The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1915] Cover Letter and Case Note / Regarding: Miss Ker (Patient) / 17 September 1780 / (Incoming)
Letter from Alexander Wilson, comprising a cover letter and case note on the case of Miss Ker, the 4-year-old daughter of a friend. The child has been bitten by a mad dog. He discusses the 'Ormskirk Nostrum', apparently given to dogs as well as humans in such cases, and thanks Mr Wood (possibly Alexander).
- 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 | 1915 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/995 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 17 September 1780 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from Alexander Wilson, comprising a cover letter and case note on the case of Miss Ker, the 4-year-old daughter of a friend. The child has been bitten by a mad dog. He discusses the 'Ormskirk Nostrum', apparently given to dogs as well as humans in such cases, and thanks Mr Wood (possibly Alexander). |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1181] |
Case of Miss Ker, a child bitten by a mad dog. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:828] | Author | Dr Alexander Wilson |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:829] | Patient | Miss Ker |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:828] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Wilson |
| [PERS ID:588] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Mr Alexander Wood |
| [PERS ID:1273] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Ker |
| [PERS ID:2992] | Other | Mrs Agnes Wilson |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Hull | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
The inclosed will speak for itself, I therefore
need not take up your time upon that
subject any further. The distress of
Mr. Kers family is such that I could not
put him in mind of the fee, but in a
few days that will be transmited to you.
I have the pleasure to inform you that
my wife and family arrived here on tues¬
day last, and she finds herself in every
respect much the better for her journey
I know not how I shall ever be able [to]
repay your kind attention, I am also
under the greatest obligations to Mr. Wood
the post going soon off prevents my writing
him this night My wife and family pre
present their compliments, and join me
in the sincerest wishes for your health
and happiness ––
Dear Sir
your most obedient
& much obliged servant
P.S. you will receive this on
Wednesday, and if your answer is sent
of on thursday, we shall have it on
Sunday. –– A.W.
[Page 2]
Doctor Cullen Physician at
Edinburgh
Dr Wilson Concerning Miss Ker.
September 17. 1780 ––
V. XI. p. 73 ––
[Page 3]
✍Case for the opinion of Doctor Cullen –
Miss Ker aged four years and two months, in
good health and habit of body, was on the 15th.
instant bit by a mad dog; There are several
small wounds on the forehead and the prin¬
cipal one is upwards of an inch long situated
in the upper part very near the root of the hair.
She was immediately brought to town, and I saw her
a few hours after the accident.
The dog that wounded this child had been bit
by a mad dog about three months ago, and
immediately after got the Ormskirk medicine,
but in this as in most other cases I have known
or heard of, it has fail'd, yet notwithstanding
as it has a degree of credit with some people, I
directed one of those powders to be divided into
three parts, which were given to the child at in¬
tervals, after the stomach had been well empty¬
ed by an emetick of Ipecacoanha and Chamae¬
mal flowers tea.
As my faith in this nostrum is exceedingly small,
I propose to use every method that can be de¬
vised, the same as if no such medicine had been
given. This melancholy complaint I consider
as arising from a putrid animal ferment taken
into the circulation, therefore as the nerves are in
[Page 4]
all such cases first affected, I propose to dimin¬
nish sensibility, and to bring the body into that
state which is most likely to resist the effects
of a putrescent tendency. To effect those pur¬
poses I have orderd her an opiat at bed time,
and shall continue to increase and the dose
as she can bear it; I have also ordered the bulk
of a pea of the Strong Blue Ointment to be rub¬
bed into, and round the wounds every morning
and night, and this I mean by degrees to increase
untill it affect the mouth a little, in which
state I propose to keep her for a week or ten days.
I have also forbade the use of animal food, her
Diet is therefore milk and vegetables only, and
by the change which I hope this mode of living
will induce on the state of her fluids, I flatter
myself some hope may be founded. I have
also orderd her a few doses of Nitre Powder and
Coarse Powder of Ammoniac Salts of 5 grains each dose, to
be taken four times in the course of a day, which
is 10 grains of each salt.
As to the use of Mercurials, I must confess I have
orderd it in complyance with custom, and a
desire to use every means that offers the least
prospect of success, but I cannot trace any
principle upon which its utility is to be shewn,
unless we suppose it to possess specifick qualitys
destructive of every {illeg} of sort of poison as
well as that of the venerial kind. Sea bath¬
[Page 5]
ing for this disease, so much in vogue in
the time of Dr. Mead, still retains some degree
of credit in this country, but I fear without
much foundation, however Mr. Ker is desirous
of your opinion on this particular.
I have some thought of Bark as a power¬
ful antiseptic joind with a small proportion
of Camphor, and an issue in the neck which
may make a useful artificial drain, but
those I shall postpone untill I have your
sentiments on the subject.
At the age of this child sensibility is great,
and the situation of the wounds so near the
Brain and salivary glands, give some
reason to suppose that the symptoms may
appear earlyer than on a subject in advanc¬
ed life, should our efforts prove ineffectual,
but this I hope will not be the case. ––
The child here alluded to, is the daughter of
a particular friend, I beg'd him to take fur¬
ther advice, and by his desire I now trans¬
mit to you the above, and hope you will
favour us with your opinion on the plan
I ahve proposed, and your advice in
what further may be proper. ––
P.S.
Since writing the above Mr. Ker is fearful
that mercurials used so soon after the
[Page 6]
Ormskirk medicine may prevent its ef¬
fects, if any are to be expected; I could
give no answer to this question, as the
composition of the nostrum is a secret, I
have therefore with his approbation layd
aside thoughts of mercurials untill we can
hear from you. Be so good as give us
your sentiments relative to the propriety
of useing it, and also your opinion how far
confidence may be put in the Ormskirk nostrum
For Doctor Cullen
Diplomatic Text
The inclosed will speak for itself, I therefore
need not take up your time upon that
subject any further. The distress of
Mr. Kers family is such that I could not
put him in mind of the fee, but in a
few days that will be transmited to you.
I have the pleasure to inform you that
my wife and family arrived here on tues¬
day last, and she finds herself in every
respect much the better for her journey
I know not how I shall ever be able [to]
repay your kind attention, I am also
under the greatest obligations to Mr. Wood
the post going soon off prevents my writing
him this night My wife and family pre
present their compliments, and join me
in the sincerest wishes for your health
and happiness ––
Dear Sir
your most obedient
& much obliged servt.
P.S. you will receive this on
Wednesday, and if your answer is sent
of on thursday, we shall have it on
Sunday. –– A.W.
[Page 2]
Doctor Cullen Physician at
Edinburgh
Dr Wilson C Miss Ker.
Septr 17. 1780 ––
V. XI. p. 73 ––
[Page 3]
✍Case for the opinion of Doctor Cullen –
Miss Ker aged four years and two months, in
good health and habit of body, was on the 15th.
instant bit by a mad dog; There are several
small wounds on the forehead and the prin¬
cipal one is upwards of an inch long situated
in the upper part very near the root of the hair.
She was immediately brought to town, and I saw her
a few hours after the accident.
The dog that wounded this child had been bit
by a mad dog about three months ago, and
immediately after got the Ormskirk medicine,
but in this as in most other cases I have known
or heard of, it has fail'd, yet notwithstanding
as it has a degree of credit with some people, I
directed one of those powders to be divided into
three parts, which were given to the child at in¬
tervals, after the stomach had been well empty¬
ed by an emetick of Ipecacoanha and Chamae¬
mal flowers tea.
As my faith in this nostrum is exceedingly small,
I propose to use every method that can be de¬
vised, the same as if no such medicine had been
given. This melancholy complaint I consider
as arising from a putrid animal ferment taken
into the circulation, therefore as the nerves are in
[Page 4]
all such cases first affected, I propose to dimin¬
nish sensibility, and to bring the body into that
state which is most likely to resist the effects
of a putrescent tendency. To effect those pur¬
poses I have orderd her an opiat at bed time,
and shall continue to increase and the dose
as she can bear it; I have also ordered the bulk
of a pea of the Unguent caeruleum fortius to be rub¬
bed into, and round the wounds every morning
and night, and this I mean by degrees to increase
untill it affect the mouth a little, in which
state I propose to keep her for a week or ten days.
I have also forbade the use of animal food, her
Diet is therefore milk and vegetables only, and
by the change which I hope this mode of living
will induce on the state of her fluids, I flatter
myself some hope may be founded. I have
also orderd her a few doses of Nitri Pulv: and
Sal: Ammoniac: Crud: Pulv: of Gr: V each dose, to
be taken four times in the course of a day, which
is Gr: X of each salt.
As to the use of Mercurials, I must confess I have
orderd it in complyance with custom, and a
desire to use every means that offers the least
prospect of success, but I cannot trace any
principle upon which its utility is to be shewn,
unless we suppose it to possess specifick qualitys
destructive of every {illeg} of sort of poison as
well as that of the venerial kind. Sea bath¬
[Page 5]
ing for this disease, so much in vogue in
the time of Dr. Mead, still retains some degree
of credit in this country, but I fear without
much foundation, however Mr. Ker is desirous
of your opinion on this particular.
I have some thought of Bark as a power¬
ful antiseptic joind with a small proportion
of Camphor, and an issue in the neck which
may make a useful artificial drain, but
those I shall postpone untill I have your
sentiments on the subject.
At the age of this child sensibility is great,
and the situation of the wounds so near the
Brain and salivary glands, give some
reason to suppose that the symptoms may
appear earlyer than on a subject in advanc¬
ed life, should our efforts prove ineffectual,
but this I hope will not be the case. ––
The child here alluded to, is the daughter of
a particular friend, I beg'd him to take fur¬
ther advice, and by his desire I now trans¬
mit to you the above, and hope you will
favour us with your opinion on the plan
I ahve proposed, and your advice in
what further may be proper. ––
P.S.
Since writing the above Mr. Ker is fearful
that mercurials used so soon after the
[Page 6]
Ormskirk medicine may prevent its ef¬
fects, if any are to be expected; I could
give no answer to this question, as the
composition of the nostrum is a secret, I
have therefore with his approbation layd
aside thoughts of mercurials untill we can
hear from you. Be so good as give us
your sentiments relative to the propriety
of useing it, and also your opinion how far
confidence may be put in the Ormskirk nostrum
For Doctor Cullen
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