The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1235] From: William Borradaile / To: Dr Joseph Borradaile / Regarding: William Borradaile (Patient) / 24 January 1776 / (Incoming)
Letter from William Borradaile writing from London, addressed to his brother in Edinburgh, in response to the brother's untraced letter 'desiring me to state my Case to you, as you are in a situation to get the best advice by attending the Lectures of the Great Dr. Cullen'. The writer believes that his complaints, which are various, were aggravated by being prescribed mercury which has injured his nerves.
- 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 | 1235 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/335 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 24 January 1776 |
| 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 William Borradaile writing from London, addressed to his brother in Edinburgh, in response to the brother's untraced letter 'desiring me to state my Case to you, as you are in a situation to get the best advice by attending the Lectures of the Great Dr. Cullen'. The writer believes that his complaints, which are various, were aggravated by being prescribed mercury which has injured his nerves. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:693] |
Case of Mr William Borradaile [Borrowdale] who asks his brother - a student of Cullen - to enquire on his behalf over his rheumatic complaints. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:503] | Author | William Borradaile |
| [PERS ID:180] | Addressee | Dr Joseph Borradaile |
| [PERS ID:503] | Patient | William Borradaile |
| [PERS ID:180] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Dr Joseph Borradaile |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I duly have yours of the 18th Inst. desiring me to state
my Case to you, as you are in a situation to get the best advice from
attending the Lectures of the Great Dr. Cullen, who you say is allow'd
to be the first man in Europe in medical knowledge – I am glad to find
you have so high an opinion of him because I think a good deal depends
on the good opinion a student has of his superior, without which he
certainly will pay too little deference to the most solid arguments.
In Compliance with your request I'll tell you what I can of my com¬
plaint in order that you may write the Case out properly. -----
Tis now 4 years since I was attack'd with a Rheumatick complaint
across my Hips, Which the Dr. term'd an obstruction & for which after
in any medicines he order'd me to be sweated & Cupp'd in the Hot bath
which was done twice in a severe degree & after that he gave me a vast
many Mercurial med'cines & indeed all along he gave me a good deal
of that vile mineral – which with sweating & other evacuations weaken'd me
so as in my opinion to be the intire Cause of my present Nervous
disorder –– I tried the Cold Bath & Sea - without effect neither agreeing
with me – – My chief grievance is a Weight ↑& relaxation↑ on the back of my head &
in my neck - so that I cannot write without leaning my head on my
hand & in turning my head quickly to & fro, I feel I feel a little noise as
if the leaders grated against one another –– Change of the Weather from Cold
to Hot affects me, on the Contrary the Sharp Weather of Autumn is agreable.
I have also a Scorbutic Humour in my blood Which breaks out in the Spring
& does not leave me again till Cool Weather returns, & did it follow the joints
more I shou'd suspect it for the Itch, but this is no inconvenience to me
[Page 2]
further than the disagreeable look for my Hands Arms face neck & breast
are plentifully Covered ––
After the {illeg} (↑stiffness↑) at my breast it only attacks me now & then with a Hardness of
breathing & is always easy enough when in bed, I don't like it yet I apprehend
no danger from it, nor indeed from my other Complaints, yet that relaxed
state of body is vastly discouraging & I am persuaded is wholly from having had
my nerves injured by improper Med'cines - Which might the more easily be done
as I was always rather tender & delicate. –––
I am mostly cold in my feet & the other extremities. -----
I am Dear Joe
Your Affectionate Brother
They tell me the nerves of the Brain
& Spinal Marrow are effected - riding on Horse¬
back shakes my head & in my indifferent fits now & then I am
almost like to stumble in the streets from Giddiness {illeg}
[Page 3]
Mr Borradaile
at Mrs. Wrights
Nicholson's St
Edinburgh
✍
Mr Borradaile
January 1776
Vol. IV. p. 115
Diplomatic Text
I duly have yours of the 18th Inst. desiring me to state
my Case to you, as you are in a situation to get the best advice from
attending the Lectures of the Great Dr. Cullen, who you say is allow'd
to be the first man in Europe in medical knowledge – I am glad to find
you have so high an opinion of him because I think a good deal depends
on the good opinion a student has of his superior, without which he
certainly will pay too little deference to the most solid arguments.
In Compliance with your request I'll tell you what I can of my com¬
plaint in order that you may write the Case out properly. -----
Tis now 4 years since I was attack'd with a Rheumatick complaint
across my Hips, Which the Dr. term'd an obstruction & for wh. after
in any medicines he order'd me to be sweated & Cupp'd in the Hot bath
wh. was done twice in a severe degree & after that he gave me a vast
many Mercurial med'cines & indeed all along he gave me a good deal
of that vile mineral – wh with sweating & other evacuations weaken'd me
so as in my opinion to be the intire Cause of my present Nervous
disorder –– I tried the Cold Bath & Sea - without effect neither agreeing
wth me – – My chief grievance is a Weight ↑& relaxation↑ on the back of my head &
in my neck - so that I cannot write without leaning my head on my
hand & in turning my head quickly to & fro, I feel I feel a little noise as
if the leaders grated against one another –– Change of the Wear. from Cold
to Hot affects me, on the Contrary the Sharp Wear. of Autumn is agreable.
I have also a Scorbutic Humour in my blood Wh. breaks out in the Spring
& does not leave me again till Cool Wear. returns, & did it follow the joints
more I shou'd suspect it for the Itch, but this is no inconvenience to me
[Page 2]
further than the disagreeable look for my Hands Arms face neck & breast
are plentifully Covered ––
After the {illeg} (↑stiffness↑) at my breast it only attacks me now & then with a Hardness of
breathing & is always easy enough when in bed, I don't like it yet I apprehend
no danger from it, nor indeed from my other Complaints, yet that relaxed
state of body is vastly discouraging & I am persuaded is wholly from having had
my nerves injured by improper Med'cines - Wh. might the more easily be done
as I was always rather tender & delicate. –––
I am mostly cold in my feet & the other extremities. -----
I am Dr. Joe
Yo: Affect. Bror.
They tell me the nerves of the Brain
& Spinal Marrow are effected - riding on Horse¬
back shakes my head & in my indifferent fits now & then I am
almost like to stumble in the streets from Giddiness {illeg}
[Page 3]
Mr Borradaile
at Mrs. Wrights
Nicholson's St
Edinburgh
✍
Mr Borradaile
Jan. 1776
Vol. IV. p. 115
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