The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4017] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Mr Russell (Patient) / 17 March 1777 / (Outgoing)
Reply headed 'For Mr(s) Russel'. Letter is evidently about a Mr Russell, but in the header and once in the text, this has been corrected from 'Mrs', and in one place the patient is referred to as 'her'. The implication is that the copyist mistakenly assumed it was Mrs, and then failed to fully correct the text. Mr Russell suffers from feverish fits, and has had asthma and a cough. Cullen advises on treatment, but is fearful of what he implies to be dropsy in the thorax, given the patient's swollen feet, scanty urine, and other symptoms.
- 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 | 4017 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/8/129 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 17 March 1777 |
| 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 'For Mr(s) Russel'. Letter is evidently about a Mr Russell, but in the header and once in the text, this has been corrected from 'Mrs', and in one place the patient is referred to as 'her'. The implication is that the copyist mistakenly assumed it was Mrs, and then failed to fully correct the text. Mr Russell suffers from feverish fits, and has had asthma and a cough. Cullen advises on treatment, but is fearful of what he implies to be dropsy in the thorax, given the patient's swollen feet, scanty urine, and other symptoms. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:373] |
Case of David Russell with various symptoms including genito-urinary problems. |
7 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1862] | Addressee | |
| [PERS ID:1861] | Patient | Mr Russell |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1862] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary |
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 Mrs Russell.
From the effects of the fever which happened at the
beginning of last year it appears that feverish fits
may be of service to Mr Russells Asthmatic complaints &
from what is going on of late I am disposed to form
the same conclusion & as I cannot conceive that the
feverish fits are so severe as the Cough and Asthma so
I would not be anxious to remove the former. I should
especially not have employed the Bark, but as the trial
has been made & with no bad effects
hitherto I am willing to be guided by experience, &
therefore continue the Bark a little longer, but as I think
a long continuance may have bad effects I would not
advise its being continued longer than a month at
this time. If the feverish fits continue to recur I would
rather relieve them by the use of Tartar Emetic giving
one dose two hours before dinner & another at bedtime.
I formerly advised a solution of the Tartar for Mr
Russell, he will know the proper dose which should be
just enough for a slight squeamishness. When the fe¬
verish fit comes on, with great distention of the
bowels, take a saline draught of Salt of Tart. ℈i
& after this is saturated adding Sp. corn. cerv. gtt. xxx.
Before beginning these medicines take a gentle vomit
about 2 or 3 hours before Evening & if it obviate the fit, or
prevent the distension of bowels, repeat it now & then.
Prevent or immediately relieve Costiveness. For the sickness
& faintishness after stool, smell Eau de luce or take 20 gtt in
a little water. So much for his feverish complaints but
another symptom requires particular attention viz.
[Page 2]
the Œdematous swelling of his feet which with moveable tu¬
mours elsewhere, a scarcity of urine & great diffi¬
culty in bearing bodily motion makes me suspect
a particular ailment of the Thorax. To relieve this
the medicines above advised are well suited but apply
a blister between her shoulders, & a part of it to
be turned into a perpetual Issue. It is for this
complaint of the Thorax that I am afraid of the bark,
& if the œdema & scarcity of urine increase I would
stop the bark, even sooner than above proposed.
Diplomatic Text
For Mrs Russell.
From the effects of ye fever wc happened at the
beginning of last year it appears that feverish fits
m. b. of service to Mr Russells Asthmatic complts. &
from what is going on of late I am disposed to form
the same conclusion & as I cannot conceive that the
feverish fits are so severe as the Cough and Asthma so
I would not be anxious to remove the former. I should
especially not have employed the Bark, but as the trial
has been made & with no bad effects
hitherto I am willg to be guided by experience, &
therefore cont. the Bark a little longer, but as I think
a long continuance may have bad effects I would not
advise its being continued longer than a month at
this time. If the feverish fits cont. to recur I would
rather relieve them by the use of Tartar Emetic givg
one dose two hours before dinner & another at bedtime.
I formerly advised a solution of the Tart. for Mr
Russell, he will know the proper dose wc should be
just enough for a slight squeamishness. When the fe¬
verish fit comes on, w great distention of the
bowels, take a saline draught of Salt of Tart. ℈i
& after this is saturated addg Sp. corn. cerv. gtt. xxx.
Before beginng these meds. take a gentle vomit
about 2 or 3 hours before Eveng & if it obviate the fit, or
prevent the distension of bowels, repeat it now & then.
Prevent or immediately relieve Costiveness. For the sickness
& faintishn after stool, smell Eau de luce or take 20 gtt in
a little water. So mc for his feverish complts. but
another symptom requires particular attention viz.
[Page 2]
the Œdem. swellg of his feet wc w moveable tu¬
mours elsewhere, a scarcity of urine & great diffi¬
culty in bearg bodily motion makes me suspect
a particular ailment of the Thorax. To relieve this
the meds. above advised are well suited but apply
a blister between her shoulders, & a part of it to
be turned into a perpetual Issue. It is for this
complt of the Thorax that I am afraid of the bark,
& if the œdema & scarcity of urine increase I would
stop the bark, even sooner than above proposed.
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