or between her shoulders. You have
already ordered her diet very Properly & I have
only to say that she must continue to abstain
from all animal food & her friends may depend
it that any weakness she complains of is owing to
the Progress of the Disease & not to her diet. However
I shall allow. However I shall allow that when
She is upon the road she may have a
little broth once a day & even a little
boiled Chicken. With regard to exercise
I need say nothing as I hope she is to enter
upon a journey or voyage, but if she does
not she must continue to take her forenoon
ride as long as the weather will allow.
you must still take care to obviate
costiveness, & as long as the tamarinds & prunes
answer they are as proper as any thing.
[Page 4]
If they fail you must have recourse to something
stronger but it must still be of the cooling
kind & I would prefer Cream of Tartar.
It is by these [pieces?] of management, by
diet or exercise & climate that Miss Sinclair
must get the better of her complaints
and I find at present very little room
for any medicines especially if she is to
come South, but if she does not & symptoms
come one to reguire medicines or other
remedies I shall be very ready to advise.
Wishing you all success I am to very great
regard -----------------
Your very faithfull
& most Obedt. Servt.:
Wm. Cullen
Edinr: Sepr: 14. 1774
Notes:
1: This is an error for 'Liddel'.
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