The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:88] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Andrew Stevenson (Patient) / 12 May 1770 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Mr Andrew Stevenson'. Cullen gives directions for the patient, who is recovering from a severe illness.
- 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 | 88 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/1/83 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 12 May 1770 |
| 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 Mr Andrew Stevenson'. Cullen gives directions for the patient, who is recovering from a severe illness. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:124] |
Case of Mr Andrew Stevenson who is recovering from a severe illness. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:70] | Patient | Mr Andrew Stevenson |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
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 Mr Andrew Stevenson.
I hope he is now in a very good train of Recovery but as
he has made a very narrow escape & that both his disease & the dan¬
ger of it were to be imputed to his former way (↑manner↑) of living I am very
willing now to give him my advice towards preventing the like acci¬
dent hereafter.
He should now get out a bed as much as he can & as the Season
is now favourable he should also get out of Doors as soon as possi¬
ble. It is fresh Air & Exercise only that can make his Recovery
compleat. These are the only Strenghteners & Cordials to be depended upon.
By Degrees & suitable to his Appetite & Exercise let the qua¬
lity of his Diet be mended but fullness is necessary to no body &
be very hurtful to Convalescents. He may take meat at dinner
every day but it should be light & little till he get into Exercise. It
must be a long time yet f before he can take any meat at Supper
& milk meats if they can digest them are the most proper.
For ordinary Drink he may take good small Beer but
Wine & Water will be more safe, & Madeira or Port well diluted
are the best. At dinner every day a glass or two of Wine are
very allowable & as he gets at Strength & Exercise the dose may
be somewhat increased but I hope it will be long before he
hazards any Excess. When he takes plain Wine I hold neat
Claret to be by much the safest & most proper. Whatever
wine he takes it should be confined to the time of his meals
for at all other times it introduces the most pernicious habits
[Page 2]
& has no measure. All this I would say ↑still↑ more strongly
with repeat to Spirits. I would not have him taste however
diluted & I would rather have him incure a fainting fit se¬
veral times a day than that he should have recourse to such
a Cordial. A Man that does so can keep no measure while
the remedy produces a craving that goes on increasing
in a manner that is absolutely incompatible with Health
& Life.
In Mr Stevenson's present situation it is very pos¬
sible he may at time feel a languor that demands
a cordial & for such I have ordered an Infusion, of which
he may take a spoonful or two several times a day. It
will contribute to strengthen him but I would rather
do this by Diet & Exercise & therefore would have him take
my Cordial as seldom as possible & to quit it altogether
as soon as he can.
I have nothing farther to add but that his
belly must be kept regular & even opened sometimes but
always gently. In getting into Air & for a long time to come
he must take great Care to guard against Cold and Moist¬
ture.
1770
[Page 3]
For Mr Andrew Stevenson.
Take half-an-ounce of Peruvian bark, two drachms of Orange peel, one drachm of Colomba root, halfa drachm of Cinnamon bark. Crush together. Add half a pint of port wine and half a pint of French brandy. Let it rest for two days and strain. Label it: Strengthening Infusion
1770
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Andrew Stevenson.
I hope he is now in a very good train of Recovery but as
he has made a very narrow escape & that both his disease & the dan¬
ger of it were to be imputed to his former way (↑manner↑) of living I am very
willing now to give him my advice towards preventing the like acci¬
dent hereafter.
He should now get out a bed as much as he can & as the Season
is now favourable he should also get out of Doors as soon as possi¬
ble. It is fresh Air & Exercise only that can make his Recovery
compleat. These are the only Strenghteners & Cordials to be depended upon.
By Degrees & suitable to his Appetite & Exercise let the qua¬
lity of his Diet be mended but fullness is necessary to no body &
be very hurtful to Convalescents. He may take meat at dinner
every day but it should be light & little till he get into Exercise. It
must be a long time yet f before he can take any meat at Supper
& milk meats if they can digest them are the most proper.
For ordinary Drink he may take good small Beer but
Wine & Water will be more safe, & Madeira or Port well diluted
are the best. At dinner every day a glass or two of Wine are
very allowable & as he gets at Strength & Exercise the dose may
be somewhat increased but I hope it will be long before he
hazards any Excess. When he takes plain Wine I hold neat
Claret to be by much the safest & most proper. Whatever
wine he takes it should be confined to the time of his meals
for at all other times it introduces the most pernicious habits
[Page 2]
& has no measure. All this I would say ↑still↑ more strongly
wth repeat to Spirits. I would not have him taste however
diluted & I would rather have him incure a fainting fit se¬
veral times a day than that he should have recourse to such
a Cordial. A Man that does so can keep no measure while
the remedy produces a craving that goes on increasing
in a manner that is absolutely incompatible wt Health
& Life.
In Mr Stevenson's present situation it is very pos¬
sible he may at time feel a languor that demands
a cordial & for such I have ordered an Infusion, of which
he may take a spoonful or two several times a day. It
will contribute to strengthen him but I would rather
do this by Diet & Exercise & therefore would have him take
my Cordial as seldom as possible & to quit it altogether
as soon as he can.
I have nothing farther to add but that his
belly must be kept regular & even opened sometimes but
always gently. In getting into Air & for a long time to come
he must take great Care to guard against Cold and Moist¬
ture.
1770
[Page 3]
For Mr Andrew Stevenson.
℞ Cort. Peruvian. cont. ℥fs
- aurantior. ʒij
Rad. Colomba. ʒj
Cort. Canell. alb. ʒfs
Contusis affunde.
Vin. rubr. Oportens. lib fs
Spir. Vin. Gall. lib fs
Digere per bidiem et cola
Signa Strengthening Infusion
1770
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