The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1837] From: Earl Dunbar Douglas (Hamilton) (Lord Selkirk, 4th Earl of Selkirk) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Lord Basil William Douglas (Lord Daer) (Patient) / 10 April 1780 / (Incoming)
Letter from the Earl of Selkirk concerning the case of his son, Lord Daer, who is currently at the Barbaulds' academy in England. Selkirk, who is on his way south and seriously concerned that his son and heir may be consumptive, sends various reports from local and London practitioners who have all been consulted.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 6 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1837 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/917a |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 10 April 1780 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from the Earl of Selkirk concerning the case of his son, Lord Daer, who is currently at the Barbaulds' academy in England. Selkirk, who is on his way south and seriously concerned that his son and heir may be consumptive, sends various reports from local and London practitioners who have all been consulted. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:364] |
Case of Lord Daer (Basil Douglas), whose symptoms leave his family concerned that he may have consumption. |
7 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:886] | Author | Earl Dunbar Douglas (Lord Selkirk, 4th Earl of Selkirk) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:885] | Patient | Lord Basil William Douglas (Lord Daer) |
| [PERS ID:887] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Fordyce (Sir William Fordyce) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1015] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Marissal |
| [PERS ID:352] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Gilbert Blane |
| [PERS ID:1017] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Lady Helen Douglas (Lady Selkirk) |
| [PERS ID:886] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Earl Dunbar Douglas (Lord Selkirk, 4th Earl of Selkirk) |
| [PERS ID:1018] | Other | Mrs Hamilton |
| [PERS ID:1013] | Other | Mrs Anna Letitia Barbauld |
| [PERS ID:1014] | Other | Mrs Elliot (of Park St, Grosvenor Sq. London) |
| [PERS ID:1016] | Other | Reverend Rochmont Barbauld |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Carlisle | North-West | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Caxton | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Cheam | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Diss | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Hampstead | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Kirkcudbright | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Norfolk | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Norwich | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Palgrave | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Stilton | East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Banstead Downs | Banstead | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain |
| Mentioned / Other | Park St, Grosvenor's Sq. | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain |
| Place of Handstamp | Dumfries | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
april 1780.
I write this to you with great anx¬
iety; yet I hope with good reason to hope for
good. I am this far in my way to see my Son
Daer, who has had a Cold
attended with feverish¬
ness hanging about him ever since about the
middle of January. I have had frequent letters
from him; & of late three from Mrs Barbauld, &
one last night from Dr Wm
Fordyce; to whom
I had wrote, & to whom I had, in a letter about the
middle of February, desired them to apply if Daer's
complaints continued.
I beg to hear from you, & that you will send me
your opinion & advice; –– Direct for me at Mrs
Elliots Park Street Grosvenor Square London.
Miss Elliot will send the letter wherever I am, as
I shall let her know immediately.
I inclose a Sheet of paper wrote out by Lady
Selkirk & myself, from Daers Letters, & from mrs
Barbaulds, that you may see all that we know
of it. I shall now mention in this what Fordyce
writes to me. He had attended Daer about two
[Page 2]
years ago, at Cheam in Surry, near Banstead Downs,
when he was ill from a long continued cold; he
was at that time confined some time, & if I can
trust my memory, I think some days or part of the
day to his bed. Mr Blane was then with him & gave
all the attention he could. ––– Afterwards when I
was in London Dr Fordyce spoke as if Daer had
at that time been very near being in danger,
& that it was fortunate things had been done in
time, as a little longer might have thrown him into
a Consumption. This surprised me as I had not appre¬
hended any immediate danger, nor indeed any at all.
I mentiond it to mr Blane, who was much sur¬
prised, & said he could not think it was any how
so bad. –– I am now alarmed both from Dr Fordyce's
former opinion, & from Daers being so very delicate
as to catching Colds, & their ↑often↑ hanging {illeg} long about him
also tho you know mrs Hamilton lived to a great
age, about 80, & never I believe had any threatenings,
yet some of her brothers died of Consumptions.
I wrote to Dr Fordyce on the 30th of March, & told
him I left it to him to do as he thought fit, either
to go to where Daer is, (which is in Suffolk about
90 miles from London, in a fine dry situated part
of the country,), or if he thought exercise not improper
[Page 3]
for the feverishness, that he might send word to
have Daer come to London Hampstead, where
some of his Brothers are at school, either in a
Post chaise or on Horseback by moderate
Journeys, where he might see him: only to order
great care to be taken that his Sheets & Bed should
not be damp on the road, & that a careful person
should be with him.
Dr Fordyce's letter is dated the 4th of april London.
He says he has anxiety about Daer's "Health be¬
cause I have seen him some years ago on the
brink of the Grave from a similar complaint
to the present." & that Daer is very tender.
He says mr Marissal, (this is the Surgeon who
is in the village, & concerning whom I had wrote
to mr Fordyce, saying I knew nothing about his
abilities &c.) "appears not to have been wanting
either in zeal sense or discretion in watching
accurately the state of his Symptoms &
believe that every thing has
been done to secure a cure that the nature of the
disease allowd of in so trying a season as the
last winter has proved." ––– "I think mr Marissal
a competent Judge of the propriety & the necessity
of my seeing your Son." – he adds if he comes to town
[Page 4]
it must be in a chaise, as it would not be right to
risk the cold, & uncertain of this season on horse¬
back, nor of heating from the excercise of a jour¬
ney and leaves it to mr Marissal to judge if his
going there is necessary. - He says he has wrote
so fully to mr Marissal that he is master ↑enough↑ of his
Ideas to decide of the propriety of l or necessity of
seeing Daer. - That he had mentioned a Norwich
physician for him, of whom he had heard a very favour¬
able account from some Norwich people, as mr
Marissal had asked him in his first letter whether
he thought it proper to consult one from there if
necessary. ---
This & the inclosed is all I have heard.
Mr Marissal is married to a sister of mr Barbauld
& formerly practised in London, but left it on acco¬
ount of health; but I forget whether it was his or
his wife's health: he only came to Palgrave last
summer. Norwich is 20 Miles distant.
I waited for Fordyces letter at Dumfries, I have sent off two
saddle horses in order to ride about with Daer myself if it shall
be thought proper, & to go in a postchaise moderately with the
horses at hand. Pray write to me fully your opinion & advice.
Pray would Tar: Em:
or James Powders at -1-2-or-3 Grains be proper
in the way you formerly orderd for me as an alterative, when a
feverishness hung about me.
[Page 5]
The Direction fo[r Daer?] or mr Marissal is at
Palgrave nea[r Dis?]s in Norfolk.
by Caxton or by London - but I find they think
it is more secure to direct by London. ---
I go directly Post to Palgrave, unless I get a
letter at Stilton informing me of Daers being at
Hampstead. ----
Pray would Bristol Wells be a proper
thing for Daer.
I shall write again to you after I
see Daer.
your most Obedient Servant
[Page 6]
To
Doctor WilliamCullen
at Edinburgh
This Sent To Kirkcudbright
Lord Dears Case
April. 1780
V.XI. p.4.
Diplomatic Text
april 1780.
I write this to you with great anx¬
iety; yet I hope with good reason to hope for
good. I am this far in my way to see my Son
Daer, who has had a Cold
attended with feverish¬
ness hanging about him ever since about the
middle of January. I have had frequent letters
from him; & of late three from Mrs Barbauld, &
one last night from Dr Wm
Fordyce; to whom
I had wrote, & to whom I had, in a letter about the
middle of February, desired them to apply if Daer's
complaints continued.
I beg to hear from you, & that you will send me
your opinion & advice; –– Direct for me at Mrs
Elliots Park Street Grosvenor Square London.
Miss Elliot will send the letter wherever I am, as
I shall let her know immediately.
I inclose a Sheet of paper wrote out by Lady
Selkirk & myself, from Daers Letters, & from mrs
Barbaulds, that you may see all that we know
of it. I shall now mention in this what Fordyce
writes to me. He had attended Daer about two
[Page 2]
years ago, at Cheam in Surry, near Banstead Downs,
when he was ill from a long continued cold; he
was at that time confined some time, & if I can
trust my memory, I think some days or part of the
day to his bed. Mr Blane was then with him & gave
all the attention he could. ––– Afterwards when I
was in London Dr Fordyce spoke as if Daer had
at that time been very near being in danger,
& that it was fortunate things had been done in
time, as a little longer might have thrown him into
a Consumption. This surprised me as I had not appre¬
hended any immediate danger, nor indeed any at all.
I mentiond it to mr Blane, who was much sur¬
prised, & said he could not think it was any how
so bad. –– I am now alarmed both from Dr Fordyce's
former opinion, & from Daers being so very delicate
as to catching Colds, & their ↑often↑ hanging {illeg} long about him
also tho you know mrs Hamilton lived to a great
age, about 80, & never I believe had any threatenings,
yet some of her brothers died of Consumptions.
I wrote to Dr Fordyce on the 30th of March, & told
him I left it to him to do as he thought fit, either
to go to where Daer is, (which is in Suffolk about
90 miles from London, in a fine dry situated part
of the country,), or if he thought exercise not improper
[Page 3]
for the feverishness, that he might send word to
have Daer come to London Hampstead, where
some of his Brothers are at school, either in a
Post chaise or on Horseback by moderate
Journeys, where he might see him: only to order
great care to be taken that his Sheets & Bed should
not be damp on the road, & that a careful person
should be with him.
Dr Fordyce's letter is dated the 4th of april Lond:
He says he has anxiety about Daer's "Health be¬
cause I have seen him some years ago on the
brink of the Grave from a similar complaint
to the present." & that Daer is very tender.
He says mr Marissal, (this is the Surgeon who
is in the village, & concerning whom I had wrote
to mr Fordyce, saying I knew nothing about his
abilities &c.) "appears not to have been wanting
either in zeal sense or discretion in watching
accurately the state of his Symptoms &
believe that every thing has
been done to secure a cure that the nature of the
disease allowd of in so trying a season as the
last winter has proved." ––– "I think mr Marissal
a competent Judge of the propriety & the necessity
of my seeing your Son." – he adds if he comes to town
[Page 4]
it must be in a chaise, as it would not be right to
risk the cold, & uncertain of this season on horse¬
back, nor of heating from the excercise of a jour¬
ney and leaves it to mr Marissal to judge if his
going there is necessary. - He says he has wrote
so fully to mr Marissal that he is master ↑enough↑ of his
Ideas to decide of the propriety of l or necessity of
seeing Daer. - That he had mentioned a Norwich
physician for him, of whom he had heard a very favour¬
able account from some Norwich people, as mr
Marissal had asked him in his first letter whether
he thought it proper to consult one from there if
necessary. ---
This & the inclosed is all I have heard.
Mr Marissal is married to a sister of mr Barbauld
& formerly practised in London, but left it on acco¬
ount of health; but I forget whether it was his or
his wife's health: he only came to Palgrave last
summer. Norwich is 20 Miles distant.
I waited for Fordyces letter at Dumfries, I have sent off two
saddle horses in order to ride about with Daer myself if it shall
be thought proper, & to go in a postchaise moderately with the
horses at hand. Pray write to me fully your opinion & advice.
Pray would Tar: Em:
or James Powders at -1-2-or-3 Grains be proper
in the way you formerly orderd for me as an alterative, when a
feverishness hung about me.
[Page 5]
The Direction fo[r Daer?] or mr Marissal is at
Palgrave nea[r Dis?]s in Norfolk.
by Caxton or by London - but I find they think
it is more secure to direct by London. ---
I go directly Post to Palgrave, unless I get a
letter at Stilton informing me of Daers being at
Hampstead. ----
Pray would Bristol Wells be a proper
thing for Daer.
I shall write again to you after I
see Daer.
your most obedt: Servt
[Page 6]
To
Doctor WmCullen
at Edinburgh
This Sent To Kirkubt
Lord Dears Case
April. 1780
V.XI. p.4.
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