The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1352] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr James Wood (of Berwick) / Regarding: Mr Bell (Master Bell) (Patient) / 25 January 1777 / (Outgoing)
Letter to James Wood with directions for Master Bell. Cullen suggests the infant's ailment is 'paralytic from serous Colluvies affecting the Medulla Spinalis'. He recommends friction and embrocation. Regarding diet, while the patient's age limits his suggestions, he advises 'milk meats without roots or greens and a little broth' and that 'he may be the better of a spoonfull of Port and water once a day'. [DOC ID:3988] is a rough draft of this with slight variations.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1352 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/449 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 25 January 1777 |
| 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 | Letter to James Wood with directions for Master Bell. Cullen suggests the infant's ailment is 'paralytic from serous Colluvies affecting the Medulla Spinalis'. He recommends friction and embrocation. Regarding diet, while the patient's age limits his suggestions, he advises 'milk meats without roots or greens and a little broth' and that 'he may be the better of a spoonfull of Port and water once a day'. [DOC ID:3988] is a rough draft of this with slight variations. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Draft versions for this document exist:
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:372] |
Case of Master Bell, an infant with paralysis of the legs after a fever. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:408] | Addressee | Mr James Wood (of Berwick) |
| [PERS ID:1669] | Patient | Mr Bell (Master Bell) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:408] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr James Wood (of Berwick) |
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 | Berwick-upon-Tweed (Berwick) | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I was favoured with yours concerning
Master Bell. I think the ailment Paralytic from
serous Colluvies affecting the Medulla Spinalis. It
must be difficult to cure it quickly but I hope in
time it will be effected. If upon being set in the
cold Bath and taken out again, his skin and
especially his legs very quickly recover their heat
and colour, it is likely to do him service; but if
after the bathing, his limbs do not immediately
recover their heat and colour, I would have the
bathing let alone. Whether you bathe or not
frequent friction of the limbs must be of
service. It will be best done with flannel
which has received the steam of some Olibanum
Mastick and Amber thrown upon live coals
[Page 2]
Sometimes you may make your friction
with flower of Mustard in very dry Powder.
It may be usefull also to apply it to the Spine
an embrocation of the Oil ordered below
For internal medicines there are few that can
be of service; what I would chiefly depend
upon, is the Chalybeate Powder ordered below,
and if the Child can be engaged to wash it down
with the infusion also ordered below it will be
the better. There is little room to order a parti¬
cular diet at such an age; but it should be
chiefly of milk meats without roots or
greens and a little broth may be given once
a day; and I think he might be the better for
a spoonfull of Port and water also once day
I am always Dear Sir
[Page 3]
For Master Bell
XTake 2 ounces of Olive Oil, 2 drachms of Oil of Amber, and a drachm each of Oils of Lavender and of Sassafras. Mix. Label: Embrocation for anointing the spine every other night
Take 2 grains of prepared Red Chalybeate and 4 grains each of ground Cinnamon and white lump Sugar. Mix to make a powder and in this way make 14 doses. Label: Strengthening Powders one to be taken in a little Currant Jelly twice a day, washing it down with two tablespoonfuls of the following Infusion.
Take 2 drachms of powdered Peruvian Bark. In a glass or marble mortar, add enough spring water as to make a semiliquid mass, and blend thoroughly for half an hour. Then add a pint of spring water. Replace in phial and steep for 12 hours. Strain through paper and add an ounce of simple Cinnamon water. Label: Strengthening Infusion:
[Page 4]
Mr James Wood
Surgeon
Berwick
Diplomatic Text
I was favoured with yours concerning
Master Bell. I think the ailment Paralytic from
serous Colluvies affecting the Medulla Spinalis. It
must be difficult to cure it quickly but I hope in
time it will be effected. If upon being set in the
cold Bath and taken out again, his skin and
especially his legs very quickly recover their heat
and colour, it is likely to do him service; but if
after the bathing, his limbs do not immediately
recover their heat and colour, I would have the
bathing let alone. Whether you bathe or not
frequent friction of the limbs must be of
service. It will be best done with flannel
which has received the steam of some Olibanum
Mastick and Amber thrown upon live coals
[Page 2]
Sometimes you may make your friction
with flower of Mustard in very dry Powder.
It may be usefull also to apply it to the Spine
an embrocation of the Oil ordered below
For internal medicines there are few that can
be of service; what I would chiefly depend
upon, is the Chalybeate Powder ordered below,
and if the Child can be engaged to wash it down
with the infusion also ordered below it will be
the better. There is little room to order a parti¬
cular diet at such an age; but it should be
chiefly of milk meats without roots or
greens and a little broth may be given once
a day; and I think he might be the better for
a spoonfull of Port and water also once day
I am always Dear Sir
[Page 3]
For Master Bell
X℞ Ol. Olivar. ℥ii
succin. ʒii
lavendul.
sassafras @ ʒi ℳ
S. Embrocation for anointing the spine every other
night
℞ Rubig. chalyb. pptt. gr ii
Cinnamom pulv.
Sacch. alb. duriss. @ gr. iv
ℳ. f. Pulvis et f. h: m: dos. № xiv.
S. Strengthening Powders one to be taken
in a little Currant Jelly twice a day, washing
it down with two tablespoonfulls of the following
Infusion.
℞ Pulv. cort. Peruvian. ʒii.
In mortario marmoreo vel vitreo adde Aq. font. q. s.
ut fiat Massa semiliquida et terito diligenter per
dimidiam horam, dein adde Aq. font. @ lbi Repone
in Phiala et macera horas duodecim per chartam cola et adde
Aq. cinnamom simpl: ℥i
S. Strengthening Infusion:
[Page 4]
Mr James Wood
Surgeon
Berwick
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