The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1479] From: Mr I or J MacNab (McNab) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mrs Katharine MacNab (McNab) (Patient) / 29 January 1778 / (Incoming)
Letter from J. Macnab enclosing a description of the case of his mother Katharine, a 52-year-old mother of 20, who suffers painful attacks that cause episodes of jaundice. He had intended 'that Dr Graham at Stirling shall make up a proper Case for Consulting Dr. Cullen but her situation is so alarming [...] that J. Macnab is afraid to delay'.
- 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 | 1479 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/573 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 29 January 1778 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from J. Macnab enclosing a description of the case of his mother Katharine, a 52-year-old mother of 20, who suffers painful attacks that cause episodes of jaundice. He had intended 'that Dr Graham at Stirling shall make up a proper Case for Consulting Dr. Cullen but her situation is so alarming [...] that J. Macnab is afraid to delay'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1010] |
Case of Katherine McNab, mother of twenty children, who has become extremely weak from a cough, diaorrhea and jaundice but who has hitherto avoided seeking medication out of fear. Cullen diagnoses gall stones. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:2180] | Author | Mr I or J MacNab (McNab) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2179] | Patient | Mrs Katharine MacNab (McNab) |
| [PERS ID:2181] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Graham (at Stirling) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2180] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr I or J MacNab (McNab) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Thurso | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Stirling | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Case
Katharine Macnab a married woman
aged 52 years, of a corpulent habit of body, but
usually pretty stout, and in tolerable health; was
near Twelve months ago, attacked with a disorder
in her stomack, which has since gradually increased
upon her in strength and frequency. – It generally
seizes her with a severe palpitation and sickness at
her heart, attended with a pain in her back and
shoulders, which fixes in her stomach, and encreases
to such a degree of violence, that it makes her first
roar aloud with the pain, and at last deprives
her of the power of speech; when her mouth contracts,
and she gasps and pants like a person dying;
In which dreadfull Condition she continues for
some hours; and all the time has a feeling as if
her back was laid open to her stomach, and seems
to receive some ease from the application of warm
flannells. – After coming out of this fit, she
continues feverish and weak for two days or so,
and then her skin contracts a yellow tinge, as if
discoloured with the Jaundice; and the blood taken
from her Arm, (which is done after every attack,)
is of the same yellow Colour; But by drinking
Camomile Tea, and using Jesuit Bark, she gradually
recovers, and these symptoms of Jaundice entirely
leave her in 6, 8, or 10 days at most. –– Indeed
after the fit itself leaves her, she seems to recover
surprisingly fast, and tho' weak, she will be
in pretty good health, will sleep well and gets
back her appetite for two, three, and sometimes
four weeks before the next attack of her
[Page 2]
Disorder; When And ↑when↑ That comes, it is in the very
same manner with the former; with this difference,
that, of late, the returns have been more frequent,
and more severe than ever. ––––
That There are many particulars which
I. Macnab is sensible, ought, besides these, to be
under the Doctors Consideration, but at present he
can only further inform the Doctor, that Mrs
Macnab has been the mother of 20 Children, and
was generally very ill in Childbed –– She was ↑married↑
at the age of 17, and was three years a widow
before marrying her present husband. ––––
She uses pills of Castile soap for keeping
her body open, eats something light, but never any thing
at supper time. ––––
[Page 3]
I. Macnab's most respectfull Compliments
to Dr. Cullen. The inclosed is all he can
say of his mother's Case. it is intended
that Dr. Graham at Stirling shall make
up a proper Case for Consulting Dr. Cullen
but her situation is so alarming in the
mean time, that I. Macnab is afraid to
delay a moment treating her after Dr.
Cullen's manner. ––––
[Page 4]
Dr. Cullen
Mrs Macnabs Case
29th. January 1778
Diplomatic Text
Case
Katharine Macnab a married woman
aged 52 years, of a corpulent habit of body, but
usually pretty stout, and in tolerable health; was
near Twelve months ago, attacked with a disorder
in her stomack, which has since gradually increased
upon her in strength and frequency. – It generally
seizes her with a severe palpitation and sickness at
her heart, attended with a pain in her back and
shoulders, which fixes in her stomach, and encreases
to such a degree of violence, that it makes her first
roar aloud with the pain, and at last deprives
her of the power of speech; when her mouth contracts,
and she gasps and pants like a person dying;
In which dreadfull Condition she continues for
some hours; and all the time has a feeling as if
her back was laid open to her stomach, and seems
to receive some ease from the application of warm
flannells. – After coming out of this fit, she
continues feverish and weak for two days or so,
and then her skin contracts a yellow tinge, as if
discoloured with the Jaundice; and the blood taken
from her Arm, (which is done after every attack,)
is of the same yellow Colour; But by drinking
Camomile Tea, and using Jesuit Bark, she gradually
recovers, and these symptoms of Jaundice entirely
leave her in 6, 8, or 10 days at most. –– Indeed
after the fit itself leaves her, she seems to recover
surprisingly fast, and tho' weak, she will be
in pretty good health, will sleep well and gets
back her appetite for two, three, and sometimes
four weeks before the next attack of her
[Page 2]
Disorder; When And ↑when↑ That comes, it is in the very
same manner with the former; with this difference,
that, of late, the returns have been more frequent,
and more severe than ever. ––––
That There are many particulars which
I. Macnab is sensible, ought, besides these, to be
under the Doctors Consideration, but at present he
can only further inform the Doctor, that Mrs
Macnab has been the mother of 20 Children, and
was generally very ill in Childbed –– She was ↑married↑
at the age of 17, and was three years a widow
before marrying her present husband. ––––
She uses pills of Castile soap for keeping
her body open, eats something light, but never any thing
at supper time. ––––
[Page 3]
I. Macnab's most respectfull Complts.
to Dr. Cullen. The inclosed is all he can
say of his mother's Case. it is intended
that Dr. Graham at Stirling shall make
up a proper Case for Consulting Dr. Cullen
but her situation is so alarming in the
mean time, that I. Macnab is afraid to
delay a moment treating her after Dr.
Cullen's manner. ––––
[Page 4]
Dr. Cullen
Mrs Macnabs Case
29th. Janry. 1778
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