Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:1544] From: Dr William Hamilton (in Dumfries) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Miss Elizabeth Craik (Betty Craick) (Patient) / 6 August 1778 / (Incoming)

Letter from William Hamilton regarding the case of Betty Craik of Arbigland who is to visit Cullen in person. Her complaint is obscure, but may be connected to her unsound teeth.

Facsimile

There are 4 images for this document.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 1544
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/635
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date6 August 1778
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter from William Hamilton regarding the case of Betty Craik of Arbigland who is to visit Cullen in person. Her complaint is obscure, but may be connected to her unsound teeth.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:961]
Case of Miss Betty Craik who is emaciated and has a pulmonary disorder.
6


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:2112]AuthorDr William Hamilton (in Dumfries)
[PERS ID:1]AddresseeDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:686]PatientMiss Elizabeth Craik (Betty Craick)
[PERS ID:2112]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Hamilton (in Dumfries)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Dumfries Borders Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Dumfries Borders Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Arbigland Kirkbean Borders Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Dumfries 6th August 1778
Dear Sir


This comes along with Miss Craik
of Arbigland, who has been for a considerable
time in a complaining way, yet I have
never seen any one whose complaints I could
make less of. She came to Dumfries in Spring,
and at that time was thinner than even
now
- complain'd of want of appetite, with
almost constant thirst, hauck'd up frequent¬
ly in the morning, a whitish stuff, which they
thought like matter, but with hardly any
cough. Her tongue was in much the same
situation as at present; there was no quick¬
ness of pulse
, or heat at any time. I was in¬
formed that three or four times she had sick fits



[Page 2]

with panting and faintishness, but never saw
her in any of these, and cannot say whether
there was then any change in the state of
her pulse
. As I could not perceive any
thing like a formed hecktic, and indeed no ap¬
pearance of fever, from the pulse or heat, I
thought that most probably Mercury would be
the Medicine that might be used with advantage
both upon account of the spitting and the
soreness of the tongue; she used the Mercurial
pill
, at first one, and afterwards two grains
a day of the mercury, for several weeks, but it
was never carried so far as to make her spit.
She at the same time used the Solution of cor¬
rosive
to wash her mouth three or four times
a day.- Her tongue appeared to be better while
she continued this course, but is now as bad
as ever. The spitting she says diminish'd greatly


[Page 3]

and is now I believe almost gone. After the
mercury she used the bark, which did not agree
with her, and some of the vitriolic acid upon
account of the thirst, with no advantage.


She afterwards went to the goats whey,
and has pick'd up a little by that, and exercise
in a chaise and on foot, which is the only kind
she will use..You will see that she has
scarce one sound tooth, yet she will {illeg} 1
with them.- how far they may have an effect
in making part of her complaint I cannot
say.- I beg you would write me when you
have seen her some days, and let me know
what you think of her complaints. -


I am Dear Sir
Your most obedient &
humble Servant
Will Hamilton



[Page 4]


Doctor William Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh


Dr Hamilton Concerning
Miss Craik of Armigland.
August 6th 1778
Vol. 9. p.37.

Notes:

1: Missing text probably read "not part".

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Dumfries 6th Aug: 1778
Dear Sir


This comes along with Miss Craik
of Arbigland, who has been for a considerable
time in a complaining way, yet I have
never seen any one whose complaints I could
make less of. She came to Dumfries in Spring,
and at that time was thinner than even
now
- complain'd of want of appetite, with
almost constant thirst, hauck'd up frequent¬
ly in the morning, a whitish stuff, which they
thought like matter, but with hardly any
cough. Her tongue was in much the same
situation as at present; there was no quick¬
ness of pulse
, or heat at any time. I was in¬
formed that three or four times she had sick fits



[Page 2]

with panting and faintishness, but never saw
her in any of these, and cannot say whether
there was then any change in the state of
her pulse
. As I could not perceive any
thing like a formed hecktic, and indeed no ap¬
pearance of fever, from the pulse or heat, I
thought that most probably Mercury would be
the Medicine that might be used with advantage
both upon account of the spitting and the
soreness of the tongue; she used the Mercurial
pill
, at first one, and afterwards two grains
a day of the mercury, for several weeks, but it
was never carried so far as to make her spit.
She at the same time used the Solution of cor¬
rosive
to wash her mouth three or four times
a day.- Her tongue appeared to be better while
she continued this course, but is now as bad
as ever. The spitting she says diminish'd greatly


[Page 3]

and is now I believe almost gone. After the
mercury she used the bark, which did not agree
with her, and some of the vitriolic acid upon
account of the thirst, with no advantage.


She afterwards went to the goats whey,
and has pick'd up a little by that, and exercise
in a chaise and on foot, which is the only kind
she will use..You will see that she has
scarce one sound tooth, yet she will {illeg} 1
with them.- how far they may have an effect
in making part of her complaint I cannot
say.- I beg you would write me when you
have seen her some days, and let me know
what you think of her complaints. -


I am Dear Sir
Your most obedt &
humle Servt
Will Hamilton



[Page 4]


Doctor William Cullen
Physician
Edinr


Dr Hamilton C.
Miss Craik of Armigland.
Aug. 6th 1778
Vol. 9. p.37.

Notes:

1: Missing text probably read "not part".

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