The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1551] From: Dr Alexander Wemyss (of Pitkenny) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Reverend Alexander Spears (Spiers, Speirs; of Kirkcaldy) (Patient) / 24 August 1778 / (Incoming)
Letter from Alexander Wemyss regarding the case of Reverend Spears, written '[a]t the desire of Mrs Spears'.
- 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 | 1551 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/642 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 24 August 1778 |
| 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 Alexander Wemyss regarding the case of Reverend Spears, written '[a]t the desire of Mrs Spears'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:595] |
Case of Reverend Alexander Spears with palsy. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:325] | Author | Dr Alexander Wemyss (of Pitkenny) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:556] | Patient | Reverend Alexander Spears (Spiers, Speirs; of Kirkcaldy) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:325] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Wemyss (of Pitkenny) |
| [PERS ID:1865] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Katherine Spears |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Kirkcaldy | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Kirkcaldy | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Dear Sir
At the desire of Mrs Spears, the Mini¬
ster's wife here, I give you the trouble of this.
Mr Spears has had three attacks of the Palsy since
the one you saw him in at Edinburgh, the first about the
latter end of last year, the second in July & the last
about a week ago -- The two last paroxysms were
less Violent than the former, but all of 'em impair
his Intellectuals & weaken him more & more.
The Blist'ring his head gave him always the most
speedy & effectual relief: He takes the Medicines &
follows the Regimen you prescribed for him, only the
Cathartic I discontinued for a long time past, as it
flattened him much, & the Mustard keeps his Belly per¬
fectly easie --- The peas in his Arm make little or no
drain, being almost quite dry --- Some of his friends
want to have a Seton put in his neck, but I found
after the first ↑fit↑ I mention, that his Disease proceed¬
ed from Debility & not Plethora as before, his pulse
weak & feeble especially in the paralytic Side, his nerves
all greatly relaxed, And that a Seton by making too
great evacuation might rather increase than help his
Disease. Do you think a Small piece of Epispastic plaister
[Page 2]
might be applied on his head, till the hair grow & shoot
it off & by that means to make a Moderate drain?
However either this or the Seton I entirely Submit to
your superiour judgement. Upon the whole I believe
the only cure he can get is but palliative. I am
with great esteem
Dear Sir
Your most obedient Servant
Kirkaldy
August 24th. 1778
[Page 3]
Doctor William Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh
Dr Wemyss- C
Reverend Mr Spears
24th Aug. 1778
Vol. 9. p. 41.
Diplomatic Text
Dear Sir
At the desire of Mrs Spears, the Mini¬
ster's wife here, I give you the trouble of this.
Mr Spears has had three attacks of the Palsy since
the one you saw him in at Edr., the first about the
latter end of last year, the second in July & the last
about a week ago -- The two last paroxysms were
less Violent than the former, but all of 'em impair
his Intellectuals & weaken him more & more.
The Blist'ring his head gave him always the most
speedy & effectual relief: He takes the Medicines &
follows the Regimen you prescribed for him, only the
Cathartic I discontinued for a long time past, as it
flattened him much, & the Mustard keeps his Belly per¬
fectly easie --- The peas in his Arm make little or no
drain, being almost quite dry --- Some of his friends
want to have a Seton put in his neck, but I found
after the first ↑fit↑ I mention, that his Disease proceed¬
ed from Debility & not Plethora as before, his pulse
weak & feeble especially in the paralytic Side, his nerves
all greatly relaxed, And that a Seton by making too
great evacuation might rather increase than help his
Disease. Do you think a Small piece of Epispastic plaister
[Page 2]
might be applied on his head, till the hair grow & shoot
it off & by that means to make a Moderate drain?
However either this or the Seton I entirely Submit to
your superiour judgement. Upon the whole I believe
the only cure he can get is but palliative. I am
with great esteem
Dr Sir
Your most obedt Sert.
Kirkaldy
Augst. 24th. 1778
[Page 3]
Doctor William Cullen
Physician
Edinr.
Dr Wemyss- C
Revd Mr Spears
24th Aug. 1778
Vol. 9. p. 41.
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:1551]
Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...
