The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4632] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Miss Corner (Patient) / 20 May 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Miss Corner'. The patient has had a tumour for some time and Cullen is 'much at a loss' how to treat it'; he also notes the patient's shyness, which makes treatment difficult.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4632 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/16/37 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 20 May 1783 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'Miss Corner'. The patient has had a tumour for some time and Cullen is 'much at a loss' how to treat it'; he also notes the patient's shyness, which makes treatment difficult. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1007] |
Case of Miss Corner who has a long-standing tumour. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2755] | Addressee | |
| [PERS ID:2750] | Patient | Miss Corner |
| [PERS ID:2755] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2756] | Other | Mrs Donald |
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 |
Normalized Text
Miss Corner
Upon your last letter I was as much at a loss what
to advise and therefore (↑that I↑) put off writing till I should think
on it longer but such delays are dangerous for amidst my
hurry such affairs are liable to be forgot altogether &
as at the time my hurry in finishing my College at the
rate of three hours a day was so great that I forgot
Miss Corner entirely till yesterday that Mrs. Donald
again put me in mind of her.
I have since read over your last letter again and
still find the Case a very difficult one from the nature
of the disease its long continuance and from the shyness
of the patient. Though you dont feel any fullness of the
Bladder above the pubis I am persuaded that it is some
times perhaps often preternaturally distended and
I am of your opinion that the Catheter may be useful
and if she could be brought to admitt of this I would
make another use of it that of injecting medicines
[Page 2]
into the bladder which might be half an ounce of Gum
Arabic dissolved in two Ounces of water with one drachm
of liquid Laudanum added to it. This might certainly
relieve any thing spasmodic about the neck of the bladder
The quantity of Laudanum being increased as you should
find necessary but if a large dose should become necessary
it might be better to dissolve some solid opium ↑in water↑ rather
than employ the Dispensatory tincture & [opiates?].
For internal medicines you must certainly continue
the use of Opiates and when the dose is to be repeated
and is gradually increased I have no limits to the
dose but the necessity of the Case. But in all cases
where Opiates are constantly necessary great pains
must be taken to obviate the costiveness which must
happen and must aggrevate the pains of the disease
Don't trust therefore to the softness of the stool you
mention for after being retained for seven days before
it must have been hardened and by some accident [softened?]
[Page 3]
again. I advise her therefore earnestly to take fre¬
quently some laxative and the best I know of is the
Oleum Ricini with one fourth part of the Tinctura
Sennæ composita. Put up together in a Phial three
Ounces of the Oil and one of the Tincture and let them
be very well shaken together and to be well mixed
they will require a great deal immediately before giving
the dose. In this state People who otherwise do not
like Oil take it easily and it sits well
upon the stomach you may begin with
a table spoonful for a dose increasing it
afterwards as you shall find occasion.
Besides this medicine I have no other internal to
advise but plenty of muscilaginous drinks, Arabic Emulsion
Decoction of Althea roots or Lintseed Tea as you can
best reconcile her to take them. The Anointing the
Pubis and lower parts of the belly with a weak Cam¬
phorated Oil and by a gentle but long continued Unction
may {illeg}ly be of service. What she will [admitt?] of I cannot
{illeg} [wishing you heartily?] {illeg}
Diplomatic Text
Miss Corner
Upon your last letter I was as much at a loss what
to advise and therefore (↑that I↑) put off writing till I should think
on it longer but such delays are dangerous for amidst my
hurry such affairs are liable to be forgot altogether &
as at the time my hurry in finishing my College at the
rate of three hours a day was so great that I forgot
Miss Corner entirely till yesterday that Mrs. Donald
again put me in mind of her.
I have since read over your last letter again and
still find the Case a very difficult one from ye. nature
of ye. disease its long continuance and from the shyness
of the patient. Though you dont feel any fullness of the
Bladder above the pubis I am persuaded that it is some
times perhaps often preternaturally distended and
I am of your opinion that the Catheter may be useful
and if she could be brought to admitt of this I would
make another use of it that of injecting medicines
[Page 2]
into the bladder which might be half an ounce of Gum
Arabic dissolved in two Ounces of water with one drachm
of liquid Laudanum added to it. This might certainly
relieve any thing spasmodic about the neck of the bladder
The quantity of Laudanum being increased as you should
find necessary but if a large dose should become necessary
it might be better to dissolve some solid opium ↑in water↑ rather
than employ the Dispensatory tincture & [opiates?].
For internal medicines you must certainly continue
the use of Opiates and when the dose is to be repeated
and is gradually increased I have no limits to the
dose but the necessity of the Case. But in all cases
where Opiates are constantly necessary great pains
must be taken to obviate the costiveness which must
happen and must aggrevate the pains of the disease
Don't trust therefore to the softness of the stool you
mention for after being retained for seven days before
it must have been hardened and by some accident [softened?]
[Page 3]
again. I advise her therefore earnestly to take fre¬
quently some laxative and the best I know of is the
Oleum Ricini with one fourth part of the Tinctura
Sennæ composita. Put up together in a Phial three
Ounces of the Oil and one of the Tincture and let them
be very well shaken together and to be well mixed
they will require a great deal immediately before giving
the dose. In this state People who otherwise do not
like Oil take it easily and it sits well
upon the stomach you may begin with
a table spoonful for a dose increasing it
afterwards as you shall find occasion.
Besides this medicine I have no other internal to
advise but plenty of muscilaginous drinks, Arabic Emulsion
Decoction of Althea roots or Lintseed Tea as you can
best reconcile her to take them. The Anointing the
Pubis and lower parts of the belly with a weak Cam¬
phorated Oil and by a gentle but long continued Unction
may {illeg}ly be of service. What she will [admitt?] of I cannot
{illeg} [wishing you heartily?] {illeg}
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