Cullen

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

 

[ID:1635] From: Reverend Alexander Coull / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Reverend Alexander Coull (Patient) / 1 March 1779 / (Incoming)

Letter from Alexander Coull concerning his own case. He has always been healthy until he recently developed a swollen leg.

Facsimile

There are 3 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 

[Page 3]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 1635
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/724
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date1 March 1779
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 Alexander Coull concerning his own case. He has always been healthy until he recently developed a swollen leg.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting Yes

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1114]
Case of the Reverend Mr Alexander Coull who has recently developed swollen legs and prickling sensations in his feet.
2


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:5390]AuthorReverend Alexander Coull
[PERS ID:1]AddresseeDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:5390]PatientReverend Alexander Coull
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1547]OtherReverend James Munro (Monro, of Kinloss)
[PERS ID:5392]OtherMr McAulay

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Edenkeillie / Edinkillie Dunphail East Highlands Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Alves East Highlands Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Cawdor North Highlands Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Kinloss East Highlands Scotland Europe certain
Place of Handstamp Forres East Highlands Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

Edenkily 1 March 1779 --

Sir


After an almost uninterrupted [series?] of good health I am now ar¬
rived at my sixtyeth Year; which is perhaps several Years above
what the best Physognamist of my acquaintances would tak
me to be: as my appearance is healthy Vigorous and fresh few
men have a better appetite or digestion - and none sleeps sounder
But now I find something in my constitution which alarms me
not a little - and as you have been so good as promise your advise
to my Brethen the Clergy I presume to give you the trouble of
my case as follows -- In the month ↑of June↑ last after riding about a
dozen of Miles I found my left leg considerably swelled (to which
all my life I had been [of hanger?] 1 ) next day both in the same condition
Legs & feet - this continued about three weeks -- then went off -- but
the swelling returned upon the Sabbath days which I apprehend is
owing to my standing so long at preaching a Lecture and two dis¬
courses every day and at mounting my horse, if I take no advan¬
tage of ground I find my self in danger of straining the back of my
Leg. & when I walk now half a mile, my leg are left a little
pained & unwieldy - Along with this & which alarms me most
I feel a prickling in the soals of my feet & in my legs - a little
numbdness in the points of my toes & fingers and a kind of prickle¬
ing
reaching gradually up to my elbows, somewhat less than if
I had been touched with Nettles -- and this accompanied with a shake¬
ing
especially in my right hand - I have observed for upwards



[Page 2]

of 16 or 18 years an uneasy heat in both hands which often obliged
me when studying or writing to put both in a bason of cold water
for a temporary Relief -- My legs and feet which used to retain an
agreeable warmth and some thing more than a moderate sweating
are now cold -- What I am now afraid of is; lest these are symptoms
of some great disorder in my blood and that it may be in danger
of stopping in Circulation and inducing me to the state of a dead
Palsy as two of my Brethen Mister Munro at Alves late at
Kinloss & Mr. Aulay at Caldir have been & whose cases I am per¬
suaded you have heard of -- There is nothing I am fonder of
than a Bowl of Milk to supper but after awaking from
my 1st sleep I generally find my mouth and tongue &
throat exceedingly dry -- If you will be so good as consider
the case and give me such directions as you see proper
I shall reckon my self under any singular obligations &
am with great esteem


Sir
your most humble & most obed¬
ient servant

Alexander Coull



[Page 3]


Doctor William Cullen
Physician Edinburgh


Revd. Mr. Coull.
March 1779
9. p.136

Notes:

1: Unclear. Possibly an error for 'in danger', or a reference to a hanging stirrup (?)

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

Edenkily 1 March 1779 --

Sir


After an almost uninterrupted [series?] of good health I am now ar¬
rived at my sixtyeth Year; which is perhaps several Years above
what the best Physognamist of my acquaintances would tak
me to be: as my appearance is healthy Vigorous and fresh few
men have a better appetite or digestion - and none sleeps sounder
But now I find something in my constitution which alarms me
not a little - and as you have been so good as promise your advise
to my Brethen the Clergy I presume to give you the trouble of
my case as follows -- In the month ↑of June↑ last after riding about a
dozen of Miles I found my left leg considerably swelled (to which
all my life I had been [of hanger?] 1 ) next day both in the same condition
Legs & feet - this continued about three weeks -- then went off -- but
the swelling returned upon the Sabbath days which I apprehend is
owing to my standing so long at preaching a Lecture and two dis¬
courses every day and at mounting my horse, if I take no advan¬
tage of ground I find my self in danger of straining the back of my
Leg. & when I walk now half a mile, my leg are left a little
pained & unwieldy - Along with this & which alarms me most
I feel a prickling in the soals of my feet & in my legs - a little
numbdness in the points of my toes & fingers and a kind of prickle¬
ing
reaching gradually up to my elbows, somewhat less than if
I had been touched with Nettles -- and this accompanied with a shake¬
ing
especially in my right hand - I have observed for upwards



[Page 2]

of 16 or 18 years an uneasy heat in both hands which often obliged
me when studying or writing to put both in a bason of cold water
for a temporary Relief -- My legs and feet which used to retain an
agreeable warmth and some thing more than a moderate sweating
are now cold -- What I am now afraid of is; lest these are symptoms
of some great disorder in my blood and that it may be in danger
of stopping in Circulation and inducing me to the state of a dead
Palsy as two of my Brethen Mister Munro at Alves late at
Kinloss & Mr. Aulay at Caldir have been & whose cases I am per¬
suaded you have heard of -- There is nothing I am fonder of
than a Bowl of Milk to supper but after awaking from
my 1st sleep I generally find my mouth and tongue &
throat exceedingly dry -- If you will be so good as consider
the case and give me such directions as you see proper
I shall reckon my self under any singular obligations &
am with great esteem


Sir
your most humble & most obed¬
ient servant

Alexander Coull



[Page 3]


Doctor William Cullen
Physician Edinburgh


Revd. Mr. Coull.
March 1779
9. p.136

Notes:

1: Unclear. Possibly an error for 'in danger', or a reference to a hanging stirrup (?)

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