Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:527] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Lady Jane Gordon (Maxwell) (Duchess of Gordon) (Patient) / 13 April 1782 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'Her Grace the Dutchess of Gordon', signed by Cullen, Nathaniel Spens, and Alexander Wood. They find her constitution to be very good 'in spite of many shocks it has received', but with a disposition to rheumatic and nervous complaints. They suggest measures, chiefly dietary, for preventing these.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 527
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/15/10
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date13 April 1782
Annotation None
TypeMachine copy
Enclosure(s) Enclosure(s) present
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, 'Her Grace the Dutchess of Gordon', signed by Cullen, Nathaniel Spens, and Alexander Wood. They find her constitution to be very good 'in spite of many shocks it has received', but with a disposition to rheumatic and nervous complaints. They suggest measures, chiefly dietary, for preventing these.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1448]
Case of the Duchess of Gordon whose complaints, for which she is advised on taking a course of goat whey, are considered rheumatic and nervous.
2


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:3442]Addressee
[PERS ID:3441]PatientLady Jane Gordon (Duchess of Gordon)
[PERS ID:588]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr Alexander Wood
[PERS ID:1335]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Nathaniel Spens, Spence
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:588]Supplemental AuthorMr Alexander Wood
[PERS ID:1335]Supplemental AuthorDr Nathaniel Spens, Spence

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
Therapeutic Recommendation Highlands East Highlands Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

For Her Grace
The Dutchess of Gordon


After attending carefully to the history of Her
Graces complaints and constitution we are clear
that the latter has been originally very good; for
in spite ↑of↑ many shocks it has received, we find it to
be very good still. We perceive indeed that in
Her Graces constitution there is some disposition
to both rheumatic and nervous complaints but in
no such degree but that by ↑a↑ little good management
the consequences may be either prevented or cured.


We think it extremely proper that Her Grace
should go as she intends just now to the country
where the most proper measures for preserving
her health can be taken.


We are very confident that the journey will
be of service and if care can be taken and it should



[Page 2]

at all ↑times↑ it should be diligently studied to avoid cold.
Her Grace when in the country should be very much
in the open air and in gentle exercise especially on
horseback.


When the season becomes proper for Goat whey
and which we judge to be the beginning of June
we think it may be of service for Her Grace to go
↑to a↑ Highland quarter and to make a trial of Goat whey
and if the stomach digests it easily it will certain¬
ly be of service to the rheumatic disposition.


Her Grace however should take no more of the
whey than what is easily digested and it will be
better digested if Her Grace at the same time takes
some exercise on horseback every day; which at the
same time is the best means of guarding against
and of curing all nervous complaints.


While the goat whey is taken and indeed at
all other times it will be proper for her Grace to



[Page 3]

use a moderate and light diet. It is by no means
necessary to confine it to vegetables but the animal
food should be generally of the lighter kinds and at
supper almost none at all.


With the goat whey it is not proper to drink
any kind of wine but in place of it a little toddy
may be taken made of any kind of spirit best liked.
On all other occasions we would prefer wine to any
kind of spirits.


Either during the time of the goat whey, before
or after it, we think cold bathing will be of service
to her Grace and we have not been informed of any
circumstances in her Grace's complaints that can
render the bathing improper. We are however of
opinion that bathing in the sea is better than in
fresh water and that it may be less convenient in
the time of the goat whey as the bath must either
be taken before the whey or not till three or four
hours



[Page 4]

after it.


If notwithstanding these measures Her Grace shall
still be subject to some rheumatic complaints we have --
prescribed on a separate ↑paper↑ a medicine which we expect will
be of service in removing every thing rheumatic.


But we must observe here that we do not expect
that Her Grace shall have any rheumatic complaints
unless from being improperly exposed to cold and if this
should happen we recommend it to Her Grace to take
notice of the first approach of it and instantly to take
some precautions against its further progress by keeping
within doors and even if necessary to her own apartment,
and to use for some days a lighter and cooler diet and
if in a few days these measures are not effectual she
should keep her bed for the most part of a day, taking
in the morning two or three grains of James powder.

April 13th. 1782.

William Cullen
Nathan Spens.
Alexr. Wood.



[Page 6]

For Her Grace
The Dutchess of Gordon

Take a drachm of volatile salt of hartshorn, an ounce and a half of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Once the effervescence has taken place, add two ounces of simple cinnamon water and peppermint water, half an ounce each of antimonial wine and simple syrup, and two drachms of volatile tincture of valerian. Mix and label Diaphoretic Mixture, a tablespoonful to be taken for a dose at bedtime


13th April
1782
W. C.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

For Her Grace
The Dutchess of Gordon


After attending carefully to the history of Her
Graces complaints and constitution we are clear
that the latter has been originally very good; for
in spite ↑of↑ many shocks it has received, we find it to
be very good still. We perceive indeed that in
Her Graces constitution there is some disposition
to both rheumatic and nervous complaints but in
no such degree but that by ↑a↑ little good management
the consequences may be either prevented or cured.


We think it extremely proper that Her Grace
should go as she intends just now to the country
where the most proper measures for preserving
her health can be taken.


We are very confident that the journey will
be of service and if care can be taken and it should



[Page 2]

at all ↑times↑ it should be diligently studied to avoid cold.
Her Grace when in the country should be very much
in the open air and in gentle exercise especially on
horseback.


When the season becomes proper for Goat whey
and which we judge to be the beginning of June
we think it may be of service for Her Grace to go
↑to a↑ Highland quarter and to make a trial of Goat whey
and if the stomach digests it easily it will certain¬
ly be of service to the rheumatic disposition.


Her Grace however should take no more of the
whey than what is easily digested and it will be
better digested if Her Grace at the same time takes
some exercise on horseback every day; which at the
same time is the best means of guarding against
and of curing all nervous complaints.


While the goat whey is taken and indeed at
all other times it will be proper for her Grace to



[Page 3]

use a moderate and light diet. It is by no means
necessary to confine it to vegetables but the animal
food should be generally of the lighter kinds and at
supper almost none at all.


With the goat whey it is not proper to drink
any kind of wine but in place of it a little toddy
may be taken made of any kind of spirit best liked.
On all other occasions we would prefer wine to any
kind of spirits.


Either during the time of the goat whey, before
or after it, we think cold bathing will be of service
to her Grace and we have not been informed of any
circumstances in her Grace's complaints that can
render the bathing improper. We are however of
opinion that bathing in the sea is better than in
fresh water and that it may be less convenient in
the time of the goat whey as the bath must either
be taken before the whey or not till three or four
hours



[Page 4]

after it.


If notwithstanding these measures Her Grace shall
still be subject to some rheumatic complaints we have --
prescribed on a separate ↑paper↑ a medicine which we expect will
be of service in removing every thing rheumatic.


But we must observe here that we do not expect
that Her Grace shall have any rheumatic complaints
unless from being improperly exposed to cold and if this
should happen we recommend it to Her Grace to take
notice of the first approach of it and instantly to take
some precautions against its further progress by keeping
within doors and even if necessary to her own apartment,
and to use for some days a lighter and cooler diet and
if in a few days these measures are not effectual she
should keep her bed for the most part of a day, taking
in the morning two or three grains of James powder.

April 13th. 1782.

William Cullen
Nathan Spens.
Alexr. Wood.



[Page 6]

For Her Grace
The Dutchess of Gordon


Sal. vol. corn. cerv. Ʒj
Succ. limon. recent. ℥jβ
Effervescentia peracta adde
Aq. cinnam. simpl.
-- menth. pip. ℥ij
Vin. antimonial.
Syr. simpl. @ ℥ſs
Tinct. valerian. vol. Ʒij
ℳ. Sig. Diaphoretic Mixture a table spoonfull
to be taken for a dose at bedtime


13th April
1782
W. C.

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