The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:98] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Alexander Montgomerie (Montgomery; of Coylesfield) (Patient) / 9 July 1770 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Alexander Montgomery of Colsfield'. Contains dietary recommendations and an English recipe for different marshmallow, linseed and camomile decoctions to treat Mr Montgomery's nephritic complaints (which were later confirmed gallstones).
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 98 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/1/93 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 9 July 1770 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Alexander Montgomery of Colsfield'. Contains dietary recommendations and an English recipe for different marshmallow, linseed and camomile decoctions to treat Mr Montgomery's nephritic complaints (which were later confirmed gallstones). |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1624] |
Case of Mr Alexander Montgomery of Coylesfield who Cullen believes has passed some gallstones and is jaundiced; upon his death in 1784 there is a postmortem examination. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3155] | Patient | Mr Alexander Montgomerie (Montgomery; of Coylesfield) |
| [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 |
| Destination of Letter | Coilsfield House / Montgomerie House | Tarbolton | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Alexander Montgomery of Colsfield Esquire
I have now no Doubt that the Ailments are entirely
gravellish but whether the Kidneys alone or how far the Bladde[r]
is affected I find it difficult determine; But it is of little con¬
sequence to determine the question as in either case the measure
must be the same and the following seem to me the most
Probable for Colsfields relieff
I have ordered a medicine to be prepared for him which
he mo (↑u↑)st take every day for a long time; It is to be taken in
broth which may be made of [Belff?]; veal; or fowl and the
dose of ↑the↑ Medicine is to be determined by the quantity of broth;
He must begin by taking a Gill of the broth twice a day that
is before Breakfast and before Supper about half an hour;
Into this broth is to be put a tea spoonfull of the Lixivium
or as much as the broth will cover the taste of; After taking
it in this Shape for two days the broth is to be increased to a
gill and half and in two days more to half a mutchken at
which quantity it may be continued for a week or two but
to be afterwards farther increased as his Stomach will bear.
As the broth is increased the Lixivium must be so also to what
the broth will cover.
The use of this medicine requires no confinements
and Mr. Montgomery may go abroad as usual but the nature
of His Ailment is very delicate with respect to Exercise and
will bear none but the most Gentle and moderate. He must
always walk very gently and but little at one time. He
will even be better on horseback if the horse walks only. If
he goes in a carriage it must be a very easy one and upon a
smooth road
His diet requires as much attention in avoiding every thing
that may become sowr on his Stomach. He must therefore
take no kind of fresh fruit nor vinigar. He must take very
[Page 2]
little garden things and no kind of fermented liquor. His ordinary
drink must be toast water or that with a little of any kind spritis
he likes best. He may take at dinner any kind of plain meat but
Should always keep his Stomach light and fill up his meal with
Soup or any kind of pudding rather than make a full meall of
meat. He may take fish but of these more moderately still
than of meat. He must take nothing salted. At supper he should
take no meat but may take an Egg or any kind of grain and
with these he may sometimes take milk but not often. He
must take no Butter milk or whey at least while he is taking
the above mentioned medicine. At Breakfast he most obstain
from Green or Bohea Tea but may take Sage Balm or any
other herb of home growth and rather than any of these I would
recommend the {illeg} tea with whatever tea he takes he may
take bread and butter as usuall but without honey. Jelly
Marmalade or other kind of Sweat meats
Nothing is of more consequence to Colsfield than avoiding
cold and particularly in his feet and legs. These therefore should
be always well guarded and he must take great care not
to stand still in the fields. In case of any attack of strang¬
ury or pain of his Back. He must ly down as much as he
can for walking and even an erect posture does harm
He should drink pretty freely of weak Lintseed tea made by
pouring a shopen of boiling water upon two tea spoonfulls of
Unbruised lintseed. If he can get marshmallow roots in proper
Condition that is half dryed a decoction of these may be
lighter on his Stomach and Answer as well as the Lintseed
tea. The Decoction is made by boilling two ounces of the root
in three muchkens of water till one mutchken be boilled
away. When this is near done an ounce of Sliced Liqorice
root is to be put in and boilled for a few minutes If his
Uneasiness goes on increasing he must employ Glysters.
When his belly is open these Glysters may be warm water
alone but if his Belly is in the least bound the following
may be employed. Take a handfull of Camomile flowers
[Page 3]
and two tea spoonfulls of Carraway Seeds boill these in
five or six gills of water till three gills only Remain then
add a table Spoonfull of Brown suggar and half a spoonfull
of Common Salt. Strain the whole and add three or four
spoonfulls of Florrence Oil. If there has been any [bos¬
borness?] it is absolutely necessary to open the belly and
if the last mentioned Glyster does not answer recourse must
he had to stronger purgatives and Turpentine Glysters
are among the most proper but these must be left
to the conduct of a man of skill. When the pains of the
Back are violent it may be very proper to let a little
blood more or less as the pains are more in the Back
or as the pulse is more or less affected, better emptying
the belly and bleeding where necessary recourse may
be had to Laudanum but not in less then forty drops
for a dose and this may be repeated in six or eight hours
if the pains continue at the same time with these
Remedys a warm Bath or fomentations to the Back
or belly may be employed taking care of the last are
employed that he is laid in blankets which may be
removed when the fomenting is finished to that nothing
cold or damp may be about him
Diplomatic Text
For Alexr. Montgomery of Colsfield Esqur.
I have now no Doubt that the Ailments are entirely
gravellish but whether the Kidneys alone or how far the Bladde[r]
is affected I find it difficult determine; But it is of little con¬
sequence to determine the question as in either case the measure
must be the same and the following seem to me the most
Probable for Colsfields relieff
I have ordered a medicine to be prepared for him which
he mo (↑u↑)st take every day for a long time; It is to be taken in
broth which may be made of [Belff?]; veal; or fowl and the
dose of ↑the↑ Medicine is to be determined by the quantity of broth;
He must begin by taking a Gill of the broth twice a day that
is before Breakfast and before Supper about half an hour;
Into this broth is to be put a tea spoonfull of the Lixivium
or as much as the broth will cover the taste of; After taking
it in this Shape for two days the broth is to be increased to a
gill and half and in two days more to half a mutchken at
which quantity it may be continued for a week or two but
to be afterwards farther increased as his Stomach will bear.
As the broth is increased the Lixivium must be so also to what
the broth will cover.
The use of this medicine requires no confinements
and Mr. Montgomery may go abroad as usual but the nature
of His Ailment is very delicate with respect to Exercise and
will bear none but the most Gentle and moderate. He must
always walk very gently and but little at one time. He
will even be better on horseback if the horse walks only. If
he goes in a carriage it must be a very easy one and upon a
smooth road
His diet requires as much attention in avoiding every thing
that may become sowr on his Stomach. He must therefore
take no kind of fresh fruit nor vinigar. He must take very
[Page 2]
little garden things and no kind of fermented liquor. His ordinary
drink must be toast water or that with a little of any kind spritis
he likes best. He may take at dinner any kind of plain meat but
Should always keep his Stomach light and fill up his meal with
Soup or any kind of pudding rather than make a full meall of
meat. He may take fish but of these more moderately still
than of meat. He must take nothing salted. At supper he should
take no meat but may take an Egg or any kind of grain and
with these he may sometimes take milk but not often. He
must take no Butter milk or whey at least while he is taking
the above mentd medicine. At Breakfast he most obstain
from Green or Bohea Tea but may take Sage Balm or any
other herb of home growth and rather than any of these I would
recommend the {illeg} tea with whatever tea he takes he may
take bread and butter as usuall but without honey. Jelly
Marmalade or other kind of Sweat meats
Nothing is of more consequence to Colsfield than avoiding
cold and particularly in his feet and legs. These therefore should
be always well guarded and he must take great care not
to stand still in the fields. In case of any attack of strang¬
ury or pain of his Back. He must ly down as much as he
can for walking and even an erect posture does harm
He should drink pretty freely of weak Lintseed tea made by
pouring a shopen of boiling water upon two tea spoonfulls of
Unbruised lintseed. If he can get marshmallow roots in proper
Condition that is half dryed a decoction of these may be
lighter on his Stomach and Answer as well as the Lintseed
tea. The Decoction is made by boilling two ounces of the root
in three muchkens of water till one mutchken be boilled
away. When this is near done an ounce of Sliced Liqorice
root is to be put in and boilled for a few minutes If his
Uneasiness goes on increasing he must employ Glysters.
When his belly is open these Glysters may be warm water
alone but if his Belly is in the least bound the following
may be employed. Take a handfull of Camomile flowers
[Page 3]
and two tea spoonfulls of Carraway Seeds boill these in
five or six gills of water till three gills only Remain then
add a table Spoonfull of Brown suggar and half a spoonfull
of Common Salt. Strain the whole and add three or four
spoonfulls of Florrence Oil. If there has been any [bos¬
borness?] it is absolutely necessary to open the belly and
if the last mentd. Glyster does not answer recourse must
he had to stronger purgatives and Turpentine Glysters
are among the most proper but these must be left
to the conduct of a man of skill. When the pains of the
Back are violent it may be very proper to let a little
blood more or less as the pains are more in the Back
or as the pulse is more or less affected, better emptying
the belly and bleeding where necessary recourse may
be had to Laudanum but not in less then forty drops
for a dose and this may be repeated in six or eight hours
if the pains continue at the same time with these
Remedys a warm Bath or fomentations to the Back
or belly may be employed taking care of the last are
employed that he is laid in blankets which may be
removed when the fomenting is finished to that nothing
cold or damp may be about him
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