The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5926] From: Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) / To: Mr George Burdon / Regarding: Mr George Burdon (Patient) / 9 January 1790 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Mr Burdon', written by Henry Cullen, who explains that his father received 'your letter of the 22d currt.' but that he 'was and still is so very much indisposed as to be unable to do business'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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[Page 2]
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[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5926 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/21/196 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 9 January 1790 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'Mr Burdon', written by Henry Cullen, who explains that his father received 'your letter of the 22d currt.' but that he 'was and still is so very much indisposed as to be unable to do business'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:968] |
Case of George Burdon who has a long-standing rheumatic complaint, develops bloody urine, suspected gravel and who eventually passes a large stone. |
11 |
| [Case ID:2567] |
Case of Dr William Cullen. This links together some significant instances where Cullen mentions in passing his own illhealth, and letters in which his son Henry, standing in to respond to patients, mentions his father's increasing indisposition and terminal decline from late 1789 (not fully comprehensive). |
8 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:544] | Author | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
| [PERS ID:4763] | Addressee | Mr George Burdon |
| [PERS ID:4763] | Patient | Mr George Burdon |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:544] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Newcastle upon Tyne | North-East | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr. Burdon
Sir,
Your letter of the 22d. Current my
Father Dr Cullen received in course by Post
but at that time he was and still is so very
much indisposed as to be unable to do business
I think it my duty ↑to delay↑ no longer to inform you
of this, as it is extremely uncertain when my
Father may be able to do any business; but I
shall take the liberty of offering you my
best advice in the mean while.
I should be inclined to consider your ailment
in the same light that my Father did in
the 1782 ↑and 83↑ when he supposed it to be gravelish
and probably a stone in your kidney. How
far you may have hurt yourself by trying too
many medicines I will not take upon me
to say, as you have not specified them
[Page 2]
individually. I am at a loss to know what
is meant by the Nephritic water. I should
be sorry if by it, you mean the Alkaline
aerated water, as this was the medicine I
was to advise you to make a trial of, and
I hope it is not, as I never considered the
Alkaline aerated water as forcing or heating
If therefore your Nephritic water be not
the same, I would earnestly advise you
to make a trial of it. You may begin
taking it in small doses at first, gra¬
dually increasing the size of your doses
as your stomach and bowels bear it,
till you are able to take a pint English
in the course of twenty four hours. The
use of this medicine requires no particu¬
lar restriction with respect to diet and
regimen, excepting a strict attention to
[Page 3]
moderation and temperance, which in every
view is absolutely necessary. You do not
mention whether you use the One horse
chair formerly advised by my Father, or
whether you go on horseback. The latter
will ever be in danger of of increasing the
discharge of bloody urine.
You say nothing with regard to the state
of your bowels, and therefore I suppose
they are regular. If however you
should at any time be inclined to
costiveness, which will ever be of the greatest
detriment to you, and must always aggra¬
vate your complaints, you should have re¬
course to the Castor oil &c. as formerly advi¬
sed by my Father, or make trial of the
Electuary prescribed on the paper apart
I have the honour to be
Sir
your most obedient humble servant
Henry Cullen
Edinburgh 9th. January 1790
[Page 4]
For Mr. Burdon
Take one and a half ounces of powder of crystal tartar, three drachms of powder of compounded jallop, six drachms of lenitive Electuary and a sufficient quantity of symple Syrup in order to obtain a light Electuary, or Lochoch. Label: Aperient Electuary; one, two or more teaspoons to be taken in the morning when occasion requires.
H.C.
9th. January
1790
Diplomatic Text
Mr. Burdon
Sir,
Your letter of the 22d. Currt. my
Father Dr Cullen received in course by Post
but at that time he was and still is so very
much indisposed as to be unable to do business
I think it my duty ↑to delay↑ no longer to inform you
of this, as it is extremely uncertain when my
Father may be able to do any business; but I
shall take the liberty of offering you my
best advice in the mean while.
I should be inclined to consider your ailment
in the same light that my Father did in
the 1782 ↑and 83↑ when he supposed it to be gravelish
and probably a stone in your kidney. How
far you may have hurt yourself by trying too
many medicines I will not take upon me
to say, as you have not specified them
[Page 2]
individually. I am at a loss to know what
is meant by the Nephritic water. I should
be sorry if by it, you mean the Alkaline
aerated water, as this was the medicine I
was to advise you to make a trial of, and
I hope it is not, as I never considered the
Alkaline aerated water as forcing or heating
If therefore your Nephritic water be not
the same, I would earnestly advise you
to make a trial of it. You may begin
taking it in small doses at first, gra¬
dually increasing the size of your doses
as your stomach and bowels bear it,
till you are able to take a pint English
in the course of twenty four hours. The
use of this medicine requires no particu¬
lar restriction with respect to diet and
regimen, excepting a strict attention to
[Page 3]
moderation and temperance, which in every
view is absolutely necessary. You do not
mention whether you use the One horse
chair formerly advised by my Father, or
whether you go on horseback. The latter
will ever be in danger of of increasing the
discharge of bloody urine.
You say nothing with regard to the state
of your bowels, and therefore I suppose
they are regular. If however you
should at any time be inclined to
costiveness, which will ever be of the greatest
detriment to you, and must always aggra¬
vate your complaints, you should have re¬
course to the Castor oil &c. as formerly advi¬
sed by my Father, or make trial of the
Electuary prescribed on the paper apart
I have the honour to be
Sir
your most obedient humble servant
Henry Cullen
Edinr. 9th. Jany. 1790
[Page 4]
For Mr. Burdon
℞ pulv. crystal. tartar. ℥jſs
--- e jalap. comp. ʒiij
Elect. lenitiv. ʒvj
Syr. simpl. q. s. ut f.
Electuarium tenue sive Lochoch
Sig. Aperient Electuary
one, two or more tea spoon¬
fuls to be taken in the
morning when occasion
requires
H.C.
9th. Jany.
1790
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