The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1255] From: Dr Benjamin Thomas / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Miss Evans (Patient) / 16 March 1776 / (Incoming)
Letter from Benjamin Thomas describing the case of Miss Evans, a 7-year-old girl 'seized with a Drowsiness attended with a Vomiting'. Thomas, a former student of Cullen's, also enquires after his health and reports from Herefordshire that '[t]he Prejudices for an Oxford Education are wearing off here'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1255 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/355 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 16 March 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 Benjamin Thomas describing the case of Miss Evans, a 7-year-old girl 'seized with a Drowsiness attended with a Vomiting'. Thomas, a former student of Cullen's, also enquires after his health and reports from Herefordshire that '[t]he Prejudices for an Oxford Education are wearing off here'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:711] |
Case of Miss Evans, a 7-year-old girl 'seized with a Drowsiness attended with a Vomiting'. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1614] | Author | Dr Benjamin Thomas |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1615] | Patient | Miss Evans |
| [PERS ID:1614] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Benjamin Thomas |
| [PERS ID:1629] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr Francois Boissier de Sauvages de Lacroix (Sauvages, Sauvage) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Oxford | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Presteign | Mid Wales | Wales | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
It is with very great pleasure I
embrace an Opportunity of enquiring after your
Health, and of thanking you for many Civilities
you have shewed me in the Course of my Studies. I
flatter myself that it will not be displeasing
to you to hear that I am beginning to do
very well. I get forward daily. I am often
called twenty, sometimes thirty Miles from Home.
The Prejudices for an Oxford Education are
wearing off here, except amongst a few old
Divines, who imagine they support their own
Credit by despising the Scotish Universities. -
I must beg the Favor of your Opinion on the
following Case. At the same time be so kind as
to signify to whom in London your Fee
shall be paid, as we have no other means of
returning Money to Edingburgh. Direct for
[Page 2]
me at Kington, Herefordshire.
I am
your much obliged Friend
and Servant
Miss Evans, seven Years of Age, formerly
healthy, of a full ↑and costive↑ Habit, was, in August last,
seized with a Drowsiness attended with a Vomiting.
After frequent returns, it ended in what her
attendants called a Fit, during which Time she
lay senseless, but was not convulsed. These Complaints
were succeeded by a Weakness of the right Side.
During this Time her Apothecary imagined that her
Disorder arose from Worms; and by this his Advice she
took some vermifuge Medicines. As she found no
Relief from them, a Physician was called in, who
attributed her Disorder to Water in her Head.
In consequence of this Opinion, he order'd her frequent
Doses of Calomel, and a Blister to be applied
to the whole Scalp. About a Week afterwards she
[Page 3]
was totally deprived of her Sight, when her Case was
sent to London. The Physician who was consulted,
advised a purgative Powder to be taken twice a -
Week, with a Milk. Diet and a semilunar Caustic.
This plan, however, was not pursued, as she grew tired
of all Medicines. Her Fits left her soon afterwards;
but her paralytic Complaint remained with Loss
of Sight. In this situation she has continued since
last October. About a Fortnight ago she returned
Home, where I was desired to visit her. I f[ound]
her totally blind; her eyes rather full; the Humors
sound; her Pupils large, but contrasting in a small
Degree when exposed to a shiny Light. In short
she labors under a Gutta serena. She uses her right
arm and Leg with Difficulty; her Flesh is full; her
appetite good; she sleeps well; her Excretories are
natural except now-and-then she has a large
Discharge of pale Urine; her Spirits are good, and
her Apprehension quick. Is this the amaurosis pituitosa
or plethorica, of Sauvage, if there ↑be↑ really in Difference
in his Distinction? 1 Your opinion on the Cause and
Treatment of her Complaint will be very satisfactory to us all.
[Page 4]
To
Doctor Cullen
Edingburgh
Dr Thomas
Miss Evans March 76
v. 5. p. 6.
Notes:
1: See Boissier de la Croix de Sauvages, Nosologia Methodica Oculorum: or, a New Treatise on the Diseases of the Eyes. Selected and Translated from the Latin of Francis Bossier [sic] de Sauvages [by] George Wallis, M.D. (London: 1785?), pp. 278-80.
Diplomatic Text
It is with very great pleasure I
embrace an Opportunity of enquiring after your
Health, and of thanking you for many Civilities
you have shewed me in the Course of my Studies. I
flatter myself that it will not be displeasing
to you to hear that I am beginning to do
very well. I get forward daily. I am often
called twenty, sometimes thirty Miles from Home.
The Prejudices for an Oxford Education are
wearing off here, except amongst a few old
Divines, who imagine they support their own
Credit by despising the Scotish Universities. -
I must beg the Favor of your Opinion on the
following Case. At the same time be so kind as
to signify to whom in London your Fee
shall be paid, as we have no other means of
returning Money to Edingburgh. Direct for
[Page 2]
me at Kington, Herefordshire.
I am
your much obliged Friend
and Servant
Miss Evans, seven Years of Age, formerly
healthy, of a full ↑and costive↑ Habit, was, in August last,
seized with a Drowsiness attended with a Vomiting.
After frequent returns, it ended in what her
attendants called a Fit, during which Time she
lay senseless, but was not convulsed. These Complaints
were succeeded by a Weakness of the right Side.
During this Time her Apothecary imagined that her
Disorder arose from Worms; and by this his Advice she
took some vermifuge Medicines. As she found no
Relief from them, a Physician was called in, who
attributed her Disorder to Water in her Head.
In consequence of this Opinion, he order'd her frequent
Doses of Calomel, and a Blister to be applied
to the whole Scalp. About a Week afterwards she
[Page 3]
was totally deprived of her Sight, when her Case was
sent to London. The Physician who was consulted,
advised a purgative Powder to be taken twice a -
Week, with a Milk. Diet and a semilunar Caustic.
This plan, however, was not pursued, as she grew tired
of all Medicines. Her Fits left her soon afterwards;
but her paralytic Complaint remained with Loss
of Sight. In this situation she has continued since
last October. About a Fortnight ago she returned
Home, where I was desired to visit her. I f[ound]
her totally blind; her eyes rather full; the Humors
sound; her Pupils large, but contrasting in a small
Degree when exposed to a shiny Light. In short
she labors under a Gutta serena. She uses her right
arm and Leg with Difficulty; her Flesh is full; her
appetite good; she sleeps well; her Excretories are
natural except now-and-then she has a large
Discharge of pale Urine; her Spirits are good, and
her Apprehension quick. Is this the amaurosis pituitosa
or plethorica, of Sauvage, if there ↑be↑ really in Difference
in his Distinction? 1 Your opinion on the Cause and
Treatment of her Complaint will be very satisfactory to us all.
[Page 4]
To
Doctor Cullen
Edingburgh
Dr Thomas
Miss Evans March 76
v. 5. p. 6.
Notes:
1: See Boissier de la Croix de Sauvages, Nosologia Methodica Oculorum: or, a New Treatise on the Diseases of the Eyes. Selected and Translated from the Latin of Francis Bossier [sic] de Sauvages [by] George Wallis, M.D. (London: 1785?), pp. 278-80.
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