The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1070] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Christopher Douglas (of Kelso) / Regarding: Mr Archibald (Patient) / 5 January 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mr Archibald', to Dr Christopher Douglas (as mentioned in Andrew Wilson's later letter). Mr Archibald's respiratory complaints are 'of a dangerous kind'. Judging by his friend Ralph Davidson's reply, this letter was probably given to Mr Archibald when he consulted Cullen and Monro in person in Edinburgh.
- 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 | 1070 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/13/124 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 5 January 1781 |
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 Archibald', to Dr Christopher Douglas (as mentioned in Andrew Wilson's later letter). Mr Archibald's respiratory complaints are 'of a dangerous kind'. Judging by his friend Ralph Davidson's reply, this letter was probably given to Mr Archibald when he consulted Cullen and Monro in person in Edinburgh. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:940] |
Case of Mr Archibald who is in a dangerous condition with blood-spitting, cough and fever. |
5 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:571] | Addressee | Dr Christopher Douglas (of Kelso) |
[PERS ID:2786] | Patient | Mr Archibald |
[PERS ID:571] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Christopher Douglas (of Kelso) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:89] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Professor Alexander Monro (secundus; Munro ) |
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 | Kelso | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mr Archibald--
His complaints of a dangerous kind and it will require all
the Skill and pains, that he or we (Dr Monro) can bestow to
avert the danger.
Tho we are not to omitt the use of Medicines we trust more
to a proper Regimen.
Avoid cold by every precaution, he ought to keep his body
always warmly clothed b particularly about the feet and legs.
Even with these precautions he should walk out very little
or none during the Winter or Spring Season - & never go
abroad after Dinner not even even from one house to
another - Walking to is a hazardous Exercise to him
[Page 2]
But I think riding on horseback in the forenoon should
be continued as often as the Weather will allow; but by no
means to be pushed either in Case of very hard frost or very
wet weather
We are clearly of opinion that his present Diet
should be continued-- He should abstain entirely from
all Animal food.-- His, Diet should consist chiefly
of Milk and Farinacea-- He may take at times
some Garden things very sparingly-- but fruit fresh,
preserved, boiled, or baked are particularly proper for
him--
Drink- No fermented nor Spirituous Liquors-
and take only Water or Watery Liquors as Gruel, Barley
Water, or whey fresh drawn.- He may take at times Tea
or Coffee; but they should be neither strong nor taken
warm and always with a good proportion of Milk,
He should go to Bed at times in the Evening and not
lie too long in the morning nor encourage much any
sweating that may happen at that time. ---
As you have hitherto treated this Case very properly
so we think, some of your Remedies may be still insisted
upon particularly that the Issue should be continued in
his breast and if you can keep it open by the Epispastic
cummitius it will save him from the Strangury which
the common Ointment is ready to occasion and at least
it may be common ↑probably↑ enough to drop it with the common
once in three or four days.
[Page 3]
We think the bleedings which have been employed
very proper, but fr the softness in his Pulse which we found
does not seem to require any immediate repetition but
at the same time if his Pulse should become harder
or more frequent, with difficulty of breathing, dry Cough
or any pains about the Chest, some bleeding may again
be properly employed, and in the Case of any fixed pain
occurring in the breast or sides which is not taken off by
a moderate bleeding, it may be very proper to apply a
Blister to-the pained part. For several reasons we
cannot advise his returning to a Mercurial Course
tho we cannot condemn the attempt that was made in
that way -- The Medicines we think most proper at
present are prescribed below - and we judge them
to be the most proper to remove resolve Tubercles
or any other obstruction that may be in his Lungs
and they are to be persisted in for some weeks -
For moderating hoarseness or Cough &c. it may
be necessary to use some Demulcents &c. which maybe left
to your Discretion- The Linctus below we have found
useful.- The most effectual Demulcent is an Opiate but
we would avoid it as much as possible; and its use
must be left to your discretion- As a Diarrhœa is
very apt to occur in this Disease we are averse from
employing Laxatives except when Costiveness renders
their use unavoidable
[Page 4]
For Mr Archibald--
Take two ounces of dried Coltsfoot leaves. Boil in water and cook down from two pounds to one pound and add at the end: one drachm of sweet fennel Seeds and two drachms of Extract of liquorice. Strain and Label: Pectoral Decoction. Two, three or four Table Spoonfuls several times a day - or more or oftener as the Stomach easily bears.
Take ten grains of Dried squill root, one drachm of Myrrh and three drachms of Extract of liquorice.. Extract: gradually bring water to the boil, moisten and bruise to form a pulp. Add the rest of the dust from the powder to the boiling water. Label: Pectoral Pills, two or three at bedtime every night.
Take two ounces of thick Gum Arabic Mucilage and one ounce of Elderberry Rob. Bring everything together at the same time so that the ingredients are accurately mixed, and Label: Pectoral Linctus. A tea Spoonful or two to be taken frequently when the Cough is troublesome.
5th January 1781. ---
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Archibald--
His compts of a dangerous kind and it will require all
the Skill and pains, that he or we (Dr Monro) can bestow to
avert the danger.
Tho we are not to omitt the use of Meds we trust more
to a proper Regimen.
Avoid cold by every precaution, he ought to keep his body
always warmly clothed b particularly about the feet and legs.
Even with these precautions he should walk out very little
or none during the Winter or Spring Season - & never go
abroad after Dinner not even even from one house to
another - Walking to is a hazardous Exercise to him
[Page 2]
But I think riding on horseback in the forenoon should
be continued as often as the Weather will allow; but by no
means to be pushed either in Case of very hard frost or very
wet weather
We are clearly of opinion that his present Diet
should be continued-- He should abstain entirely from
all Animal food.-- His, Diet should consist chiefly
of Milk and Farinacea-- He may take at times
some Garden things very sparingly-- but fruit fresh,
preserved, boiled, or baked are particularly proper for
him--
Drink- No fermented nor Spirituous Liquors-
and take only Water or Watery Liquors as Gruel, Barley
Water, or whey fresh drawn.- He may take at times Tea
or Coffee; but they should be neither strong nor taken
warm and always with a good proportion of Milk,
He should go to Bed at times in the Evening and not
lie too long in the morning nor encourage much any
sweating that may happen at that time. ---
As you have hitherto treated this Case very properly
so we think, some of your Remedies may be still insisted
upon particularly that the Issue should be continued in
his breast and if you can keep it open by the Epispastic
cummitius it will save him from the Strangury wc
the common Ointment is ready to occasion and at least
it may be common ↑probably↑ enough to drop it with the common
once in three or four days.
[Page 3]
We think the bleedings wc have been employed
very proper, but fr the softness in his Pulse wc we found
does not seem to require any immediate repetition but
at the same time if his Pulse should become harder
or more frequent, with difficulty of breathing, dry Cough
or any pains about the Chest, some bleeding may again
be properly employed, and in the Case of any fixed pain
occurring in the breast or sides wc is not taken off by
a moderate bleeding, it may be very proper to apply a
Blister to-the pained part. For several reasons we
cannot advise his returning to a Mercurial Course
tho we cannot condemn the attempt that was made in
that way -- The Meds we think most proper at
present are prescribed below - and we judge them
to be the most proper to remove resolve Tubercles
or any other obstruction that may be in his Lungs
and they are to be persisted in for some weeks -
For moderating hoarseness or Cough &c. it may
be necessary to use some Demulcents &c. wc. maybe left
to your Discretion- The Linctus below we have found
useful.- The most effectual Demulcent is an Opiate but
we would avoid it as much as possible; and its use
must be left to your discretion- As a Diarrhœa is
very apt to occur in this Disease we are averse from
employing Laxatives except when Costiveness renders
their use unavoidable
[Page 4]
For Mr Archibald--
℞ Folior. tussilag. siccat. ℥ij
Coque ex Aq. lbij ad lbj addens sub finem
Semm. fœnicul. dulc. ʒj
Extr. glycyrrhiz. ʒij
Cola et Signa Pectoral Decoction two three or four
Table Spoonfuls several times a day - or more or oftener
as the Stomach easily bears.
℞ Rad. scill. siccat. gr XX
Myrrh. ʒj
Extr. glycyrrhiz. ʒiij
Extracto. Aquæ ferventis paulolo, humectato et in
pulpam contuso adde cetera in pulverem trita et
cum Aquæ ferventis q. s. f. Massa divid. in pil. Sing. gr V.
Sig. Pectoral Pills
℞ Muc. g. Arab. crass. ℥ij
Rob. Samb. o ℥j
Terito simul ut accurate misceatur et
Sig. Pectoral Linctus a tea Spoonful or two
to be taken frequently when the Cough is troublesome
5th Janry 1781. ---
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