The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:145] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Angus MacDonnell (MacDonell, MacDonald) / Regarding: Colonel Macdonald (Patient) / 15 June 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply, for 'Colonel Macdonald'. Cullen considers the Colonel's case 'very obstinate' and recommends taking Hartfell Spa water, from near Moffat which is close to the Colonel's native home.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 145 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/31 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 15 June 1781 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) mentioned, but missing |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, for 'Colonel Macdonald'. Cullen considers the Colonel's case 'very obstinate' and recommends taking Hartfell Spa water, from near Moffat which is close to the Colonel's native home. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1362] |
Case of Colonel Macdonald who has a flux and fever. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4189] | Addressee | Mr Angus MacDonnell (MacDonell, MacDonald) |
| [PERS ID:109] | Patient | Colonel Macdonald |
| [PERS ID:4189] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Angus MacDonnell (MacDonell, MacDonald) |
| [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 | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Destination of Letter | Moffat | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Moffat | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Colonel Macdonald
Tho Colonel Macdonalds ailment has been very obstinate
I do not despair but that some proper management for
the summer season may entirely cure it.
The measure the most promising is the drinking of
Hartfell spaw water and it will be got in best condition
and taken most properly at Moffat which is near to the
spring and that climate near to the nature of his na¬
tive air will probably during the summer agree with
him better than any lower situation.
He must begin to drink the water by degrees taking
for the first day only two or three glasses of the ordinary
size of wine glasses in the forenoon but afterwards he may
take one glass before breakfast, two or three in the fore¬
noon and two towards the evening so that upon the whole
he drinks half a bottle every day. If after a weeks trial
he shall find it to agree very well with his stomach
and his ailment he may increase the quantity even
to a bottle in the day.
[Page 2]
Besides the spaw water the Colonel should take no other
medicine except the acid mixture ordered on the separate
paper. Of this mixture he may take a teaspoonfull
in his last glass of spaw water before dinner & supper.
Bark {illeg} Bitters & Aromatics have all been tried with
him without any good affect and we think they are now
more likely to do harm.
Tho the Colonel has found but little difference in
any diet he has used we are persuaded that somethings
are more proper for him than others, that light meats
are safer than heavy and that a spare meal is safer
than a full one. With these hints we leave [him to his?]
choice but would particularly recommend to [him to take?]
a great deal of rice and sago both at dinner [and supper?]
For ordinary drink we think water with a little
spirit in it the only safe one and we suspect that every
kind of wine or malt liquor may do harm.
There is no remedy from which we expect more benefits
to the Colonel than constant exercise in an open single
[Page 3]
horse chaise. This we think much preferable to a close
four wheeled Carriage and much fitter for his leg than
riding of horseback. Every day that the weather shall
tolerably allow of it we think he should take as much
Exercise in the chaise both forenoon and afternoon as he
can easily bear. Taking care however by warm cloathing
and otherwise to avoid Cold.
1781
℞ The Acid Mixture
Diplomatic Text
For Coll. Macdonald
Tho Coll. Macdonalds ailment has been very obstinate
I do not despair but that some proper management for
the summer season may entirely cure it.
The measure the most promising is the drinking of
Hartfell spaw water and it will be got in best condition
and taken most properly at Moffat which is near to the
spring and that climate near to the nature of his na¬
tive air will probably during the summer agree with
him better than any lower situation.
He must begin to drink the water by degrees taking
for the first day only two or three glasses of the ordinary
size of wine glasses in the forenoon but afterwards he may
take one glass before breakfast, two or three in the fore¬
noon and two towards the evening so that upon the whole
he drinks half a bottle every day. If after a weeks trial
he shall find it to agree very well with his stomach
and his ailment he may increase the quantity even
to a bottle in the day.
[Page 2]
Besides the spaw water the Colonel should take no other
medicine except the acid mixture ordered on the separate
paper. Of this mixture he may take a teaspoonfull
in his last glass of spaw water before dinner & supper.
Bark {illeg} Bitters & Aromatics have all been tried with
him without any good affect and we think they are now
more likely to do harm.
Tho the Colonel has found but little difference in
any diet he has used we are persuaded that somethings
are more proper for him than others, that light meats
are safer than heavy and that a spare meal is safer
than a full one. With these hints we leave [him to his?]
choice but would particularly recommend to [him to take?]
a great deal of rice and sago both at dinner [and supper?]
For ordinary drink we think water with a little
spirit in it the only safe one and we suspect that every
kind of wine or malt liquor may do harm.
There is no remedy from which we expect more benefits
to the Colonel than constant exercise in an open single
[Page 3]
horse chaise. This we think much preferable to a close
four wheeled Carriage and much fitter for his leg than
riding of horseback. Every day that the weather shall
tolerably allow of it we think he should take as much
Exercise in the chaise both forenoon and afternoon as he
can easily bear. Taking care however by warm cloathing
and otherwise to avoid Cold.
1781
℞ The Acid Mixture
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