The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1112] From: Mr Alexander Wood / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Miss (Patient) / 10 January 1775 / (Incoming)
Letter from Alexander Wood regarding an unnamed 15-year-old female patient whose behaviour has suddenly changed, becoming paranoid, with bouts of wild and incoherent speech. Letter itself unsigned.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 1112 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/214 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 10 January 1775 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Authorial original |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | No |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Letter from Alexander Wood regarding an unnamed 15-year-old female patient whose behaviour has suddenly changed, becoming paranoid, with bouts of wild and incoherent speech. Letter itself unsigned. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:653] |
Case of an unnamed 15-year-old female patient, whose behaviour has suddenly changed, becoming paranoid, with wild, incoherent outbursts. |
2 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:588] | Author | Mr Alexander Wood |
[PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:798] | Patient | Miss |
[PERS ID:588] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Alexander Wood |
Places linked to this document
Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Writing | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
A Lady entered into her 15 year (unmarried) of a
clear florid Complexion chearful and sweet Disposition
tho {illeg}, of a high spirit and jealous of any prefe¬
rence shown to her Companions liable to violent Frights
but very healthy on the night of ↑Wednesday↑ [14?] December last waked
suddenly in great Terror imagining Thieves were break¬
ing in to the house and next Day was uncommonly silent
and sullen she appeared suspicious of every one about
her accusing them even her nearest and tenderest Rela¬
tions of bad Designs against her. on Friday Thursday
night slept none. Friday talked much very uncoherently
and wild - mentioning supposed affronts she had received
a long time before and suspicious of every person that
came near her. on
Slept little that night Saturday attempted to be blooded
but ↑with arm↑ so ungovernable and averse to it that together with the
smallness of the blood vessels rendered it impracticable
[Page 2]
that night some sleep
Sunday medical assistance was called for her pulse tho variab¬
le was in general frequent and full her Looks little different
from those of health but steady and more fixed than usual
complained of the pain and generally sitt up in the Day time
her belly costive Urine not closely observed but informed it
appeared red and muddy -- in the Evening half a Dozen Leeches
were applied to her ankles when they dropt off her feet were
put into warm water in which Nitre was dissolved and the
small wounds bled a good deal still very sullen and talked
wild at night a blister applied to the back wrought well and
some sleep next day (Monday) calmer, kept her bed mostly
Tuesday continued to mend seems conscious of having behaved
wilfully and ashamed to see her Friends slept a good deal
Wednesdaypulse natural begged Forgiveness if she had offended
any person and behaves in her former dutiful and respectful
manner. Thursday took an airing perfectly quiet &
composed appetite returns. Friday still mends and in a
few days more had recovered her former strength and
[Page 3]
Spirits –
As those who attended her observed that the Disorder came upon
her within a few days of the full moon was at its height when
it was and decreased with it. Her Relations were apprised that
very possibly she might have a Return towards the next full
and that it would be proper for her to have some abstinence
and keep her spirits composed about that time, but she was
in the Interim to all appearance so thoroughly recovered
that little attention was paid to this, and on last Thursday
↑a few Days before the change of the moon↑ her silence and perversness began to appear
Friday talked wildly pulse frequent in other respects the
same as in the first tho rather more tractable but would not
hear of bleeding in the arm Leeches and blister again applyed
Saturday [wild?] and incoherent complains of the Globus hystericus
Sunday The wildness rather increases pulse frequent urine high
coloured. Monday much as yesterday sleeps little or none
Tuesday swallowed a weak solution of Sal Glauberi
works her this Day (Wednesday) calmer than yesterday
falls into fitts of crying with a plentiful Effusion of Tears
[Page 4]
it will be proper to observe that she is of a small stature
and young Looks for her age and never had any appearance
of the Menstrua and none of her kindred had ever
the smallest Disorder of mind – no other medicines were
administered but those mentioned – ✍
A Hysterical Lady
from A. Wood
January 10th 1775
Vol. I. p. 155.
Diplomatic Text
A Lady entered into her 15 year (unmarried) of a
clear florid Complexion chearful and sweet Disposition
tho {illeg}, of a high spirit and jealous of any prefe¬
rence shown to her Companions liable to violent Frights
but very healthy on the night of ↑Wednesday↑ [14?] December last waked
suddenly in great Terror imagining Thieves were break¬
ing in to the house and next Day was uncommonly silent
and sullen she appeared suspicious of every one about
her accusing them even her nearest and tenderest Rela¬
tions of bad Designs against her. on Friday Thursday
night slept none. Friday talked much very uncoherently
and wild - mentioning supposed affronts she had received
a long time before and suspicious of every person that
came near her. on
Slept little that night Saturday attempted to be blooded
but ↑with arm↑ so ungovernable and averse to it that together with the
smallness of the blood vessels rendered it impracticable
[Page 2]
that night some sleep
Sunday medical assistance was called for her pulse tho variab¬
le was in general frequent and full her Looks little different
from those of health but steady and more fixed than usual
complained of the pain and generally sitt up in the Day time
her belly costive Urine not closely observed but informed it
appeared red and muddy -- in the Evening half a Dozen Leeches
were applied to her ankles when they dropt off her feet were
put into warm water in which Nitre was dissolved and the
small wounds bled a good deal still very sullen and talked
wild at night a blister applied to the back wrought well and
some sleep next day (Monday) calmer, kept her bed mostly
Tuesday continued to mend seems conscious of having behaved
wilfully and ashamed to see her Friends slept a good deal
Wednesdaypulse natural begged Forgiveness if she had offended
any person and behaves in her former dutiful and respectful
manner. Thursday took an airing perfectly quiet &
composed appetite returns. Friday still mends and in a
few days more had recovered her former strength and
[Page 3]
Spirits –
As those who attended her observed that the Disorder came upon
her within a few days of the full moon was at its height when
it was and decreased with it. Her Relations were apprised that
very possibly she might have a Return towards the next full
and that it would be proper for her to have some abstinence
and keep her spirits composed about that time, but she was
in the Interim to all appearance so thoroughly recovered
that little attention was paid to this, and on last Thursday
↑a few Days before the change of the moon↑ her silence and perversness began to appear
Friday talked wildly pulse frequent in other respects the
same as in the first tho rather more tractable but would not
hear of bleeding in the arm Leeches and blister again applyed
Saturday [wild?] and incoherent complains of the Globus hystericus
Sunday The wildness rather increases pulse frequent urine high
coloured. Monday much as yesterday sleeps little or none
Tuesday swallowed a weak solution of Sal Glauberi
works her this Day (Wednesday) calmer than yesterday
falls into fitts of crying with a plentiful Effusion of Tears
[Page 4]
it will be proper to observe that she is of a small stature
and young Looks for her age and never had any appearance
of the Menstrua and none of her kindred had ever
the smallest Disorder of mind – no other medicines were
administered but those mentioned – ✍
A Hysterical Lady
from A. Wood
Janry 10th 1775
Vol. I. p. 155.
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