The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:131] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) / Regarding: Sir James Nicolson (of Glenbervie, 3rd Bart.) (Patient) / 9 May 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Mr McNachtan Hunter C. Sir Jas Nicolson'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 131 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/18 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 9 May 1781 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'Mr McNachtan Hunter C. Sir Jas Nicolson'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1339] |
Case of Sir James Nicolson, 3rd Bart of Glenbervie who has cramps in his extremities and a stomach disorder diagnosed as hypochondriasis. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2578] | Addressee | Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) |
| [PERS ID:93] | Patient | Sir James Nicolson (of Glenbervie, 3rd Bart.) |
| [PERS ID:2578] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
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 | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Montrose | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr McNachtan Hunter Concerning Sir Jas Nicolson
I have your favour concerning Sir James Nicol¬
son and shall be happy to Contribute to his relief.
The Case appears to me tho' you have said no
thing about the State of his Spirits to be a Case of
Hypochondriasis and both from the obstinate nature of such
Cases, from the long continuance of this & particularly from
his (↑its↑) having baffled so many judicious remedies which you
have already employed I must think this Case extremely
difficult. I think indeed an absolute Cure of it is not
Possible but I hope there are Several means which may
be employed to relieve it, and I hope to a considerable
degree.
For this Purpose I would in the first place pro¬
pose Warm Bathing of the whole body. Let the Bath
at first be about 85o. of Farenheit or somewhere from
85o. to 90o. Let the Bath be repeated at first twice
and afterwards if it is found to agree very well three
times a Week but in repeating it let the heat of
[Page 2]
it from 85o. at first be gradually increased till it Comes to
be 100o.. The use of the Thermometer with a little attention
would make this matter easy.
The next measure I would take great Pains upon
is that of keeping the belly regular. This both from the
nature of the disease & from the frequent Use of Opiates
has been & may be still very difficult but it must still
be attempted by Medicines given by mouth for
glysters do not efficiently determine the motion of the whole
Alimentary Canal. Be pleased therefore to try the laxative Oil
Prescribed in the inclosed Paper and let us know how it
{illeg}if it should not answer you must not neglect
to release him by glysters. I believe that the use of laduanum in Some Cases is
absolutely unavoidable but I would wish to relieve Sir James
Nicolson if possible from that necessity, for I am persuaded
that the repetition of the Opiates aggravates the Disease.
If you have not already tried Ether with Sir Jas. please
do it now to the quantityof a tea spoonful for a dose, but
properly mixed with water and if it will upon occasion
join a dose of laudanum it will be a great gain &
[Page 3]
when you shall report to me its effects I shall say more on
the subject. As you seem to des be willing &c. I very much
desire to have a Correspondence with you on this Subject of
Sir Jn. I shall add no mor at present but to beg a more
particular account of the laxatives you have severally tried
and of their effects. Wishing you heartily success I am with
great regard Dear Sirs
your most Obedient humble Servant
Edinburgh 9th May
1781
Having a little more room here than I
expected I subjoin the following
Take three ounces of the best Russian castor and one ounce of "Daffy's Elixir". Mix and Label: Laxative Oil a table Spoonful for a dose. To be taken in the morning, Shaking the phial always very well before pouring out.
N. B. If one Spoonfull does not prove a Sufficient dose it may be
by degrees increased to two.
Diplomatic Text
Mr McNachtan Hunter C. Sir Jas Nicolson
I have your favour concerning Sir James Nicol¬
son and shall be happy to Contribute to his relief.
The Case appears to me tho' you have said no
thing about the State of his Spirits to be a Case of
Hypochondriasis and both from the obstinate nature of such
Cases, from the long continuance of this & particularly from
his (↑its↑) having baffled so many judicious remedies which you
have already employed I must think this Case extremely
difficult. I think indeed an absolute Cure of it is not
Possible but I hope there are Several means which may
be employed to relieve it, and I hope to a considerable
degree.
For this Purpose I would in the first place pro¬
pose Warm Bathing of the whole body. Let the Bath
at first be about 85o. of Farenheit or somewhere from
85o. to 90o. Let the Bath be repeated at first twice
and afterwards if it is found to agree very well three
times a Week but in repeating it let the heat of
[Page 2]
it from 85o. at first be gradually increased till it Comes to
be 100o.. The use of the Thermometer with a little attention
would make this matter easy.
The next measure I would take great Pains upon
is that of keeping the belly regular. This both from the
nature of the disease & from the frequent Use of Opiates
has been & may be still very difficult but it must still
be attempted by Medicines given by mouth for
glysters do not efficiently determine the motion of the whole
Alimentary Canal. Be pleased therefore to try the laxative Oil
Prescribed in the inclosed Paper and let us know how it
{illeg}if it should not answer you must not neglect
to release him by glysters. I believe that the use of laduanum in Some Cases is
absolutely unavoidable but I would wish to relieve Sir James
Nicolson if possible from that necessity, for I am persuaded
that the repetition of the Opiates aggravates the Disease.
If you have not already tried Ether with Sir Jas. please
do it now to the quantityof a tea spoonful for a dose, but
properly mixed wt. water and if it will upon occasion
join a dose of laudanum it will be a great gain &
[Page 3]
when you shall report to me its effects I shall say more on
the subject. As you seem to des be willing &c. I very much
desire to have a Correspondence wt. you on this Subject of
Sir Jn. I shall add no mor at present but to beg a more
particular account of the laxatives you have severally tried
and of their effects. Wishing you heartily success I am with
great regard Dear Sirs
your most Obedt. humble Servant
Edinr. 9th May
1781
Having a little more room here than I
expected I subjoin the following
℞ Ol. ricin. opt. ℥iij
Tinct. Senn. comp. Ph. Ed. ℥j
ℳ. Sig. Laxative Oil a table Spoonfull for a dose to be taken in the
morning Shaking the phial always very well before pouring out.
N. B. If one Spoonfull does not prove a Sufficient dose it may be
by degrees increased to two.
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