The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1848] From: William Sutherland (Sutherland of Schersness) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: William Sutherland (Sutherland of Schersness) (Patient) / 9 May 1780 / (Incoming)
Case of William Sutherland of Schersness composed by himself, as 'neither the Doctor or Surgeon who attended me in my distress can be had at present'. He is suffering from bladder problems.
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
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Facsimile
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1848 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/927 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 9 May 1780 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Unattributed |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Case of William Sutherland of Schersness composed by himself, as 'neither the Doctor or Surgeon who attended me in my distress can be had at present'. He is suffering from bladder problems. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1223] |
Case of William Sutherland of Schersness who has a bladder problem. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:651] | Author | William Sutherland (Sutherland of Schersness) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:651] | Patient | William Sutherland (Sutherland of Schersness) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:776] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr Mackenzie |
Places linked to this document
No places linked to this Document.
Normalized Text
The case of Wm Sutherland of Scherscross to be laid before
Doctor Cullen
As neither the Doctor or Surgeon who attended me in my distress
can be had at present, I must state my situation, the best I can
that is narrate the facts, from which Doctor Cullen will undertstand
my case, and what is proper to be done for my relief
I was 66 years of Age in February last
I see Doctor Cullen
remarks that I must have some Stops, before the total Stop of
urine came on the 12th. of April last ––– about 2 years ago I
drank very freely at punch, and did not go to bed, till 3 or 4 in the
morning. When I waked out of my first Sleep, I found a Stopage
and got little or no water, till about 12 o'Clock forenoon next day
Sometime thereafter I happened to drink freely at [new?] punch, and
found a Stopage in the same way, and think I did not pass my
urine as free as usual, the greatest part of last winter and Spring;
On the night of the 12th. April being on a visit at a friends house
I eat some Super, which I seldom did for sometime past, and eat
a little Salmon, which I thought seemed heavie on my Stomach, there
were three other Gentlemen in Company, and we drank more punch
than I had done for some time before, when I waked near morning
I found a total Stop. Having no person of Skill near me and being
in great pain I sent for a man to blood me in hopes of getting some
ease, and began using fomentations of cloathes
dipt in hot {illeg}
water, the Country Surgeon and Doctor McKenzie from Ross were
sent for, the Surgeon arrived that night and advised to continue the
fomentations, and prescribed for my drink, Barley water Linseed
tea and toast and water, Doctor McKenzie arrived next day, he put
me in warm water approved of my drink, and ordered
the Linseed tea
to be Sweetened with Manna, and the Barley water and gruel with
tamerons, he also gave me pounded Sugar and
cream of tartar to
put in my mouth at times to prevent thirst and to prevent my
drinking too much, all to little or no purpose. I was in the utmost
distress, the Surgeon had a broken Catheter.
I made him go with it that
night to a handy Smith in the neighbourhood, and on the forenoon of the 15th.
he used the Catheter and took off
a large quantity of urine, which
gave me vast ease. I had three Miles of very bad road to get home
But I found such ease after using the Catheter, that I rode home
with great ease, only I lighted three times to see if I could get
any water made having a volent disire, but could not make one
drop, nor all that Day. The Catheter
was appplied that night
but could not bring off one drop, which I believe was owing
to the bladder being in such disorder that the matter it contained
could not enter the tubes of the Catheter, and this I concluded
because all that night, what I past with the greatest torture was a
[Page 2]
thick matter of blood and Slime of the thickness of
gruel. I should have mentioned that the Catheter was twice
introduced and the last time, there came along with it a good
quantity of Clotted blood and some clean blood, the Catheter
was applied next day, and brought off a large quantity of urine
I continued the use of the Catheter for ten days, always
once and Sometimes twice in the 24 hours. I lived very
moderat, and used for drink Barley water, Lintseed
tea sweetened with manna and tamerins and some
times drank the gruel, I also drank at times a little
white wine and water and had cream of tartar and sugar
given me to lessen my thirst, that I might not drink too
much. I was about the Eight day of my distress, put
again in warm water, and continued at one time half an hour
and next day 20 minutes, I felt no pain while in the
warm bath, but turned Sickly after coming out of it. I
now began to be affraid of the consequence of using the
Catheter so frequently and so long, and wanted if possible
to do without it, for the first 12 hours after useing the
Catheter, I cou'd not get one drop of urine, But after
that began to get a little more, and the next day got a
vast quantity much more than I got when in health
and this continued for severall days, In so much that
the Surgeon though it was a Diabetes, the urine was
of a very light collour, I was then advised not to live
so very moderat, and to give up the use of [Slabs?], and
to drink one or two glasses of port, which I did,
the urine then turned of a more natural collour,
But now I find that I pass my water in the day time
in drops and with some difficulty, when I am in bed
I pass it with greater ease on my side, and have a
violent desire every two or three minutes, which I find
comes on with a pain in the top of the yard, whenever I
fall a sleep, the mater passes from me insensibly, and
in this way I pass a large quantity every night, which
goes thro the Matress, and when I sit, it goes from me
without pain, except a little in the top of the yard when
it begins, when I feel it coming I get up to take the pot
but find I then pass it with difficulty and only in drops
There is a time it passes from me ↑better↑ than when there is any
kind of erection
[Page 2]
The next thing to be considered is whether I have a
a gravel, I have at different times
past a sort ↑of↑ Slime
frequently and at this time past some Sand, but much more
of blood and Slime. I can bear the roughest Exercise
by riding or otherwise without the least pane. I feel
no kind of paine in the back
or kidneys. I ride a little
every day, and find that I can refrain ↑from↑ attempting to
make water longer, when I ride than otherwise. When
I past much urine, my legs
swelled, they were rubbed
a little with a flesh brush and the
swelling is gone off.
I am much reduced and
lost vastly of my Strength, but in
this respect I am rather better than I was, I remarked
that when I eat some meat such as mutton veal or
fowl and drank some glasses of wine and water, my
thirst was not so great. The passing of my water in my
sleep is most disagreable and prevents my sleeping
so well as I wou'd otherwise. I drink a little warm
milk Sweetned with Sugar. I can get Goat milk
or Goat whey if thought proper. I am fond of Smal
Beer, and to keep an obedient belly, I eat greens
everyday ––– on the whole I believe there is
some obstruction or other about the bladder, but
whether occassioned by Sand, slime or the like the
Doctor will Judge –––
[Page 3]
✍
The case of Wm ––
Sutherland of Schersness
to be laid before Dr.
Cullen ––––––––
9th May 1780.
XI, p. 12
Diplomatic Text
The case of Wm Sutherland of Scherscross to be laid before
Doctor Cullen
As neither the Doctor or Surgeon who attended me in my distress
can be had at present, I must state my situation, the best I can
that is narrate the facts, from which Doctor Cullen will undertstand
my case, and what is proper to be done for my relief
I was 66 years of Age in Febry last
I see Doctor Cullen
remarks that I must have some Stops, before the total Stop of
urine came on the 12th. of April last ––– about 2 years ago I
drank very freely at punch, and did not go to bed, till 3 or 4 in the
morning. When I waked out of my first Sleep, I found a Stopage
and got little or no water, till about 12 o'Clock forenoon next day
Sometime thereafter I happened to drink freely at [new?] punch, and
found a Stopage in the same way, and think I did not pass my
urine as free as usual, the greatest part of last winter and Spring;
On the night of the 12th. April being on a visit at a friends house
I eat some Super, which I seldom did for sometime past, and eat
a little Salmon, which I thought seemed heavie on my Stomach, there
were three other Gentlemen in Company, and we drank more punch
than I had done for some time before, when I waked near morning
I found a total Stop. Having no person of Skill near me and being
in great pain I sent for a man to blood me in hopes of getting some
ease, and began using fomentations of cloathes
dipt in hot {illeg}
water, the Country Surgeon and Doctor McKenzie from Ross were
sent for, the Surgeon arrived that night and advised to continue the
fomentations, and prescribed for my drink, Barley water Linseed
tea and toast and water, Doctor McKenzie arrived next day, he put
me in warm water approved of my drink, and ordered
the Linseed tea
to be Sweetened with Manna, and the Barley water and gruel with
tamerons, he also gave me pounded Sugar and
cream of tartar to
put in my mouth at times to prevent thirst and to prevent my
drinking too much, all to little or no purpose. I was in the utmost
distress, the Surgeon had a broken Catheter.
I made him go with it that
night to a handy Smith in the neighbourhood, and on the forenoon of the 15th.
he used the Catheter and took off
a large quantity of urine, which
gave me vast ease. I had three Miles of very bad road to get home
But I found such ease after using the Catheter, that I rode home
with great ease, only I lighted three times to see if I could get
any water made having a volent disire, but could not make one
drop, nor all that Day. The Catheter
was appplied that night
but could not bring off one drop, which I believe was owing
to the bladder being in such disorder that the matter it contained
could not enter the tubes of the Catheter, and this I concluded
because all that night, what I past with the greatest torture was a
[Page 2]
thick matter of blood and Slime of the thickness of
gruel. I should have mentioned that the Catheter was twice
introduced and the last time, there came along with it a good
quantity of Clotted blood and some clean blood, the Catheter
was applied next day, and brought off a large quantity of urine
I continued the use of the Catheter for ten days, always
once and Sometimes twice in the 24 hours. I lived very
moderat, and used for drink Barley water, Lintseed
tea sweetened with manna and tamerins and some
times drank the gruel, I also drank at times a little
white wine and water and had cream of tartar and sugar
given me to lessen my thirst, that I might not drink too
much. I was about the Eight day of my distress, put
again in warm water, and continued at one time half an hour
and next day 20 minutes, I felt no pain while in the
warm bath, but turned Sickly after coming out of it. I
now began to be affraid of the consequence of using the
Catheter so frequently and so long, and wanted if possible
to do without it, for the first 12 hours after useing the
Catheter, I cou'd not get one drop of urine, But after
that began to get a little more, and the next day got a
vast quantity much more than I got when in health
and this continued for severall days, In so much that
the Surgeon though it was a Diabetes, the urine was
of a very light collour, I was then advised not to live
so very moderat, and to give up the use of [Slabs?], and
to drink one or two glasses of port, which I did,
the urine then turned of a more natural collour,
But now I find that I pass my water in the day time
in drops and with some difficulty, when I am in bed
I pass it with greater ease on my side, and have a
violent desire every two or three minutes, which I find
comes on with a pain in the top of the yard, whenever I
fall a sleep, the mater passes from me insensibly, and
in this way I pass a large quantity every night, which
goes thro the Matress, and when I sit, it goes from me
without pain, except a little in the top of the yard when
it begins, when I feel it coming I get up to take the pot
but find I then pass it with difficulty and only in drops
There is a time it passes from me ↑better↑ than when there is any
kind of erection
[Page 2]
The next thing to be considered is whether I have a
a gravel, I have at different times
past a sort ↑of↑ Slime
frequently and at this time past some Sand, but much more
of blood and Slime. I can bear the roughest Exercise
by riding or otherwise without the least pane. I feel
no kind of paine in the back
or kidneys. I ride a little
every day, and find that I can refrain ↑from↑ attempting to
make water longer, when I ride than otherwise. When
I past much urine, my legs
swelled, they were rubbed
a little with a flesh brush and the
swelling is gone off.
I am much reduced and
lost vastly of my Strength, but in
this respect I am rather better than I was, I remarked
that when I eat some meat such as mutton veal or
fowl and drank some glasses of wine and water, my
thirst was not so great. The passing of my water in my
sleep is most disagreable and prevents my sleeping
so well as I wou'd otherwise. I drink a little warm
milk Sweetned with Sugar. I can get Goat milk
or Goat whey if thought proper. I am fond of Smal
Beer, and to keep an obedient belly, I eat greens
everyday ––– on the whole I believe there is
some obstruction or other about the bladder, but
whether occassioned by Sand, slime or the like the
Doctor will Judge –––
[Page 3]
✍
The case of Wm ––
Sutherland of Schersness
to be laid before Dr.
Cullen ––––––––
9th May 1780.
XI, p. 12
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