The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1455] From: Dr Thomas Livingston / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mrs Gordon (Craigmil?) (Patient) / 14 October 1777 / (Incoming)
Letter from Thomas Livingston regarding the case of Mrs Gordon who has a uterine disorder with water retention.
- 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 | 1455 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/549 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 14 October 1777 |
| 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 Thomas Livingston regarding the case of Mrs Gordon who has a uterine disorder with water retention. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:2047] |
Case of Mrs Gordon who has swelling of the belly. |
3 |
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:1316] | Patient | Mrs Gordon (of Craigmil(?)) |
| [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:2121] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Gordon |
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 | inferred | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Dear Sir
This will be presented you by Mr. Gordon
a Gentleman of this County, who accompanys his Mother
to Edinburgh in order to have the benefit of Your Advice &
Assistance for the recovery of her health.
The Lady is about Sixty years of Age, & for the greatest
part of her life, enjoyed a healthy, tho' not a vigorous Consti¬
tution. -- About a year ago She complain'd of a Prolapsus
Uteris, which occasion'd the usual inconveniences, but as
it never protruded, extra Vaginam, She tryed the ordinary
strengthening & astringent Applications, was put upon
a Course of the Bark & Aromatick-bitters, & did not suffer
much pain or trouble from that Complaint. - Soon after,
She was seiz'd with Flatulencys of her stomach & Bowels,
loss of Appetite, Swelling & distension of her Belly, Borbo¬
rygmi; & with all the ordinary feelings, attending a
weakly & relaxed state of the P.V. 1 -- for these Complaints
She was put upon a Course of the Gummosæ, & Chalybeate
Medicines, the Infusion of the Bark & bitters was continued.
She was ordered to take Exercise, & a Suitable Regimen was
prescribed. -
[Page 2]
These Medicines produced no sensible effects upon her Comp¬
laints; the swellings of her Belly, tho' Variable at different
times, never entirely subsided, her flesh & strength were
considerably impair'd, & I suspected some Obstructions of the
Viscera as the Cause of her disorder. -- About three Months
ago, I first examin'd the state of her Belly, & upon a carefull
examination, I could not discover any partial hardness
or inequality. -- The Lower Belly in general, was much more
distended than was natural to a Person of her Size & frame,
& I was convinc'd that there was a fluctuation of Water in
the Cavity. -- As her Strength was so much reduc'd, & her Complex¬
ion at that time pale & Sallow, I did not think it safe to try
the Drastick purgatives, & She was order'd the Diuretick
Medicines, with Neutral Salts dissolved in warm bitter Infusion.
She made a fair tryal of that Course for a considerable time,
but without much benefit, & I did not see her ↑for three Months↑, till two days
ago, when I was sensible that her Appearance in general
was much more healthy, & She acknowledges, that her Appetite
is mended, her strength recruited, & that at present, She has
[Page 3]
no Complaints, but the encreas'd Size of her Belly. ---
She never had much thirst, Paucity of Urine, or the least
degree of Oedematous Swelling of the Extremities. ---
Upon examining the state of the Belly again, I am still
more convinc'd of an evident Undulation, & as I suspect
a Dropsy of the encysted kind may be pretty far advanc'd,
I have advisd her to try the effects of a Journey to Edinburgh
where She may have the benefit of Your Advice &
Directions. -- I am respectfully
Dear Sir
Your most Obedient humble Servant
Thos. Livingston.
Oily Frictions have been daily continued to the Abdomen
for some months past. ---
[Page 4]
✍
Dr Livingston
concerning
Mrs Gordon Craigmil
October 1777
8 p.42
Notes:
1: This abbreviation is obscure, though the context suggests "Prolapsus Vaginam".
Diplomatic Text
Dear Sir
This will be presented you by Mr. Gordon
a Gentleman of this County, who accompanys his Mother
to Edinr. in order to have the benefit of Your Advice &
Assistance for the recovery of her health.
The Lady is about Sixty years of Age, & for the greatest
part of her life, enjoyed a healthy, tho' not a vigorous Consti¬
tution. -- About a year ago She complain'd of a Prolapsus
Uteris, which occasion'd the usual inconveniences, but as
it never protruded, extra Vaginam, She tryed the ordinary
strengthening & astringent Applications, was put upon
a Course of the Bark & Aromatick-bitters, & did not suffer
much pain or trouble from that Complaint. - Soon after,
She was seiz'd with Flatulencys of her stomach & Bowels,
loss of Appetite, Swelling & distension of her Belly, Borbo¬
rygmi; & with all the ordinary feelings, attending a
weakly & relaxed state of the P.V. 1 -- for these Complaints
She was put upon a Course of the Gummosæ, & Chalybeate
Medicines, the Infusion of the Bark & bitters was continued.
She was ordered to take Exercise, & a Suitable Regimen was
prescribed. -
[Page 2]
These Medicines produced no sensible effects upon her Comp¬
laints; the swellings of her Belly, tho' Variable at different
times, never entirely subsided, her flesh & strength were
considerably impair'd, & I suspected some Obstructions of the
Viscera as the Cause of her disorder. -- About three Months
ago, I first examin'd the state of her Belly, & upon a carefull
examination, I could not discover any partial hardness
or inequality. -- The Lower Belly in general, was much more
distended than was natural to a Person of her Size & frame,
& I was convinc'd that there was a fluctuation of Water in
the Cavity. -- As her Strength was so much reduc'd, & her Complex¬
ion at that time pale & Sallow, I did not think it safe to try
the Drastick purgatives, & She was order'd the Diuretick
Medicines, with Neutral Salts dissolved in warm bitter Infusion.
She made a fair tryal of that Course for a considerable time,
but without much benefit, & I did not see her ↑for three Months↑, till two days
ago, when I was sensible that her Appearance in general
was much more healthy, & She acknowledges, that her Appetite
is mended, her strength recruited, & that at present, She has
[Page 3]
no Complaints, but the encreas'd Size of her Belly. ---
She never had much thirst, Paucity of Urine, or the least
degree of Oedematous Swelling of the Extremities. ---
Upon examining the state of the Belly again, I am still
more convinc'd of an evident Undulation, & as I suspect
a Dropsy of the encysted kind may be pretty far advanc'd,
I have advisd her to try the effects of a Journey to Edinr.
where She may have the benefit of Your Advice &
Directions. -- I am respectfully
Dear Sir
Your most Obedient humble Sert
Thos. Livingston.
Oily Frictions have been daily continued to the Abdomen
for some months past. ---
[Page 4]
✍
Dr Livingston
conc.
Mrs Gordon Craigmil
Octr. 1777
8 p.42
Notes:
1: This abbreviation is obscure, though the context suggests "Prolapsus Vaginam".
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