The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1936] From: Dr John Clark (Clerke, Clarke) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mrs Clark (Clerke, Clarke) (Patient) / 24 October 1780 / (Incoming)
Letter from John Clark, discussing his wife's case and also introducing the son of a local clergyman intending to study medicine in Edinburgh.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1936 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1015 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 24 October 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 John Clark, discussing his wife's case and also introducing the son of a local clergyman intending to study medicine in Edinburgh. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1278] |
Case of Mrs Clark(e) [Clerke], wife of Dr Clark(e) at Newcastle, who has a pectoral complaint. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:816] | Author | Dr John Clark (Clerke, Clarke) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:840] | Patient | Mrs Clark (Clerke, Clarke) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:816] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Clark (Clerke, Clarke) |
| [PERS ID:816] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Dr John Clark (Clerke, Clarke) |
| [PERS ID:2862] | Other | Mr |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Newcastle upon Tyne | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Newcastle upon Tyne | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | South Shields | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
The young Gentleman, who will deliver
you this, is the Son of a very worthy Clergy¬
man in the Neighbourhood of Newcastle. He
has served his apprenticeship to a Surgeon
at South Shields; &, this winter, intends
prosecuting his studies, at your uni¬
versity. He means to do himself the honour
of being one of your pupils; and I shall
think myself much obliged to you, if
you will give him your advice what
other classes he should attend.
I think myself exceedingly
obliged to you for your Letter of advice, relative
to my wifes complaints. In ↑a↑ day after I
wrote you, & before the blister was applied
her hectic became exceedingly mitigated, &
the Nocturnal sweats lefte her for about
[Page 2]
a week. The cough, however , continued without
the least abatement, unless for a few hours, at
night, after an opiate in a considerable dose.
As soon as I received your Letter, she began
the Seneka root twice a day; and gradually
increased it to 20 grains in powder. This dose
proving purgative, I have not ↑for some time↑ gone further
than ten grains for a dose. In these doses it
seems to have no other effect, than to pro¬
duce slight squeamishness; & its taste now
has become so disagreeable to her, altho she
{illeg} swallows it in form of Bolus ↑with Raspberry Conserve↑ that
she tastes it with the utmost reluctance.
About 10 Days ago, the stich in her side
became exceedingly violent. She was bled, &
the blister, which discharged much, was kept
open with Mild Unguentum Epispasticum. She swets
profusily every night; till within these four
days. The hectic again seems to have almost
totally left her; & for some days past, her
pulse has never been above 86. Her cough
is still very severe; & now does not yield
to the trochisci bechici [M Opes;?] nor does two
grains of Opium at Bedtime. ↑give her much relief↑ The form
[Page 3]
in which she takes the Opium, is the [Pills Saponaceous?]
of the London Pharmacopoeia [to wich?] are occasionally added
a few grains of aloes to prevent constipation.
Her expectoration is still exceedingly viscid & the
cough continues to excite vomiting. No puru¬
lency, as yet, appears, but, she says, she is
sensible, that the matter comes from the
right side; and when she attempts to lie
upon that side at night she is like to
be suffocated.
Since your Letter came to hand she has
given up the wine entirely - Lives upon
asses milk, cow milk, ↑diluted↑ & ripe fruits almost
entirely. She takes a Little broth at dinner
as the milk is often rejected - But for solid
animal food; even when she was allowed
it; her appetite was so bad that I am certain
she never took an ounce in a day.
From the symptoms this afternoon; I am
affraid; she will soon have another attack of
her febrile complaints - The pain of her side being at
times severe. I have allowed the blister betwixt
her shoulders almost to heat up; & intend applying
one to the parts affected- Her cough is still exceedingly
convulsive. Besides demulcents, I have some
[Page 4]
times thought of trying the flowers of Zinc. - A
Seton she refuses to have applied to Her side - But
cheerfully consents to repeated Blistering. I am sorry
to trouble you so frequently concerning a case in
which medicine can be of so little service; but if this
farther account suggests to you anything, that you
think has a chance to metigate her complaints;
I should be glad for your answer, by the
post, when convenient. Excuse haste -
I am Dear Sir
With much esteem
Your most obliged Humble Servant
Newcastle October 24
1780
Dr Clarke Concerning
his Wife
October 1780
V.XI.p. 101.
Diplomatic Text
The young Gentleman, who will deliver
you this, is the Son of a very worthy Clergy¬
man in the Neighbourhood of Newcastle. He
has served his apprenticeship to a Surgeon
at South Shields; &, this winter, intends
prosecuting his studies, at your uni¬
versity. He means to do himself the honour
of being one of your pupils; and I shall
think myself much obliged to you, if
you will give him your advice what
other classes he should attend.
I think myself exceedingly
obliged to you for yr Letter of advice, relative
to my wifes complaints. In ↑a↑ day after I
wrote you, & before the blister was applied
her hectic became exceedingly mitigated, &
the Nocturnal sweats lefte her for about
[Page 2]
a week. The cough, however , continued without
the least abatement, unless for a few hours, at
night, after an opiate in a considerable dose.
As soon as I received your Letter, she began
the Seneka root twice a day; and gradually
increased it to 20 grains in powder. This dose
proving purgative, I have not ↑for some time↑ gone further
than gr X for a dose. In these doses it
seems to have no other effect, than to pro¬
duce slight squeamishness; & its taste now
has become so disagreeable to her, altho she
{illeg} swallows it in form of Bolus ↑wt Cons. Ras.↑ that
she tastes it with the utmost reluctance.
About 10 Days ago, the stich in her side
became exceedingly violent. She was bled, &
the blister, which discharged much, was kept
open wt Ung. Episp. Mil.. She swets
profusily every night; till within these four
days. The hectic again seems to have almost
totally left her; & for some days past, her
pulse has never been above 86. Her cough
is still very severe; & now does not yield
to the Trochisc. Bech. [M Opes;?] nor does two
grains of Opium at Bedtime. ↑give her much relief↑ The form
[Page 3]
in which she takes the Opium, is the [Pil. Sapon.?]
of the London Ph. [to wich?] are occasionally added
a few grains of aloes to prevent constipation.
Her expectoration is still exceedingly viscid & the
cough continues to excite vomiting. No puru¬
lency, as yet, appears, but, she says, she is
sensible, that the matter comes from the
right side; and when she attempts to lie
upon that side at night she is like to
be suffocated.
Since your Letter came to hand she has
given up the wine entirely - Lives upon
asses milk, cow milk, ↑diluted↑ & ripe fruits almost
entirely. She takes a Little broth at dinner
as the milk is often rejected - But for solid
animal food; even when she was allowed
it; her appetite was so bad that I am certain
she never took an ounce in a day.
From the symptoms this afternoon; I am
affraid; she will soon have another attack of
her febrile comps - The pain of her side being at
times severe. I have allowed the blister betwixt
her shoulders almost to heat up; & intend applying
one to the parts affected- Her cough is still exceedingly
convulsive. Besides demulcents, I have some
[Page 4]
times thought of trying the flowers of Zinc. - A
Seton she refuses to have applied to Her side - But
cheerfully consents to repeated Blistering. I am sorry
to trouble you so frequently concerning a case in
wc medicine can be of so little service; but if this
farther account suggests to you anything, that you
think has a chance to metigate her complaints;
I should be glad for your answer, by the
post, when convenient. Excuse haste -
I am Dear Sir
With much esteem
Yr most obliged Hble Servt
Newcastle October 24
1780
Dr Clarke C.
his Wife
Octr 1780
V.XI.p. 101.
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:1936]
Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...
