The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:81] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr George Lockhart (Patient) / 16 November 1769 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For General Lockharts Son Mr George'. Gives a regimen and other detailed advice for maintaining the boy;s health and even advise son schooling. Signed by Cullen and "I.(?)G.". It can be safely assumed that this consultant was Cullen's academic colleague Dr John Gregory.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 81 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/1/76 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 16 November 1769 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'For General Lockharts Son Mr George'. Gives a regimen and other detailed advice for maintaining the boy;s health and even advise son schooling. Signed by Cullen and "I.(?)G.". It can be safely assumed that this consultant was Cullen's academic colleague Dr John Gregory. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:223] |
Case of George Lockhart, a healthy child whose parents seek advice in protecting him from illness. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:43] | Patient | Mr George Lockhart |
| [PERS ID:540] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Gregory |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1077] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | General Lockhart |
| [PERS ID:1079] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Lockhart |
| [PERS ID:540] | Supplemental Author | Dr John Gregory |
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 General Lockharts Son
Mr George
We are glad to begin this advice by observing that the
child is at present in very good health & in his appea¬
rance discovers no mark of tendency to any particular
disease. Neither do we think he is in danger of deriving
any such tendency from the families he has proceeded from
for on his side neither his grandfather nor grand¬
mother were ever affected with any tendency to Consump¬
tion. The only suspicion that lies against him is from
what we have (are) told with regard to his mother but we
do not think this goes for for from what we know of her
[Page 2]
& which was from her birth to the time she went
abroad we think she had not naturaly any tendency
to consumption & we are very ready to believe that what
at least happened might be entirely owing to accident
and there is nothing that can account for it better
than any neglect with regard to the Measles ----
But however all this may be we allow that his
mothers being affected with some tendency to Consumption
about the time of being & with child of him, leaves
some suspicion of his constitution & renders it at least
very prudent to take every proper precaution. -- Upon this
footing we propose the following regimen.
1: We think it very proper that till he is ten years old he
should have very little or no animal food. Every day at
dinner we would allow him a mass of broth made of Fowl
or any other meat that is not fat or made very strong.
Twice a week he may have at the same time a fresh
& soft boiled egg but would not at any time give him meat
or Fish of any kind not even such as are pro (↑sup↑)posed the lightest
For the rest of his diet let him have grain of any kind
Wheat, Rice, Barley, Oats, Millet, or Sago. These may
be prepared or dressed in any manner he likes best, but
especially they are to be taken with Milk & this should
always make a great part of his Diet. -- Roots Greens
& other garden things he may have sometimes but it should
be very moderately. Potatoes is one of the safest roots for
him if he does not take them too often. Sparagus, Pease,
Artichokes or such like as the Come first in Season may
be allowed but as the grow older they are not so proper
[Page 3]
He may have a little raw fruit especially of the
smaller kinds as [tra?] strawberries & gooseberries when
quite ripe but he should have them very moderately &
more caution is still necessary with regard to the stoned
fruit of all kinds -- Dried Fruits as Figs Raisins
& Currants he may also have a little of & especially of
the two latter he may have pretty freely in his pudding
For his ordinary drink we think he should have water only
but it may be with or without toast in it as he likes best
We think small beer improper unless some tendency to
Costiveness should require it Strong drink of all kinds
we judge very improper for him but would allow him a
small glass of Claret or of white wine & water every day
at dinner. In the afternoon he may have a little Tea
but it should be a little only very weak & not taken warm
if he takes a good deal of bread to his Tea or milk
& water about six of the Evening he should not have any
supper after it but if he takes little then & also takes
it earlier he may have a little supper between 7 & 8.
This is of the utmost consequence to keep him in the
habit of going early to bed & let him have get up as [earlly?] (↑early↑)
in the morning as he pleases. He should not ly long abed
after he is fully awake & should not have breakfast till he
has been out of bed for an hour or at least half an hour
He should always be very much in the fresh air & for some
years to come he ought to be in the country for at least
eight months in the year & he should be in town in the
[Page 4]
middle of winter only - His cloathing should be light
rather thin & there should be no difference at least very
little in his dress at different Seasons. -- He should be
allowed to take Exercise very freely & that even within doors
The only restraint to be laid on his Exercise is to avoid his
being often ↑very much↑ heated or put into a Sweat. -- When he begins
study, care should be taken that it be not too constant but
frequently interposed with fresh air & Exercise --
The learning his Exercise should He should not enter
upon the fatigue or Confinement of a publick school 1 till
he is fully eight years old, & other studies should not be crowded
upon him so as to leave too little time for air & Exercise ---
The learning his Exercise should not be entered upon till
he is grown up & discovers a proper strengh & even then
they should be conducted very gently -- If at anytime
he happens to be affected with Cold, it should be very carefully
attended to and discussed as soon as possibel that no habits
of that kind may be allowed to take place -- The above
is the management we propose to be observed till he is 10
or 12 years old but after that the management can only
be determined by appearances of his constitutution at that time
1769
[I?].G. -
Notes:
1: At this date in Britain, a "public School" implied 'any of a class of grammar schools founded or endowed for public use and subject to public management or control' (OED) and as such was frequently contrasted with "private school" or home tuition.
Diplomatic Text
For General Lockharts Son
Mr George
We are glad to begin this advice by observing that the
child is at present in very good health & in his appea¬
rance discovers no mark of tendency to any particular
disease. Neither do we think he is in danger of deriving
any such tendency from the families he has proceeded from
for on his side neither his grandfather nor grand¬
mother were ever affected with any tendency to Consump¬
tion. The only suspicion that lies against him is from
what we have (are) told with regard to his mother but we
do not think this goes for for from what we know of her
[Page 2]
& which was from her birth to the time she went
abroad we think she had not naturaly any tendency
to consumption & we are very ready to believe that what
at least happened might be entirely owing to accident
and there is nothing that can account for it better
than any neglect with regard to the Measles ----
But however all this may be we allow that his
mothers being affected with some tendency to Consumption
about the time of being & with child of him, leaves
some suspicion of his constitution & renders it at least
very prudent to take every proper precaution. -- Upon this
footing we propose the following regimen.
1: We think it very proper that till he is ten years old he
should have very little or no animal food. Every day at
dinner we would allow him a mass of broth made of Fowl
or any other meat that is not fat or made very strong.
Twice a week he may have at the same time a fresh
& soft boiled egg but would not at any time give him meat
or Fish of any kind not even such as are pro (↑sup↑)posed the lightest
For the rest of his diet let him have grain of any kind
Wheat, Rice, Barley, Oats, Millet, or Sago. These may
be prepared or dressed in any manner he likes best, but
especially they are to be taken with Milk & this should
always make a great part of his Diet. -- Roots Greens
& other garden things he may have sometimes but it should
be very moderately. Potatoes is one of the safest roots for
him if he does not take them too often. Sparagus, Pease,
Artichokes or such like as the Come first in Season may
be allowed but as the grow older they are not so proper
[Page 3]
He may have a little raw fruit especially of the
smaller kinds as [tra?] strawberries & gooseberries when
quite ripe but he should have them very moderately &
more caution is still necessary with regard to the stoned
fruit of all kinds -- Dried Fruits as Figs Raisins
& Currants he may also have a little of & especially of
the two latter he may have pretty freely in his pudding
For his ordinary drink we think he should have water only
but it may be with or without toast in it as he likes best
We think small beer improper unless some tendency to
Costiveness should require it Strong drink of all kinds
we judge very improper for him but would allow him a
small glass of Claret or of white wine & water every day
at dinner. In the afternoon he may have a little Tea
but it should be a little only very weak & not taken warm
if he takes a good deal of bread to his Tea or milk
& water about six of the Evening he should not have any
supper after it but if he takes little then & also takes
it earlier he may have a little supper between 7 & 8.
This is of the utmost consequence to keep him in the
habit of going early to bed & let him have get up as [earlly?] (↑early↑)
in the morning as he pleases. He should not ly long abed
after he is fully awake & should not have breakfast till he
has been out of bed for an hour or at least half an hour
He should always be very much in the fresh air & for some
years to come he ought to be in the country for at least
eight months in the year & he should be in town in the
[Page 4]
middle of winter only - His cloathing should be light
rather thin & there should be no difference at least very
little in his dress at different Seasons. -- He should be
allowed to take Exercise very freely & that even within doors
The only restraint to be laid on his Exercise is to avoid his
being often ↑very much↑ heated or put into a Sweat. -- When he begins
study, care should be taken that it be not too constant but
frequently interposed with fresh air & Exercise --
The learning his Exercise should He should not enter
upon the fatigue or Confinement of a publick school 1 till
he is fully eight years old, & other studies should not be crowded
upon him so as to leave too little time for air & Exercise ---
The learning his Exercise should not be entered upon till
he is grown up & discovers a proper strengh & even then
they should be conducted very gently -- If at anytime
he happens to be affected with Cold, it should be very carefully
attended to and discussed as soon as possibel that no habits
of that kind may be allowed to take place -- The above
is the management we propose to be observed till he is 10
or 12 years old but after that the management can only
be determined by appearances of his constitutution at that time
1769
[I?].G. -
Notes:
1: At this date in Britain, a "public School" implied 'any of a class of grammar schools founded or endowed for public use and subject to public management or control' (OED) and as such was frequently contrasted with "private school" or home tuition.
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