The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:785] From: Mr Neill Menzies / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Miss Ruthven (Patient) / 25 May 1766 / (Incoming)
Letter to Cullen from Neill Menzies, regarding the case of a young woman (identified in later correspondence as the daughter of Lord and Lady Ruthven). After suffering from a 'very smart fever of cold' she reports a variety of complaints, including pains in the limbs 'w[ith] the least touch of cold', pains in the breast, a cough, and fatigue.
- 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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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 785 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/53 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 25 May 1766 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter to Cullen from Neill Menzies, regarding the case of a young woman (identified in later correspondence as the daughter of Lord and Lady Ruthven). After suffering from a 'very smart fever of cold' she reports a variety of complaints, including pains in the limbs 'w[ith] the least touch of cold', pains in the breast, a cough, and fatigue. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:76] |
Case of Miss Ruthven who has various serious complaints including 'wandering pains' and spitting blood. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:307] | Author | Mr Neill Menzies |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:308] | Patient | Miss Ruthven |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:307] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Neill Menzies |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
The reason of my writing att this time is to lay
before you the Case of a young Woman to which
I make no doubt of your usuall Attention
and begs a Speedy Answer as her Friends
are very anxious to have your advice
I think she perhaps is a few years beyond 20,
has been very healthy / some years ago I
may say when about 8 or 9 years old had a
very acute fever which lastd near 40 days with
out a Crisis Since that time had no ailment
barring Slight Colds which soon went off,
till December Last when she had a very smart fever
of Cold (a Disease I may say Endemical in
this Country at that time) which went off with
profuse Sweating but soon after and ever since
she has had the following Complaints viz Pains
in her Knee's, and Limbs, not the least touch of Cold,
a litle short Cough; & pain in her Breast, but
as the Cold Wore off, she grew better and those
Complaints seemed to go off too, barring ↑the↑ pains now
and then as above / her good look's and Spirits r-
returned, till about 4 Week's ago she contracted
a fresh Cold, which brought back her Cough and
increased all her other Complaints, is grown
visibly thinner in a fortnights time, lost her Co¬
lour, her skin her skin daily more yellow, and
her Eyes heavy and languid, (but no yellowishness
in the white of the Eye) a great Weakness in her
limbs, so that she who used to Walk and take a
great dale of Exercise, is now tired and fatigued
with the least Walk, that a person so distressed, should
be so languid and low spirited is no wonder but yet
at times she's still livly and chearfull, she sometimes
[Page 2]
finds Ease in her Breast by putting back her shoulders
at other times it gives her such pain as she can't
doe it, in health, she had nothing of a flat, narrow
or thin shape [exentra?]; a full, plump, round neck,
upon getting up from bed she is often troubled with a
giddiness, and a dasling in her Eyes, her urine
was latly very high Coloured but now {illeg}
sediment, her Pulse rather quick than other ways
hithertoo quite regular, but latly had severe Co¬
licks for an hour or two on those occasion's, which
always affected her Colour for a day or two for
a day or two pre before and after, made her look
yellowish, or a sickly white, which cleared up as
the complaint went off, is naturally costive -
she has been taking some pectoral pills since [the?]
time she complains of a bad taste in her
mouth in the morning and her tongue white -
She feels ↑her feet↑ as quite tyred, all her bones sore, her wrists
seems a little swelled and red and much pained
her Blood quite sizy, was bled latly her Blood poor
of all Colours but white with plenty of serum
She drank Asses Milk for a fortnight which seem'd
to agree well enough with her, seldom sleeps till
3 in the morning, has lost her appetite, she com¬
monly eats an Egg ↑at↑ till her Brekfast which in
a Manner serves to next Morning, has a great
palpitation upon the least Motion which brings
on the Cough, The Acounts I had sent me yesterday
was that she Sleep't now till 5 in the morning she
is mostly better in the fornoon but towards night
all her Complaints return, sick, languid, distressed
with pains in her Breast &c oppression, and palpita¬
tion, which all brings on the Short Cough - the Pain
shifts from one side to the other, pains in all her Joints
in short in every bone so that she hardly knows how
to lye, pains in her shoulders, and hanches last night
in the back part of her Ancles just above the heels,
swells, has great weakness in them,
[Page 3]
Pains in her fingers and the joints of her litle fin¬
gers are red and swelled, complains much of a weak¬
ness within her that makes her unable to sit up, The
the pain in her breast begins low and continues all
the way up to her Jaws on each side - the very
Bones of her neck are pained so as when she pull's
up her head, something seem's to pull it down
any surprise hurts her much and brings on
all her Complaints, complains often of a
lump rising like to choak her
This I have given as acurate an acount (altho
Im afraid inacurate) of all her complaints as
I could learn and it is expected you'l please attend
to them all in a particular Method with the prescrip¬
tions for the different complaints Method of way
of living diet &c &c and your opinion to of
the Causes, Effects, &ce and [queritas?]
whither Change of Air, Sea Air, Waters of any
kind ↑would be of service to her↑ as nothing that would be of use will
be s{illeg}d to get her her health,
I fo[rgot?] to mention that she has somtimes
ho[t] [and?] at other times Cold fits she never
sweats which she thinks would do her good
The above part of my Letter was wrote yesterday
but we have no post Saturday night so I went out
this day to know how she was, she took 20 gutts of
Laudany last night and two of Anderson's pills
the last has had its desired Effect but she sleept none
till 5 in the Morning was much troubled with startings
but after that she fell asleep slept very well till
ten had a gentle Breathing of Sweat and upon
Examining her Arm's were all laid over with what
they called purple spots which are now gone her
Pulse is not so quick this day and has more
spirits but is quite lame with the pains in her hanch
so that she can scarcely walk, this is all I can in
form you from which I hope you'l form a judgment
of her Case if more is requisite please acquaint me
[Page 4]
only I beg a Speedy Answer and as I hear you
propose being soon in this Country Shall be glad to
have the favour of seeing you and perhaps you'l
see your patient. Inclosed is 2,20 Shilling Notes
which should have been gold but for Conveyance
is changed into paper I am Dear Sir
with the sincerest regard
your most Obedient Servant
Perth May the 25
1766
your Letter must be shown but
your opinion should be glad to
have on a different paper
To
Doctor Cullen
Phisician in
Edinburgh
1766
Diplomatic Text
The reason of my writing att this time is to lay
before you the Case of a young Woman to wc
I make no doubt of your usuall Attention
and begs a Speedy Answer as her Friends
are very anxious to have your advice
I think she perhaps is a few years beyond 20,
has been very healthy / some years ago I
may say when about 8 or 9 years old had a
very acute fever which lastd near 40 days wt
out a Crisis Since that time had no ailment
barring Slight Colds which soon went off,
till Decr Last when she had a very smart fever
of Cold (a Disease I may say Endemical in
this Country at that time) which went off wt
profuse Sweating but soon after and ever since
she has had the following Complaints viz Pains
in her Knee's, and Limbs, not the least touch of Cold,
a litle short Cough; & pain in her Breast, but
as the Cold Wore off, she grew better and those
Complaints seemed to go off too, barring ↑ye↑ pains now
and then as above / her good look's and Spirits r-
returned, till about 4 Week's ago she contracted
a fresh Cold, which brought back her Cough and
increased all her other Complaints, is grown
visibly thinner in a fortnights time, lost her Co¬
lour, her skin her skin daily more yellow, and
her Eyes heavy and languid, (but no yellowishness
in the white of the Eye) a great Weakness in her
limbs, so that she who used to Walk and take a
great dale of Exercise, is now tired and fatigued
with the least Walk, that a person so distressed, should
be so languid and low spirited is no wonder but yet
at times she's still livly and chearfull, she sometimes
[Page 2]
finds Ease in her Breast by putting back her shoulders
at other times it gives her such pain as she can't
doe it, in health, she had nothing of a flat, narrow
or thin shape [exentra?]; a full, plump, round neck,
upon getting up from bed she is often troubled wt a
giddiness, and a dasling in her Eyes, her urine
was latly very high Coloured but now {illeg}
sediment, her Pulse rather quick than other ways
hithertoo quite regular, but latly had severe Co¬
licks for an hour or two on those occasion's, wc
always affected her Colour for a day or two for
a day or two pre before and after, made her look
yellowish, or a sickly white, which cleared up as
the complaint went off, is naturally costive -
she has been taking some pectoral pills since [ye?]
time she complains of a bad taste in her
mouth in the morning and her tongue white -
She feels ↑her feet↑ as quite tyred, all her bones sore, her wrists
seems a little swelled and red and much pained
her Blood quite sizy, was bled latly her Blood poor
of all Colours but white wt plenty of serum
She drank Asses Milk for a fortnight which seem'd
to agree well enough wt her, seldom sleeps till
3 in the morning, has lost her appetite, she com¬
monly eats an Egg ↑at↑ till her Brekfast which in
a Manner serves to next Morning, has a great
palpitation upon the least Motion which brings
on the Cough, The Acounts I had sent me yesterday
was that she Sleep't now till 5 in the morning she
is mostly better in the fornoon but towards night
all her Complaints return, sick, languid, distressed
wt pains in her Breast &c oppression, and palpita¬
tion, which all brings on the Short Cough - the Pain
shifts from one side to the other, pains in all her Joints
in short in every bone so that she hardly knows how
to lye, pains in her shoulders, and hanches last night
in the back part of her Ancles just above the heels,
swells, has great weakness in them,
[Page 3]
Pains in her fingers and the joints of her litle fin¬
gers are red and swelled, complains much of a weak¬
ness wtin her that makes her unable to sit up, The
the pain in her breast begins low and continues all
the way up to her Jaws on each side - the very
Bones of her neck are pained so as when she pull's
up her head, something seem's to pull it down
any surprise hurts her much and brings on
all her Complaints, complains often of a
lump rising like to choak her
This I have given as acurate an acount (altho
Im afraid inacurate) of all her complaints as
I could learn and it is expected you'l please attend
to them all in a particular Method wt the prescrip¬
tions for the different complaints Method of way
of living diet &c &c and your opinion to of
the Causes, Effects, &ce and [queritas?]
whither Change of Air, Sea Air, Waters of any
kind ↑would be of service to her↑ as nothing that would be of use will
be s{illeg}d to get her her health,
I fo[rgot?] to mention that she has somtimes
ho[t] [and?] at other times Cold fits she never
sweats which she thinks would do her good
The above part of my Letter was wrote yesterday
but we have no post Saturday night so I went out
this day to know how she was, she took 20 gutts of
Laudany last night and two of Anderson's pills
the last has had its desired Effect but she sleept none
till 5 in the Morning was much troubled wt startings
but after that she fell asleep slept very well till
ten had a gentle Breathing of Sweat and upon
Examining her Arm's were all laid over wt what
they called purple spots which are now gone her
Pulse is not so quick this day and has more
spirits but is quite lame wt the pains in her hanch
so that she can scarcely walk, this is all I can in
form you from wc I hope you'l form a judgment
of her Case if more is requisite please acquaint me
[Page 4]
only I beg a Speedy Answer and as I hear you
propose being soon in this Country Shall be glad to
have the favour of seeing you and perhaps you'l
see your patient. Inclosed is 2,20 Shilling Notes
which should have been gold but for Conveyance
is changed into paper I am Dear Sir
wt the sincerest regard
your most Obedt Servant
Perth May ye 25
1766
your Letter must be shown but
your opinion should be glad to
have on a different paper
To
Doctor Cullen
Phisician in
Edinr
1766
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