The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5817] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Joseph Brandreth / Regarding: Mr K. (Patient) / 5 May 1789 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Mr Brandreth C[oncerning] ['Mr K']. About the case, Cullen states that he has "never received one which puzled me more than this", and offers 'a remedy that has not yet been tried'.
- 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 | 5817 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/21/89 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 5 May 1789 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'Mr Brandreth C[oncerning] ['Mr K']. About the case, Cullen states that he has "never received one which puzled me more than this", and offers 'a remedy that has not yet been tried'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:2325] |
Case of a 'Mr K', who has developed a very painful problem with his knee which baffles Cullen though he does not rule out gout. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2312] | Addressee | Dr Joseph Brandreth |
| [PERS ID:5593] | Patient | Mr K. |
| [PERS ID:2312] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Joseph Brandreth |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1679] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Thomas Percival |
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 | Liverpool | North-West | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr Brandreth Concerning
I am much obliged to you for sending me
a Consultation, but I never [received one?] which
puzled me more than this you have now sent me.
In such a complicated and singular System
as that of the human body I am not surprised
at Anomalous appearances, and I have very
often met with them, but have commonly
been able to refer them to some general principles
but the present baffles all my attempts. I am
persuaded that a gouty diathesis has laid the
foundation ↑of this disease↑ but the singularity of the part ↑affected↑ with
out any general affection of the System, and
[especially its?] resisting every external appli¬
cation, or internal remedy that could [with?]
probability have been [proposed?] {illeg}
[Page 2]
[out?] of all theory with respect to it, but if I keep
to my general principle of Nunquam desperandum 1
I must give you some opinion and advice upon the
subject.
I would still stick to the notion of Gout and
propose to you a remedy that has not yet been
tried. I am certain from much experience that
alkaline substances are often of use in every
gouty diathesis, and the great benefits I have
known procured from the all in gouty cases from
the large use of Alkalines in cases of Calculus
has established this opinion. You know
that we have tried these alkalines in
various shapes, and I can assert that
none of them has succeeded so well or
the alkali saturated with the aerial acid
and I would therefore advise you to give
your Patient the solution of this to
[Page 3]
what quantity his stomach easily bears
and try it at least for two three weeks before
you form any judgement for or against it.
During the use of this I would give him daily
exercise in a Carriage to the utmost length
he can easily suffer.
At the same time I can propose no other
remedy for relieving his pain but
Opium and this I would use very
largely, and you must be well aware
that in the case of all fixed irritations
they are only very large doses that can have
any effect. If I was present with you and
Dr. Percival I should enter into many dis¬
cussions which I cannot do in this letter
but if there are any doubts or questions you would
propose I shall most willingly attend to them.
With very respectful compliments ↑to↑ Dr. Percival
I am with the utmost regard Dear Dr. Your
most Obedient humble servant.
Notes:
1: "Never despair"
Diplomatic Text
Mr Brandreth C
I am much obliged to you for sending me
a Consultation, but I never [received one?] which
puzled me more than this you have now sent me.
In such a complicated and singular System
as that of the human body I am not surprised
at Anomalous appearances, and I have very
often met with them, but have commonly
been able to refer them to some general principles
but the present baffles all my attempts. I am
persuaded that a gouty diathesis has laid the
foundation ↑of this disease↑ but the singularity of the part ↑affected↑ with
out any general affection of the System, and
[especially its?] resisting every external appli¬
cation, or internal remedy that could [with?]
probability have been [proposed?] {illeg}
[Page 2]
[out?] of all theory with respect to it, but if I keep
to my general principle of Nunquam desperandum 1
I must give you some opinion and advice upon the
subject.
I would still stick to the notion of Gout and
propose to you a remedy that has not yet been
tried. I am certain from much experience that
alkaline substances are often of use in every
gouty diathesis, and the great benefits I have
known procured from the all in gouty cases from
the large use of Alkalines in cases of Calculus
has established this opinion. You know
that we have tried these alkalines in
various shapes, and I can assert that
none of them has succeeded so well or
the alkali saturated with the aerial acid
and I would therefore advise you to give
your Patient the solution of this to
[Page 3]
what quantity his stomach easily bears
and try it at least for two three weeks before
you form any judgement for or against it.
During the use of this I would give him daily
exercise in a Carriage to the utmost length
he can easily suffer.
At the same time I can propose no other
remedy for relieving his pain but
Opium and this I would use very
largely, and you must be well aware
that in the case of all fixed irritations
they are only very large doses that can have
any effect. If I was present with you and
Dr. Percival I should enter into many dis¬
cussions which I cannot do in this letter
but if there are any doubts or questions you would
propose I shall most willingly attend to them.
With very respectful compliments ↑to↑ Dr. Percival
I am with the utmost regard Dear Dr. Your
most Obedient humble servant.
Notes:
1: "Never despair"
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