The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4829] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mrs Esther MacNeill (Campbell) (Campbell) / Regarding: Captain Duncan MacNeill (of Dunmore) (Patient) / 12 May 1784 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Captain Neill of Dunmore'
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4829 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/17/25 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 12 May 1784 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'For Captain Neill of Dunmore' |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1700] |
Case of Captain Duncan McNeill, who has recently developed giddiness, flying pains, palpitations and other fearful symptoms. By Spring 1785 he is found talking to himself and admits to being 'fearful of losing his Reason'. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3063] | Addressee | Mrs Esther MacNeill (Campbell) |
| [PERS ID:3061] | Patient | Captain Duncan MacNeill (of Dunmore) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3063] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Esther MacNeill (Campbell) |
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 | Dunmore House | Tarbert | West Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Captain Neill of Dunmore
Having considered very attentively the whole
of the information I am of opinion that his ailments
depend entirely upon a disorder of his nerves which
is a very troublesome but not a dangerous disease.
The remedy that will be of the most ser¬
vice to him will be Riding on horseback and
this he should practise for some hours every
forenoon that the weather will admitt of it.
A day of constant rain is to be avoided but the
possibility of an accidental shower should
not keep him at home providing he can avoid
being very wet or being long in wet or even
damp Cloaths. Besides Riding he should fre¬
quently walk out and if he has any sort of
business to look after he will be the better
for it.
[Page 2]
In diet he may take a bit of any plain food
he likes best but he should avoid broth especially
that with barley and greens and he should otherwise
be very sparing of greens, roots or other garden
things.
If he is disposed to Costiveness he should for
his drink at meals take Porter mixed with two
parts of water but if he is not disposed to be
costive plain water will be a more proper drink
for him. If he has been in the use of taking
a little strong drink every day he may continue
to take at his meals two or three glasses of red
Port or of punch without souring but with
respect to both he must be extremely moderate
for the least excess will do him much harm.
I expect his health will be much relievd
by the above regimen but I think his recovery
will be also much assisted by the medicines
[Page 3]
prescribed in the inclosed paper. The directions for
their use are written on the same paper and whatever
apothecary you employ to prepare them will give
you the directions along with them.
You have told me nothing of the state of your
bowels and therefore I hope your stools are regular
but I must tell you that Costiveness will increase
all your Complaints and should therefore be obviated
or removed and I suppose any Practitioner in
your neighbourhood can direct you in this matter
this matter or if my advice be necessary
you shall have it.
William Cullen.
Edinburgh 12th. May
1784
[Page 4]
✍
For Captain Macneill
Take ten grains of prepared Powdered Steel, ten grains of the purest white Sugar and five grains of cinnamon powder. Mix and let there be made a powder; let there be, in this way, twwentyeight doses. Labe Stomachic powders, one to be taken in a little currant jelly every day, an hour before dinner, washing it down with two tablespoons of the following.
Take half an ounce of Peruvian bark powder, one drachm of crushed orange peel, half a drachm of cinnamon bark and one pound of boiling Water. Let it digest for one night, and add two ounces of Peruvian bark Tincture. Strain using the paper, and label it as Stomachic Tincture; two tablespoons to be taken after every dose of the powders.
W.C.
12th. May 1784.
Diplomatic Text
For Capt. Neill of Dunmore
Having considered very attentively the whole
of the information I am of opinion that his ailments
depend entirely upon a disorder of his nerves which
is a very troublesome but not a dangerous disease.
The remedy that will be of the most ser¬
vice to him will be Riding on horseback and
this he should practise for some hours every
forenoon that the weather will admitt of it.
A day of constant rain is to be avoided but the
possibility of an accidental shower should
not keep him at home providing he can avoid
being very wet or being long in wet or even
damp Cloaths. Besides Riding he should fre¬
quently walk out and if he has any sort of
business to look after he will be the better
for it.
[Page 2]
In diet he may take a bit of any plain food
he likes best but he should avoid broth especially
that with barley and greens and he should otherwise
be very sparing of greens, roots or other garden
things.
If he is disposed to Costiveness he should for
his drink at meals take Porter mixed with two
parts of water but if he is not disposed to be
costive plain water will be a more proper drink
for him. If he has been in the use of taking
a little strong drink every day he may continue
to take at his meals two or three glasses of red
Port or of punch without souring but with
respect to both he must be extremely moderate
for the least excess will do him much harm.
I expect his health will be much relievd
by the above regimen but I think his recovery
will be also much assisted by the medicines
[Page 3]
prescribed in the inclosed paper. The directions for
their use are written on the same paper and whatever
apothecary you employ to prepare them will give
you the directions along with them.
You have told me nothing of the state of your
bowels and therefore I hope your stools are regular
but I must tell you that Costiveness will increase
all your Complaints and should therefore be obviated
or removed and I suppose any Practitioner in
your neighbourhood can direct you in this matter
this matter or if my advice be necessary
you shall have it.
William Cullen.
Edinr. 12th. May
1784
[Page 4]
✍
For Captn Macneill
℞ Limatur. Mart. ppt.
Sacchar. alb. puriss. @ gr. X
pulv. cinnamom. gr. v.
ℳ. f. pulvis et f. h. m. dos. № xxviij
Sig. Stomachic powders one to be taken in a little
currant every day an hour before dinner, washing
it down with two table spoonfulls of the following
℞ pulv. cort. Peruv. ℥fs
cort. aurantior. contus. ʒj
---- cinnamom. ʒfs
Aq. bullient. ℔j
Digere per noctem et adde
Tinct. cort. Peruv. ℥ij
dein per chartam cola et Signa Stomachic
Tincture two table Spoonfulls to be taken after
every dose of the powders
W.C.
12th. May 1784.
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