The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[Case ID:671]: Case of Mr Thomas Alston who spits blood and consequently has a poor prognosis and whose case eventually proves fatal.
Documents in this case
13 document(s) found in this case.
| DOC ID | Summary | Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
[DOC ID:634]  |
Reply, headed 'Mrs Arnot & Mr Alston', concerning two of William Hamilton's patients, Mrs Arnot (who is pregnant) and her brother Thomas Alston, both of whom Cullen has now spoken to. Cullen suspects 'a confirmed schirrosity' in Mrs Arnot's gullet. He suggests blistering and an issue. For Mr Alston, who suffers from fits attributed to 'a congestion of blood in the vessels of the head', he recommends leeches and includes cephalic and cooling recipes. | 4 September 1782 | |||
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[DOC ID:643] |
Reply, 'Mr Alston', including Cullen giving his opinions on a West Indies voyage. 'To do this very positively would require a conjurer and I hope the family do not believe that I have any dealings with the Devil but I will say what I think.' He also says, of Mr Alston's sister: 'I wish with all my heart I could relieve Mrs Arnot but I don't find any thing to offer.' A postscript asks if Hamilton can be of service to a midwife in Glasgow, Mrs Mcwright, 'who formerly had a particular connexion with my family'. | 1 October 1782 | |||
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[DOC ID:680] |
Reply to the physician, 'William [Hamilton]', concerning the case of Mr Alston. Cullen is very disappointed not to have seen any improvement, and is very concerned for his health. he proposes cuprum ammoniacum as an antispasmodic for his fits. He is happy to hear that Mrs Arnot (Mr Alston's sister) is somewhat better, but 'I have nothing new to offer with respect to her'. | 7 December 1782 | |||
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[DOC ID:692] |
Reply, brief, to William Hamilton regarding the ongoing case of Mr Alston; Cullen agrees with the current treatment, and encloses a cephalic prescription. | 28 December 1782 | |||
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[DOC ID:711] |
Reply, 'Mr Hamilton C[oncerning] Mr Alston'. Cullen is 'at a loss how to proceed', given the patient's deterioration. He suggests that 'nothing but the supposition of something fixed in the system, such as a tubercle in the lungs can account for the disease resisting the whole of the antiphlogistic measures that have been employed.' An immediate voyage to the South is suggested. | 17 February 1783 | |||
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[DOC ID:4601] |
Reply, in the form of a brief note to William Hamilton about Mr Alston: 'A length of Voyage and a great change of Climate may cure his Epilepsy but the effects of a very warm Climate on his Phthisical complaints are very doubtful'. | 1 April 1783 | |||
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[DOC ID:4627] |
Reply concerning the case of Mr Alston, written to an addressee Cullen refers to as William [Hamilton]. Cullen recommends a sea voyage, 'going several times backwards and forwards between Leith and London', and going to the Highlands for a goat whey cure. He does not recommend the Loch Lomond area, but Perthshire. The scribe has clearly misread or misheard Cullen's mention of 'Perthshire' (since he specifically names Crieff and Dunkeld), and has written 'Persia'. | 8 May 1783 | |||
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[DOC ID:2387] |
Letter from William Hamilton, concerning the case of Mr Alston, who has had another epileptic fit, although his pulmonary symptoms seem to have improved a little. He has been bled, and has been drinking asses' milk, but 'The voyage or journey you recommend has not yet been settled'. | June? 1783? | |||
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[DOC ID:4644] |
Reply, 'Mr Alston', concerning the cases of Messrs Thomas and John Alston. Cullen describes at length the regimen Thomas Alston should follow if he goes to Crieff for a goat whey cure. He also suggests treatment for Thomas's father John Alston, whom he suspects to have a bladder stone. | 9 June 1783 | |||
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[DOC ID:4699] |
Reply to William Hamilton concerning the case of John Alston of Overhall. Cullen gives full instructions for preparing the beef broth to carry and regulate the dose of lixivium (for treating him for the stone). There is a brief mention of his son Thomas Alston. | 30? August? 1783 | |||
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[DOC ID:2331] |
Letter from William Hamilton, concerning the case of Mr Alston, who 'has been dayly losing ground' since Cullen saw Hamilton in Glasgow. He now suffers from looseness of the bowels, swollen legs, and coughing up purulent matter, and is too weak for the voyage previously discussed. Hamilton asks about alleviating his symptoms and how much laudanum he can give. | 5 October 1783 | |||
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[DOC ID:4723] |
Reply, headed 'Mr Alston' and addressee identifiable as Dr William Hmilton at Glasgow . Cullen believes that 'the case is absolutely desperate and you can have nothing to do but while he lives to keep him as easy as you can.' He recommends the use of opiates: 'you must not be restrained by the fear of fits', and suggests giving them by glyster. | 6 October 1783 | |||
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[DOC ID:2362] |
Letter from William Hamilton, introducing Mr Jeffray, a student of physic in Glasgow, who was 'last session with you at Edinburgh'. He also mentions the death of 'Mr Alston our patient': 'I wished to have him opened but I found it could not be done'. However, his father [John] Alston is improving, having used the Lixivium. | 9 November 1783 | |||
People involved in this case
7 found.
| PERS ID | Full Name |
|---|---|
| [PERS ID: 554] | Mr Thomas Alston |
| [PERS ID: 1938] | Mr John Alston (of Overhall) |
| [PERS ID: 1265] | Mrs Janet Arnot (of Silverwood) |
| [PERS ID: 1] | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID: 175] | Dr William Hamilton (in Glasgow) |
| [PERS ID: 3103] | Mr Jeffray |
| [PERS ID: 3080] | Mrs McWright |
Unique Places linked to this Case
11 found.
| Type | Specific Place | Village/Town/City (aka) | Region | Country | Continent | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Place | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Dunkeld | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Continent | West Indies | certain | ||||
| Region | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | ||
| Place | Crieff | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Perthshire | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Leith | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Loch Lomond | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Places and role of place
14 found.
| Type | Role | Specific Place | Village/Town/City (aka) | Region | Country | Continent | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific | Place of Writing | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Place | Place of Writing | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Destination of Letter | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Place | Therapeutic Recommendation | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Therapeutic Recommendation | Dunkeld | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Continent | Therapeutic Recommendation | West Indies | certain | ||||
| Region | Therapeutic Recommendation | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | ||
| Place | Therapeutic Recommendation | Crieff | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Therapeutic Recommendation | Perthshire | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | Leith | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | Loch Lomond | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Place of Handstamp | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
