The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1453] From: Dr Thomas Livingston / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Earl James Boyd Hay (15th Earl of Erroll, Lord Erroll, Lord Errol) (Patient) / 11 October 1777 / (Incoming)
Letter from Thomas Livingston regarding the case of Lord Erroll.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1453 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/547 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 11 October 1777 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from Thomas Livingston regarding the case of Lord Erroll. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:136] |
Case of James Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll who is thought to have a gouty knee and stomach. |
13 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:852] | Author | Dr Thomas Livingston |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:22] | Patient | Earl James Boyd Hay (15th Earl of Erroll, Lord Erroll, Lord Errol) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:852] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Thomas Livingston |
| [PERS ID:2110] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr John Pringles |
| [PERS ID:931] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Countess Isabella Hay (Lady Erroll, Lady Hay) |
| [PERS ID:2109] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Lord Thomas Hay (9th earl of Kinnoull, Lord Kinnoul of Duplin - Dupplin) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Etal | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Errol | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Slains Castle | Cruden Bay | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Place of Handstamp | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Aberdeen. Saturday 11th. October
1777
Dear Sir.
Since I was favour'd with your letters of
the 4th Current, there have been some very encouraging
alterations upon Lord Errol's Complaints. -- His Urine
has been considerably increas'd in quantity; - his Bowels
have keep'd in a laxative state, without any other Stimu¬
lus, but White mustard seeds, & he has frequent discharges
of Flatus, per Anum. -- the Swelling & tightness of his
Belly are sensibly subsided; his Spirits, more free & easy, &
his Appetite rather recoverd; but the soft oedematous
Swelling of his Ancles still continues, & retains the im¬
pression of the fingers, especially at bed time. -- In my
letter from Slains Castle (which was wrote in some haste)
I omitted to inform you of the state of his Pulse, which in
my opinion did not indicate any degree of fever, & I
take this opportunity of making you acquainted with
a Peculiarity of his Lordships Constitution; that his Pulse,
when in perfect health, runs from 80 to 90 Strokes in the
minute, & is more firm & tense, than in most other People.
As the trials made about his own Neighbourhood, by
taking short Jaunts in a Carriage, became easier, & seem'd
[Page 2]
to agree with him, I advis'd his Lordship to undertake the
Journey to Etall, & he accordingly made out the first stage
from Slains Castle to Aberdeen (18 Scots miles) yesterday,
& supported the Motion, without any trouble or uneasiness.
They propose to be a day or two with Lord Kinnoul
at Duplin, & you will probably hear of their Arrival at
Mr. John Pringles at the Dean, upon Tuesday or Wednesday
next. --- Upon the Journey, I have only advisd his Lordship
to continue the Friction with the Ol. Camphorat, night &
morning, to his Belly, & in case of being costive to take
three or four of the following pills at bed-time.
Take two ounces of Galbanum pills, one drachm of Gentian Extract and one of Chamomil, fifteen grains of Tartar Emetic -- Let there be a mass to be divided into [40?] pills according to the accepted practice.
His Diet consists of Beef tea, with plain bread to breakfast;
light solids for Dinner, & Sago for Supper. -- White-wine &
water for his ordinary Draught, & some glasses of good
Rhenish after Dinner. -- as it is difficult in this Country
to get genuine old [Hok?], he has tried some Cologn's Gin &
Water, which agrees with his Stomach, & passes quickly
by Urine. - When his Lordship was in ordinary health he
[Page 3]
he commonly sweated pretty profusely every night, but
for sometime past the Sweatings are considerably abated,
tho' his Skin is never dry or parch'd, & the Perspiration
seems to be free & natural. -- Upon the whole, I must
take the liberty to hint my Suspicions of some incipient
Obstruction in the Liver, or Mesentery. - If you are of Opi¬
nion that the Bath-waters are proper, I know that my
Lady Erroll will sacrifice every Consideration
for the prospect of his Lordship's recovery; at the same
time, there are many reasons against that mode
of proceeding, if you can substitute any other Plan, which
may be conducted with less Expence & trouble. -- When you
have seen & consider'd Lord Erroll's present Situation; May
I beg the favor of hearing from you? as I am most sin¬
cerely interested in whatever concerns his own health,
or the happiness & Interest of his Family.
I am respectfully
Dear Sir
Your most obedient humble servant
Thomas Livingston.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Physician in
Edinburgh
Dr Livingston concerning
Earl of Errol
October 1777
vol. 8. p. 11
Diplomatic Text
Aberdeen. Saturday 11th. Octr.
1777
Dear Sir.
Since I was favour'd with your letters of
the 4th Current, there have been some very encouraging
alterations upon Lord Errol's Complaints. -- His Urine
has been considerably increas'd in quantity; - his Bowels
have keep'd in a laxative state, without any other Stimu¬
lus, but White mustard seeds, & he has frequent discharges
of Flatus, per Anum. -- the Swelling & tightness of his
Belly are sensibly subsided; his Spirits, more free & easy, &
his Appetite rather recoverd; but the soft oedematous
Swelling of his Ancles still continues, & retains the im¬
pression of the fingers, especially at bed time. -- In my
letter from Slains Castle (which was wrote in some haste)
I omitted to inform you of the state of his Pulse, which in
my opinion did not indicate any degree of fever, & I
take this opportunity of making you acquainted with
a Peculiarity of his L.ships Constitution; that his Pulse,
when in perfect health, runs from 80 to 90 Strokes in the
minute, & is more firm & tense, than in most other People.
As the trials made about his own Neighbourhood, by
taking short Jaunts in a Carriage, became easier, & seem'd
[Page 2]
to agree with him, I advis'd his L.ship to undertake the
Journey to Etall, & he accordingly made out the first stage
from Slains Castle to Aberdeen (18 Scots miles) yesterday,
& supported the Motion, without any trouble or uneasiness.
They propose to be a day or two with Lord Kinnoul
at Duplin, & you will probably hear of their Arrival at
Mr. John Pringles at the Dean, upon Tuesday or Wednesday
next. --- Upon the Journey, I have only advisd his L.ship
to continue the Friction with the Ol. Camphorat, night &
morning, to his Belly, & in case of being costive to take
three or four of the following pills at bed-time.
℞ Mass. pil. Gummos. ℥ij. Extract. Gentian -- Chamaemel @ ʒj
Tart. Emetic. gr. xv. ft. Massa s. a. in pilul. [4x?]. dividenda. ---
His Diet consists of Beef tea, with plain bread to breakfast;
light solids for Dinner, & Sago for Supper. -- White-wine &
water for his ordinary Draught, & some glasses of good
Rhenish after Dinner. -- as it is difficult in this Country
to get genuine old [Hok?], he has tried some Cologn's Gin &
Water, which agrees with his Stomach, & passes quickly
by Urine. - When his L.ship was in ordinary health he
[Page 3]
he commonly sweated pretty profusely every night, but
for sometime past the Sweatings are considerably abated,
tho' his Skin is never dry or parch'd, & the Perspiration
seems to be free & natural. -- Upon the whole, I must
take the liberty to hint my Suspicions of some incipient
Obstruction in the Liver, or Mesentery. - If you are of Opi¬
nion that the Bath-waters are proper, I know that my
Lady Erroll will sacrifice every Consideration
for the prospect of his Lopp's recovery; at the same
time, there are many reasons against that mode
of proceeding, if you can substitute any other Plan, which
may be conducted with less Expence & trouble. -- When you
have seen & consider'd Lord Erroll's present Situation; May
I beg the favor of hearing from you? as I am most sin¬
cerely interested in whatever concerns his own health,
or the happiness & Interest of his Family.
I am respectfully
Dear Sir
Your most obedient humble Sert
Thos. Livingston.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Physician in
Edinburgh
Dr Livingston conc.
Earl of Errol
Octr. 1777
vol. 8. p. 11
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