The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:172] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Major Baillie (Patient) / 25 July 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mr Baillie'. He has recently come from the West Indies to Britain, and Cullen is concerned the climate may have a bad affect. He should avoid cold and 'cannot put on his flannels too soon'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 5 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 172 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/58 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 25 July 1781 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Mr Baillie'. He has recently come from the West Indies to Britain, and Cullen is concerned the climate may have a bad affect. He should avoid cold and 'cannot put on his flannels too soon'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1407] |
Case of Major Baillie who was recently in the West Indies and who is therefore vulnerable to a return of his rheumatic complaints because of the variable British climate. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3323] | Addressee | |
| [PERS ID:3322] | Patient | Major Baillie |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | ||
| Therapeutic Recommendation | South-West | England | Europe | certain | ||
| Mentioned / Other | West Indies | certain | ||||
| Mentioned / Other | Britain | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Major Baillie
The Major has so often been afflicted with various
ailments that his constitution tho originally of the
best must ↑now↑ have suffered a good deal; but I cannot perceive
that ↑at present↑ he labours under any particular disease. He
seems to have some remains of Rheumatism and as he
has so often been affected with that disease he should
consider himself as much disposed to it and it appears
to me that the only advice I have occasion to give him
is to divert him how he may best avoid any returns
or rheumatism and such directions seem more especially
necessary now when he has ↑so↑ lately come from the West
Indies and is to be exposed to the very variable climate
of Brittain. With these views I offer to him the
following directions.
1. Nothing is more necessary to him than to avoid cold
and to do that it is absolutely necessary for him to be¬
lieve that he is very liable to be affected by it; that in
this climate he must be often exposed to it and therefore
[Page 2]
that he cannot be too nice and exact in his precautions
against it. It is in my opinion always owing to some
heedlessness and inattention that we are affected by cold.
The first precaution I have to recommend to Major
Baillie is the use of warm cloathing and particularly
the use of flannel every where next his skin. The present
season may seem to dispense with it but even at present
there are inequalities occurring and very soon our sea¬
son will become liable to considerable inequalities -
occurring by the hour. The Major therefore cannot put
on his flannels too soon, and besides these I would
earnestly recommend warm cloathing in every respect
as the only means of guarding against the inequalities
we must unavoidably be exposed to.
Another precaution no less necessary is the con¬
stant attention to avoid being much heated. He should
therefore in the summer avoid being much in the sun
and ↑in↑ a cold season which is for the most part of the year
in this climate he should avoid warm chambers, and
[Page 3]
at all times he must avoid being [avoided?] by exercise.
Very frequent exercise particularly on horseback will be of
great service to him and is indeed very necessary for him
after having been relaxed by ↑a↑ warm climate and frequent
diseases but even this exercise should be moderate as
any degree of fatigue will readily bring back the Rheu¬
matism. It is upon this account that walking is to ↑be↑ em¬
ployed with great caution, and as hunting in the Moors
cannot be without both heat and fatigue I would press Major
Baillie to let ↑it↑ alone for this season. While the warm &
dry season continues the Major cannot be in a better place
than the highlands but if a wet season should set in I
would advise him to leave that country immediately. -
For the winter he may chuse any part of the south of
Brittain he pleases providing only that he is neither in
nor near a marshy country.
2. It will be very proper for Major Baillie to give some
attention to his diet. He may at dinner take any ordi¬
nary fare but should always be very moderate in animal
[Page 4]
food, should prefer the lighter kinds, should never make
a full meal of meat but make it up with broth pudding &
vegetables. He should particularly be sparing of fish and
should take no meat at supper.
For ordinary drink he may take water or small beer as
he likes best. He may take a few glasses of wine at meals
but it should be a few only as the strictest temperance
with respect to strong drink is very necessary. If he is
to take a few glasses only, they may be of any kind he likes
best Claret is safer than Port and if he takes port it should
always be with water. Punch unless taken very sparingly
is bad for him
3. Medicines are at present not very necessary and few
could be of service but I have prescribed on a separate --
paper a medicine which I have found very usefull in
discussing any remains of rheumatism. Costiveness will
always be hurtfull and if it should occurr I have prescribed
on the same paper a medicine which I think the most con¬
venient for removing it
[Page 5]
For Major Baillie
Take three ounces each of simple cinnamon water and rose water, an ounce each of cinnamon spirit water and syrup of cloves, two grams of tartar emetic Mix and label Diaphoretic Mixture, a tablespoonful to be taken every night at bedtime for a fortnight
Take three ounces of very good castor oil, an ounce of Daffy's elixir as per the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia. Mix and label Laxative Oil a tablespoonful to be taken for a dose in the morning when occasion requires, taking care to shake the phial always very well before pouring out of the dose and swallowing the dose immediately upon its being poured out
25th July
1781
Diplomatic Text
For Major Baillie
The Major has so often been afflicted with various
ailments that his constitution tho originally of the
best must ↑now↑ have suffered a good deal; but I cannot perceive
that ↑at present↑ he labours under any particular disease. He
seems to have some remains of Rheumatism and as he
has so often been affected with that disease he should
consider himself as much disposed to it and it appears
to me that the only advice I have occasion to give him
is to divert him how he may best avoid any returns
or rheumatism and such directions seem more especially
necessary now when he has ↑so↑ lately come from the West
Indies and is to be exposed to the very variable climate
of Brittain. With these views I offer to him the
following directions.
1. Nothing is more necessary to him than to avoid cold
and to do that it is absolutely necessary for him to be¬
lieve that he is very liable to be affected by it; that in
this climate he must be often exposed to it and therefore
[Page 2]
that he cannot be too nice and exact in his precautions
against it. It is in my opinion always owing to some
heedlessness and inattention that we are affected by cold.
The first precaution I have to recommend to Major
Baillie is the use of warm cloathing and particularly
the use of flannel every where next his skin. The present
season may seem to dispense with it but even at present
there are inequalities occurring and very soon our sea¬
son will become liable to considerable inequalities -
occurring by the hour. The Major therefore cannot put
on his flannels too soon, and besides these I would
earnestly recommend warm cloathing in every respect
as the only means of guarding against the inequalities
we must unavoidably be exposed to.
Another precaution no less necessary is the con¬
stant attention to avoid being much heated. He should
therefore in the summer avoid being much in the sun
and ↑in↑ a cold season which is for the most part of the year
in this climate he should avoid warm chambers, and
[Page 3]
at all times he must avoid being [avoided?] by exercise.
Very frequent exercise particularly on horseback will be of
great service to him and is indeed very necessary for him
after having been relaxed by ↑a↑ warm climate and frequent
diseases but even this exercise should be moderate as
any degree of fatigue will readily bring back the Rheu¬
matism. It is upon this account that walking is to ↑be↑ em¬
ployed with great caution, and as hunting in the Moors
cannot be without both heat and fatigue I would press Major
Baillie to let ↑it↑ alone for this season. While the warm &
dry season continues the Major cannot be in a better place
than the highlands but if a wet season should set in I
would advise him to leave that country immediately. -
For the winter he may chuse any part of the south of
Brittain he pleases providing only that he is neither in
nor near a marshy country.
2. It will be very proper for Major Baillie to give some
attention to his diet. He may at dinner take any ordi¬
nary fare but should always be very moderate in animal
[Page 4]
food, should prefer the lighter kinds, should never make
a full meal of meat but make it up with broth pudding &
vegetables. He should particularly be sparing of fish and
should take no meat at supper.
For ordinary drink he may take water or small beer as
he likes best. He may take a few glasses of wine at meals
but it should be a few only as the strictest temperance
with respect to strong drink is very necessary. If he is
to take a few glasses only, they may be of any kind he likes
best Claret is safer than Port and if he takes port it should
always be with water. Punch unless taken very sparingly
is bad for him
3. Medicines are at present not very necessary and few
could be of service but I have prescribed on a separate --
paper a medicine which I have found very usefull in
discussing any remains of rheumatism. Costiveness will
always be hurtfull and if it should occurr I have prescribed
on the same paper a medicine which I think the most con¬
venient for removing it
[Page 5]
For Major Baillie
℞ Aq. cinnam. simpl.
-- rosar. @ ℥iij
-- cinnam. spir.
Syr. caryophyll. @ ℥j
Tartar. emetic. gr. ij
ℳ Signa Diaphoretic Mixture a table spoonfull
to be taken every night at bedtime for a fortnight
℞ Ol. ricin. opt. ℥iij
Tinct. senn. comp. Ph. Ed. ℥j
ℳ Signa Laxative Oil a table spoonfull to be taken
for a dose in the morning when occasion requires, ta¬
king care to shake the phial always very well before
pouring out of the dose and swallowing the dose imme¬
diately upon its being poured out
25th July
1781
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