The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3887] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Edward Burrow (at Port Glasgow, Esq.; Collector Burrow) / Regarding: Mrs Anne Burrow (Broadley) (Burrows) (Patient) / 6 August 1776 / (Outgoing)
Reply headed 'Mr [Edward] Burrow Port Glasgow'. Advice and a recipe for Mrs Burrow whose menstruation, always difficult, has been delayed by a fright. Cullen gives an emmenagogue recipe in plain English, which he admits is unusual, but is done from his regard for the family. He asks Mr Burrow to have it transcribed, so that the apothecary does not recognise Cullen's hand.
- 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 | 3887 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/7/108 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 6 August 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 headed 'Mr [Edward] Burrow Port Glasgow'. Advice and a recipe for Mrs Burrow whose menstruation, always difficult, has been delayed by a fright. Cullen gives an emmenagogue recipe in plain English, which he admits is unusual, but is done from his regard for the family. He asks Mr Burrow to have it transcribed, so that the apothecary does not recognise Cullen's hand. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:7] |
Case of Mrs Anne Burrow [Burrows] being treated for vomiting and severe abdominal pains. |
6 |
| [Case ID:842] |
Case of an unnamed female patient, a friend of Mr Edward Burrow at Port Glasgow. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:247] | Addressee | Mr Edward Burrow (at Port Glasgow, Esq.; Collector Burrow) |
| [PERS ID:391] | Patient | Mrs Anne Burrow (Burrows) |
| [PERS ID:1715] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:247] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Edward Burrow (at Port Glasgow, Esq.; Collector Burrow) |
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 | Port Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Mr Burrow Port Glasgow
You give me a very short case, but I shall be always
ready to advise as well as I can for any friend of yours.
A Womans missing her courses for a week beyond her
ordinary time should not give much alarm unless attended with
some peculiar symptoms or disorders. However as it is
imputed to fright the suppression may continue &
bring produce some disorder & farther as the menstruation
has been formerly difficult & scanty, I shall give you a
prescription which may bring back things to their due
course & make them more free in time to come, & tho it
has not been my practice to give prescriptions but
in the ordinary way, & tho it would offend the Profession to do
otherwise yet the particular regard I have for you engages
me to comply with your request. I give you therefore enclosed
a Prescription in the plainest manner, but before
[Page 2]
you send it to the apothecary I beg you’ll cause it to be trans¬
cribed, as I would not have it to appear in my hand upon the
Apothecary's file. 1 You desire directions for diet & Exercise, but from [any?]
thing you have said I see little occasion to make much change in
ordinary diet. However it may be proper to avoid cold &
flatulent things & therefore to avoid much Garden things, particularly
Lettuce, Cucumbers Melon & in general fruit. Much Milk
must be taken moderately or not at all. In drink wine
& water is better than beer, & white wine better than red.
A good deal of Exercise in walking riding, or going in a
Carriage is very proper, but the heat of the Sun is to be avoided
& if wet or cold weather come on, cold is to be carefully avoided.
Take of the best asa fœtida two drams
---- Succetrine Aloes half a dram
Extract {illeg}ting the whole
Extract of Gentian
Prepared filings of Steel of each two Scruples
Rub the Aloes & filings of Steel together, then add the asa &
Mucilage of Gum Arabic as may be necessary. Make a
Mass to be divided in to Pills of five grains each.
Of these Pills the patient is to take three every night at
bedtime, washing them down, with four table spoonfuls of
the following Aperient Infusion.
Take of the herb Penny Royal dried two drams
Best English saffron one scruple
Pour upon these an English pint of boiling water &
after standing for twelve hours strain off the Liquor
& add to it, two ounces of compound Juniper water or
of the best dutch Gin.
Notes:
1: Cullen is anxious not to be exposed for the professional indiscretion of writing out a prescription in English.
Diplomatic Text
Mr Burrow Port Glasgow
You give me a very short case, but I shall be always
ready to advise as well as I can for any friend of yours.
A Womans missing her courses for a week beyond her
ordinary time should not give mc alarm unless attended wt
some peculiar symptoms or disorders. However as it is
imputed to fright ye suppression may continue &
bring produce some disorder & farther as ye menstruation
has been formerly difficult & scanty, I shall give you a
prescription wc may bring back things to their due
course & make them more free in time to come, & tho it
has not been my practice to give prescriptions but
in ye ordinary way, & tho it would offend ye Profession to do
otherwise yet ye particular regard I have for you engages
me to comply wt yr request. I give you therefore enclosed
a Prescription in ye plainest manner, but before
[Page 2]
you send it to ye apothecary I beg you’ll cause it to be trans¬
cribed, as I would not have it to appear in my hand upon ye
A--s file. 1 You desire direct.ns for diet & Exercise, but fm [any?]
thing you have said I see little occasion to make mc change in
ordinary diet. However it may be proper to avoid cold &
flatulent things & yrefore to avoid mc Garden things, particuly
Lettuce, Cucumbers Melon & in general fruit. Much Milk
must be taken moderately or not at all. In drink wine
& water is better than beer, & white wine better than red.
A good deal of Exercise in walking riding, or going in a
Carriage is very proper, but ye heat of ye Sun is to be avoided
& if wet or cold weather come on, cold is to be carefully avoided.
Take of ye best asa fœtida two drams
---- Succetrine Aloes half a dram
Extract {illeg}ting ye whole
Extract of Gentian
Prepared filings of Steel of each two Scruples
Rub ye Aloes & filings of Steel together, then add ye asa &
Mucilage of Gum Arabic as may be necessary. Make a
Mass to be divided in to Pills of five grains each.
Of these Pills ye patient is to take three every night at
bedtime, washing them down, wt four table spoonfuls of
ye following Aperient Infusion.
Take of ye herb Penny Royal dried two drams
Best English saffron one scruple
Pour upon these an English pint of boiling water &
after standing for twelve hours strain off ye Liquor
& add to it, two ounces of compound Juniper water or
of ye best dutch Gin.
Notes:
1: Cullen is anxious not to be exposed for the professional indiscretion of writing out a prescription in English.
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