The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1835] From: Mr Robert Ligertwood / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Robert Ligertwood (Patient) / 6 April 1780 / (Incoming)
Letter from Robert Ligertwood concerning his own case.
- 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 | 1835 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/915 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 6 April 1780 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | No |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Letter from Robert Ligertwood concerning his own case. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:369] |
Case of Robert Ligertwood who believes himself to have a 'nervous weakness'. |
11 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:92] | Author | Mr Robert Ligertwood |
[PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:92] | Patient | Mr Robert Ligertwood |
[PERS ID:852] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Thomas Livingston |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:942] | Other | Dr Robert Whytt (Prof. Whytt/White) |
Places linked to this document
Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Writing | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
Place of Handstamp | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
It is with great pleasure that I reflect upon the few most
agreeable hours I spent in your Company at Edinburgh. I listened atten¬
tively to your advices & have ever since carefully followed them in what
concerns my health & must acknowlage I have found benefite by that
Regimen; yet my Complaints are not quite removed for I still find my
Nerves, & sometimes pains in my Breast
& Bowels distress me grievously
That if I was not at times in a manner supernaturaly supported, I should
sink under them. I am much troubled with
Wind & Crudities in my
Stomach & often with Slimy humours especially after
I eat & my head affected
with Giddiness which as it
were stupifys me at times.
I have during all
this Winter, tho the Coldest mornings, used the Fresh water bath, even
when I have been so bad that when I first attempted to plunge, I scarcely
expected to be able to come out, & after Bathing, when the morning was
fair, I took a ride till Breakfast & in the forenoon, I rode from twelve
oClock for an hour & half upon a very hard sett Horse of my own, & whither
that hard sett be hurtfull to my Nerves I know not,
but on riding in
the mornings I find the Giddiness in my Head,
which I attribute to the
Humours being sett in motion - I always in Diets & in every thing
else abstain from Excesses of every kind. Doctor Livingston frequently
calls upon me & I have by his advice, during Winter taken three or
four Vomits which never wrought well till
I used my finger or a feather
but always left my stomack full of Wind
& in a low state & still I
continue to spitt in the morning a Slimy, sometimes a Blackish
matter, but noways tinged with Blood whither this be any remains
of the Venereal, or not you will be best to Judge. - A few days since
he has drawn from my Arm about
eleven ounces blood by which I
found a little present benefite, but am now much as formerly. He
has given me a few doses Sacred Elixir which has
keept me a little
open but still the Nerves &
Viscera ail. Tho withall I enjoy
a tollerable appetite for Dinner, of which Veal is generally the prin¬
cipal Dish, & indeed is my only Diet except a little Cocoa Tea & Bread
to Breakfast & for ordinary I have sound & refreshing Sleep for Six or eight
[Page 2]
hours a night. I intend, when the weather turns Warm to begin to take
the Soluble Tartar for two or three weeks & thereafter Drink Sea Water in
the morning twice or Thrice a Week & still to continue the fresh Water Bath
& exercise of Riding in forenoons, & perhaps in a good Day Walk a mile or
two in the afternoon. I would use the the Bark too, if you think it proper
but if I do I must take it not in Water for I cant Swallow it with Water.
I shal be fond of your opinion as to my using the Soluble Tartar, which
I see Doctor Whytt prescribes to be taken in Cases much Similar to mine,
once every morning or once in two days to clear the Stomach & Viscera
of Gross Humours, affecting the Person with lowness of Spirits; But this I
won't do without your advice.
Upon the whole I beg leave to say That as I have a Singular Confidence
in your Superior Judgement, I must entreat youl consider my Complaints
& as what has pass'd twixt us & by your former prescriptions you will,
more than most others, Know my Constitution. Be so good as, howsoon
Convenient, give me your opinion & direction of what medicines you
think proper & regimen for me to follow most beneficial Both for
Nerves
& Viscera which I will punctually observe &
reckon my Self obliged.
Youl please observe, when a Vomit for me is thought proper, it must be
pretty Strong, as those hitherto, I apprehend has never been so, if I may judge
by their Effects. Meantime pray excuse my taking the Liberty to Inclose
two smal Bank Notes which I hope youl be so good as accept of &
believe to be with utmost Esteem
My Nerves are, at present, so much
affected, that I can not write with any ease.
I have therfore dictated this to a Particular
Friend, in whose secrecy I can confide.
Please direct for me at Mr. Moirs Marischal Street.
I almost forgott to mention that this Spring a prodigious Dry Scurff
(which I take to be Scurvy has broke out on
Both my Wrists but on
no other part of my Body. It does not give me much pain & Dr. Livingston
thinks it lucky it has come out yet I thought proper to lett you know
of it.
[Page 3]
To ---
Doctor Willm. Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh
R. Ligertwood Esq.
April 6. 1780.
V.XI. p.2.
Diplomatic Text
It is with great pleasure that I reflect upon the few most
agreeable hours I spent in your Company at Edinburgh. I listened atten¬
tively to your advices & have ever since carefully followed them in what
concerns my health & must acknowlage I have found benefite by that
Regimen; yet my Complaints are not quite removed for I still find my
Nerves, & sometimes pains in my Breast
& Bowels distress me grievously
That if I was not at times in a manner supernaturaly supported, I should
sink under them. I am much troubled with
Wind & Crudities in my
Stomach & often with Slimy humours especially after
I eat & my head affected
with Giddiness which as it
were stupifys me at times.
I have during all
this Winter, tho the Coldest mornings, used the Fresh water bath, even
when I have been so bad that when I first attempted to plunge, I scarcely
expected to be able to come out, & after Bathing, when the morning was
fair, I took a ride till Breakfast & in the forenoon, I rode from twelve
oClock for an hour & half upon a very hard sett Horse of my own, & whither
that hard sett be hurtfull to my Nerves I know not,
but on riding in
the mornings I find the Giddiness in my Head,
which I attribute to the
Humours being sett in motion - I always in Diets & in every thing
else abstain from Excesses of every kind. Doctor Livingston frequently
calls upon me & I have by his advice, during Winter taken three or
four Vomits which never wrought well till
I used my finger or a feather
but always left my stomack full of Wind
& in a low state & still I
continue to spitt in the morning a Slimy, sometimes a Blackish
matter, but noways tinged with Blood whither this be any remains
of the Venereal, or not you will be best to Judge. - A few days since
he has drawn from my Arm about
eleven ounces blood by which I
found a little present benefite, but am now much as formerly. He
has given me a few doses Sacred Elixir which has
keept me a little
open but still the Nerves &
Viscera ail. Tho withall I enjoy
a tollerable appetite for Dinner, of which Veal is generally the prin¬
cipal Dish, & indeed is my only Diet except a little Cocoa Tea & Bread
to Breakfast & for ordinary I have sound & refreshing Sleep for Six or eight
[Page 2]
hours a night. I intend, when the weather turns Warm to begin to take
the Soluble Tartar for two or three weeks & thereafter Drink Sea Water in
the morning twice or Thrice a Week & still to continue the fresh Water Bath
& exercise of Riding in forenoons, & perhaps in a good Day Walk a mile or
two in the afternoon. I would use the the Bark too, if you think it proper
but if I do I must take it not in Water for I cant Swallow it with Water.
I shal be fond of your opinion as to my using the Soluble Tartar, which
I see Doctor Whytt prescribes to be taken in Cases much Similar to mine,
once every morning or once in two days to clear the Stomach & Viscera
of Gross Humours, affecting the Person with lowness of Spirits; But this I
won't do without your advice.
Upon the whole I beg leave to say That as I have a Singular Confidence
in your Superior Judgement, I must entreat youl consider my Complaints
& as what has pass'd twixt us & by your former prescriptions you will,
more than most others, Know my Constitution. Be so good as, howsoon
Convenient, give me your opinion & direction of what medicines you
think proper & regimen for me to follow most beneficial Both for
Nerves
& Viscera which I will punctually observe &
reckon my Self obliged.
Youl please observe, when a Vomit for me is thought proper, it must be
pretty Strong, as those hitherto, I apprehend has never been so, if I may judge
by their Effects. Meantime pray excuse my taking the Liberty to Inclose
two smal Bank Notes which I hope youl be so good as accept of &
believe to be with utmost Esteem
My Nerves are, at present, so much
affected, that I can not write with any ease.
I have therfore dictated this to a Particular
Friend, in whose secrecy I can confide.
Please direct for me at Mr. Moirs Marischal Street.
I almost forgott to mention that this Spring a prodigious Dry Scurff
(which I take to be Scurvy has broke out on
Both my Wrists but on
no other part of my Body. It does not give me much pain & Dr. Livingston
thinks it lucky it has come out yet I thought proper to lett you know
of it.
[Page 3]
To ---
Doctor Willm. Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh
R. Ligertwood Esq.
April 6. 1780.
V.XI. p.2.
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