The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:70] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mrs Johnstone (Patient), Captain Johnstone (Patient) / 18 July 1769 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Captn. Johnston', prescribing dietary advice for gout, with three recipes for him and his wife.
- 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 | 70 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/1/65 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 18 July 1769 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Captn. Johnston', prescribing dietary advice for gout, with three recipes for him and his wife. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:221] |
Case of Captain Johnston who is being treated for the gout. |
1 |
| [Case ID:222] |
Case of Mrs Johnston who has chronic rheumatism and is prescribed diaphoretics. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:33] | Patient | Mrs Johnstone |
| [PERS ID:34] | Patient | Captain Johnstone |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:33] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Johnstone |
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 |
Normalized Text
For Captain Johnston
The Captains ailments do not so much shew a
particular disease as a shattered Constitution. The many
Hardships he has been exposed to with free Living and rep¬
eated Attacks of the Gout has brought his Constitution into this
Condition.
It is now impossible to restore his Constitution to any en¬
tire state, but it is very possible to prottract his life and to obviate
at least to moderate the ailments he may be liable to
To this purpose it is absolutely necessary that he give
his own Concurrenc by shewing a great deal of temperance
After the Habits he has been in he must not altogether abstain
from strong Drink but he must use it with moderation. From
half a pint to a pint of Red Port may be taken both at Dinner
and Supper but this must be managed so as tho he is ne¬
ver heated by it and much more necessary still it is that he is
never in the least intoxicated by it.
The wine mentioned seems to be the most proper for
him, and while one one hand he ought to take no weakier (↑r↑) bo¬
died Wine, on the other, he should take Spirits in no shape
whtever. Malt Liquors of all kinds he should abstain from
To this moderation in Drinking he must join a
proper Diet for which very particular Directions are not ne¬
cessary as it is to be guided by a general Rule.
[Page 2]
He is to take solid and Nourishing food but shou'd pre¬
fer the Lighter kinds of it and the plainest Cookery. And
upon the other Hand he is to avoid too much Vegetables.
Especialy Sallading and all raw Vegetables and the more
windy kind as Cabbage and such Like
He must take particular to avoid cold, and for
that the best means are to use Con↑s↑tantly warm Cloathing
and particularly a Flannel shirt with warm stockings
With this precaution he should be often in the fresh air
and take frequently what gentle Exercise he can conve¬
veniently bear on horseback or in a Carriage
These are the best means for preserving Captain
John↑s↑tons health and without these Medicines will be of little
service to him but with a proper Regimen some Medicines
may be of use in Stren↑g↑thening his Constitution
One of the best will be the Hartfell spaw of which he
make may take a pint every day, but divided into several
draughts as one in the morning before breakfast [one?]
in the forenoon and one about an hour before supper.
This may be continues for a month or six weeks and
afterwards he may take a single draught every day about
an hour before dinner for a month or two more. ––
Upon the approach of Winter and at several times
during the Course of it he may for 8 or 10 days at a time
take the Medicine prescribed below.
[Page 3]
For Captain Johnston
Take 2 drachms of Peruvian Bark, half an ounce each of orange peel and white cinnamon, one drachm each of gentian root and Blessed Thistle leaf. Having crushed and chopped them, add to a pint of boiling water. Steep for 24 hours and strain, and add 4 ounces of tincture of Peruvian Bark. Label: The Stomachic Infusion two tablespoonfulls to be taken twice a day.
Take 1 drachm of Gum Guaiacum, half a drachm of Polychrest salt, and rub together properly and add extract of gentian root, half a drachm of Spanish soap, and one drachm of balsamic syrup, sufficient to make a mass to be divided into five individual pills of a grain each. Label: Diaphoretic Pills – three to be taken every night at bedtime for a month.
Take six drachms of shavings of Guaiacum wood and one ounce of sarsaparilla root, boil down from four pints of spring water to two pints, adding near the end one drachm of sassafras shavings and half an ounce of liquorice root. Label the strainingsDiaphoretic Decoction a muchkin to be taken at several draughts every 24 hours & particularly one draught at bedtime with the pills
Diplomatic Text
For Capt.n Johnston
The Captains ailments do not so much shew a
particular disease as a shattered Constitution. The many
Hardships he has been exposed to with free Living and rep¬
eated Attacks of the Gout has brought his Constitution into this
Condition.
It is now impossible to restore his Constitution to any en¬
tire state, but it is very possible to prottract his life and to obviate
at least to moderate the ailments he may be liable to
To this purpose it is absolutely necessary that he give
his own Concurrenc by shewing a great deal of temperance
After the Habits he has been in he must not altogether abstain
from strong Drink but he must use it with moderation. From
half a pint to a pint of Red Port may be taken both at Dinner
and Supper but this must be managed so as tho he is ne¬
ver heated by it and much more necessary still it is that he is
never in the least intoxicated by it.
The wine mentioned seems to be the most proper for
him, and while one one hand he ought to take no weakier (↑r↑) bo¬
died Wine, on the other, he should take Spirits in no shape
whtever. Malt Liquors of all kinds he should abstain from
To this moderation in Drinking he must join a
proper Diet for which very particular Directions are not ne¬
cessary as it is to be guided by a general Rule.
[Page 2]
He is to take solid and Nourishing food but shou'd pre¬
fer the Lighter kinds of it and the plainest Cookery. And
upon the other Hand he is to avoid too much Vegetables.
Especialy Sallading and all raw Vegetables and the more
windy kind as Cabbage and such Like
He must take particular to avoid cold, and for
that the best means are to use Con↑s↑tantly warm Cloathing
and particularly a Flannel shirt with warm stockings
With this precaution he should be often in the fresh air
and take frequently what gentle Exercise he can conve¬
veniently bear on horseback or in a Carriage
These are the best means for preserving Cap.t
John↑s↑tons health and without these Medicines will be of little
service to him but with a proper Regimen some Medicines
may be of use in Stren↑g↑thening his Constitution
One of the best will be the Hartfell spaw of which he
make may take a pint every day, but divided into several
draughts as one in the morning before breakfast [one?]
in the forenoon and one about an hour before supper.
This may be continues for a month or six weeks and
afterwards he may take a single draught every day about
an hour before dinner for a month or two more. ––
Upon the approach of Winter and at several times
during the Course of it he may for 8 or 10 days at a time
take the Medicine prescribed below.
[Page 3]
For Capt. Johnston
℞ Cort. Peruv. ʒii Aurant. Canell. alb. @ ʒſs Rad. Gentian. Fol.
Card. Bened. @ ʒi Contusis & incisis affunde Aq. bullient. lbi
Digere per horas xxiv & colatur & adde Tinct. Cort. Peruv. ℥iv
Signa The Stomachic Infusion two tablespoonfulls to be taken twice a day.
℞ Gum. Guaiac. ʒi Sal. polychrest. ʒſs Terito simul probe &
adde Extr. Rad. Gentian. ʒſs Sapon. Hispan. ʒi Syr. Balsam. q. s. ut
f. massa dividenda in pil. sing. gr. v. Sig. Diaphoretic Pills –
three to be taken every night at bedtime for a month. –
℞ Ras. Lign. Guaiac. ʒvi Rad. Sarsaparill. ℥i Coq. ex Aq. font. lbiv
ad lbii addendo sub finem Ras. Sassafr. ʒi Rad. Glycyrrh. ℥ſs. –
Colaturam Signa Diaphoretic Decoction a muchkin to be taken at
several draughts every 24 hours & particularly one draught at bed¬
time with the pills
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