The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5863] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr James Wood (of Keithick) / Regarding: Mrs Mercer (Patient) / 28 July 1789 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Dr Wood C[oncerning] Mrs Mercer'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5863 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/21/134 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 28 July 1789 |
| 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, 'Dr Wood C[oncerning] Mrs Mercer'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1287] |
Case of Mrs Mercer who has a hard tumour in her right side. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5170] | Addressee | Dr James Wood (of Keithick) |
| [PERS ID:5619] | Patient | Mrs Mercer |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5170] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr James Wood (of Keithick) |
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 | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Dr. Wood Concerning Mrs. Mercer
I have yours concerning Mrs. Mercer
a case attended with more difficulties than
I can easily solve. I am not satisfied with
any opinion you have given concerning the
seat of the disease, nor can I venture to
ascertain it. I am rather surprised that
you have not told me whether the original
tumour be increased, or to what size since
the month of April, nor do you tell me
what ↑has↑ happened with respect to the
original symptoms of Evening fever and
some sweat breaking out. You perhaps
have not mentioned these circumstances
because they had no influence upon your
own judgement, but you should have
allowed me to have mine also, and indeed
you have given me no means of judging
[Page 2]
what is likely to be the event, or the more or
less sudden event of this disease, which
however I think is of some consequence.
You are right in attempting a relief
by opiates, but it seems they are not ad¬
missible, but the relief may be attempted
by Estractum hyosciami which many
persons will bear it better than Opium.
You must begin with a dose of one grain
and gradually increase it, till you find it
do either good or ill. I would advise you
also to try some good Cicuta, and I beg you
will not consider this as absolutely inert
but take pains in the choice of it and
proceed to try it in the manner you know
we usually do. It does not commonly bind
the belly as Opium does, but in larger doses
it may, and you are absolutely right in
keeping your Patients belly open, and I
[Page 3]
like your medicine the better for its contai¬
ning a grain of Calomel, which I think
is otherways a proper remedy in this disease.
I don't like for several reasons your
opinion that you are to receive no benefit
from Consultation. It may be well founded
but it is not civil to say so to a Physician
whom you consult.
With best wishes I am always
Dear James
Your most faithful and
Obedient Servant
Edinburgh 28th. July
1789 --
Diplomatic Text
Dr. Wood C. Mrs. Mercer
I have yours concerning Mrs. Mercer
a case attended with more difficulties than
I can easily solve. I am not satisfied with
any opinion you have given concerning the
seat of the disease, nor can I venture to
ascertain it. I am rather surprised that
you have not told me whether the original
tumour be increased, or to what size since
the month of April, nor do you tell me
what ↑has↑ happened with respect to the
original symptoms of Evening fever and
some sweat breaking out. You perhaps
have not mentioned these circumstances
because they had no influence upon your
own judgement, but you should have
allowed me to have mine also, and indeed
you have given me no means of judging
[Page 2]
what is likely to be the event, or the more or
less sudden event of this disease, which
however I think is of some consequence.
You are right in attempting a relief
by opiates, but it seems they are not ad¬
missible, but the relief may be attempted
by Estractum hyosciami which many
persons will bear it better than Opium.
You must begin with a dose of one grain
and gradually increase it, till you find it
do either good or ill. I would advise you
also to try some good Cicuta, and I beg you
will not consider this as absolutely inert
but take pains in the choice of it and
proceed to try it in the manner you know
we usually do. It does not commonly bind
the belly as Opium does, but in larger doses
it may, and you are absolutely right in
keeping your Patients belly open, and I
[Page 3]
like your medicine the better for its contai¬
ning a grain of Calomel, which I think
is otherways a proper remedy in this disease.
I don't like for several reasons your
opinion that you are to receive no benefit
from Consultation. It may be well founded
but it is not civil to say so to a Physician
whom you consult.
With best wishes I am always
Dear James
Your most faithful and
Obedient Servant
Edinr. 28th. July
1789 --
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