The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3795] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) / Regarding: Mr John McDowall (McDoual) (Patient) / 7 April 1776 / (Outgoing)
Reply [to Dr Alexander Stevenson] headed 'For Mr MacDowal [McDouall]' regarding a pain in his leg and recurrent stomach problems.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 3795 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/7/16 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 7 April 1776 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply [to Dr Alexander Stevenson] headed 'For Mr MacDowal [McDouall]' regarding a pain in his leg and recurrent stomach problems. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:724] |
Case of Mr McDowall [Douall], who developed a rheumatic complaint while in America, followed by other episodes of illness, including an injured leg from being knocked into by a horse. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:563] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) |
| [PERS ID:576] | Patient | Mr John McDowall (McDoual) |
| [PERS ID:563] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
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 | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mr MacDowal
Having considered &c we are of opinion there is properly no
disease remaining in his left leg, that all the effects of the
bruise are certainly gone & that there remains only partly in
consequence of it & partly in consequence of want of use, a conside¬
rable weakness, which however we presume will in due time
be entirely recovered of.
For this purpose let the foot & leg be rubbed gently for
a long time with flannel impregnated with the fumes of the
gums ordered below. Let him take care to keep his feet &
legs always warm & dry & let him not make such a change from
night to day as he has hitherto done but either coverless
in the night or use an additional pair of stockings in the day.
Let him try to walk frequently but gently & little at a time
So much for his leg. - But it will be of more consequence to
attend to his general constitution & to gaurd him against the
frequent return of pains which have so often troubled him
& which seem so readily to alternate with disorders of his
stomach
We dont doubt but the Bark has been of service
to him, but we dont think it proper to continue the
taking of it too long at one time, as by ↑too↑ constant use, it
comes to have less effect. We would therefore have it
laid aside for the present, but after some interval
he may take it again for a week or two when the
weakness of his stomach may again seem to require it
[Page 2]
We have prescribed below a medicine which may
be usefull in discussing 1 his pains & at the same time
fortify his stomach against any return of disorder
there - He is to take it once or twice a day in such
doses as he shall find to keep his belly [regular?] without
purging. He is to take it pretty constantly - But while
his stomach is easy & Belly regular he may intermit it for
a day or two --
Fresh air & exercise & till his limbs are stronger
he must go in a carriage but afterwards, riding on
horseback will do him more good
A steady journey for several weeks in the begin¬
ning of Summer will be of great service to him
Low diet a little animal food but as much vegetables
as he can easily digest
Ordinary drink water - no malt liquors - A
little Madeira or [Ruby?] Port & water & these better than
Spirits - If at any time he is troubled with acidity
or flatulence we allow a little grog. Of strong drinks
he must be very sparing & these wines mentioned better than
the weaker wines
Take one ounce Olibanum, one drachm each of Mastic Gum and Amber Mix to make a Power. Label: Powder
Take two drachms each of Gum Guaiacum and White Sugar, Rub together well, then add one ounce Mucilage of Gum Arabic, rub again and gradually add one ounce Simple Syrup, two ounces simple cinnamon water, four ounces rose water Mix. Label: Diaphoretic Mixture a table spoonfull or two to be taken every night & morning:
Notes:
1: A specific medical usage, meaning "dispersing" his pains.
Diplomatic Text
For Mr MacDowal
Having considered &c we are of opinion there is properly no
disease remaining in his left leg, that all the effects of the
bruise are certainly gone & that there remains only partly in
consequence of it & partly in consequence of want of use, a conside¬
rable weakness, which however we presume will in due time
be entirely recovered of.
For this purpose let the foot & leg be rubbed gently for
a long time with flannel impregnated with the fumes of the
gums ordered below. Let him take care to keep his feet &
legs always warm & dry & let him not make such a change from
night to day as he has hitherto done but either coverless
in the night or use an additional pair of stockings in the day.
Let him try to walk freqtly but gently & little at a time
So much for his leg. - But it will be of more consequence to
attend to his general constitution & to gaurd him against the
frequent return of pains which have so often troubled him
& which seem so readily to alternate with disorders of his
stomach
We dont doubt but the Bark has been of service
to him, but we dont think it proper to continue the
taking of it too long at one time, as by ↑too↑ constant use, it
comes to have less effect. We would therefore have it
laid aside for the present, but after some interval
he may take it again for a week or two when the
weakness of his stomach may again seem to require it
[Page 2]
We have prescribed below a medicine which may
be usefull in discussing 1 his pains & at the same time
fortify his stomach against any return of disorder
there - He is to take it once or twice a day in such
doses as he shall find to keep his belly [regr?] without
purging. He is to take it pretty constantly - But while
his stomach is easy & Belly regr he may intermit it for
a day or two --
Fresh air & exercise & till his limbs are stronger
he must go in a carriage but afterwards, riding on
h.back will do him more good
A steady journey for several weeks in the begin¬
ning of Summer will be of great service to him
Low diet a little animal food but as much vegs
as he can easily digest
Ordinary drink water - no malt liquors - A
little Madeira or [R.?] Port & water & these better than
Spirits - If at any time he is troubled with acidity
or flatulence we allow a little grog. Of strong drinks
he must be very sparing & these wines mentioned better than
the weaker wines
℞ Gum Guaiac. Sacch alb. d. aa ʒij Ter s. probe dein adde
Muc. g. Arab. ℥i Ter. iterum et paulatim adde Syr. simpl ℥i
Aq. cinnamom simpl. ℥ij aq. rosar. ℥jv
ℳ S. Diaph Mixture a table spoonfull or two to be taken
every night & morning:
Notes:
1: A specific medical usage, meaning "dispersing" his pains.
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