The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:2009] From: Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Sir James Nicolson (of Glenbervie, 3rd Bart.) (Patient) / 7 May 1781 / (Incoming)
Letter from Dr McNaughtan Hunter in Montrose, presenting the case-history of Sir James Nicolson, Bt., of Glenbervie. He is fifty-nine years old, and for thirty years has suffered from cramps and contractions in his fingers and toes. He now also suffers from stomach pains, vomiting, and costiveness, and is losing strength.
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
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Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 2009 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1086 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 7 May 1781 |
| 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 Dr McNaughtan Hunter in Montrose, presenting the case-history of Sir James Nicolson, Bt., of Glenbervie. He is fifty-nine years old, and for thirty years has suffered from cramps and contractions in his fingers and toes. He now also suffers from stomach pains, vomiting, and costiveness, and is losing strength. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1339] |
Case of Sir James Nicolson, 3rd Bart of Glenbervie who has cramps in his extremities and a stomach disorder diagnosed as hypochondriasis. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:2578] | Author | Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:93] | Patient | Sir James Nicolson (of Glenbervie, 3rd Bart.) |
| [PERS ID:2578] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Montrose | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Glenbervie (AKA Ardit, Airdit) | Kirkcaldy | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I beg leave to lay before You the
following case of Sir James Nicolson Baronet
of Glenbervie, for Your advice & opinion.
He is aged 59, of a thin spare make &
rather inactive; has for these thirty Years
been subject to cramps in the extremities, to such
a degree that the tendons of the fingers of both hands
are knotted; & two of the fingers contracted to his hand
↑so↑ as to render them perfectly useless: the tendons
of the toes of one of his feet are also knotted.––
He has for the same number of Years been subject
at times to a pain about the region of the Stomach, but of late Years, have become more se¬
vere & the attacks more frequent; also to op¬
pression at the Præcordia which makes his
breathing slow & difficult.– Last Winter he
has been seldom free of these pains, & for one fort¬
night only, they were altogether absent.
About five weeks ago the pains at the
region of the Stomach became extremely se¬
vere, at the same time was seized with Nausea
[Page 2]
& inclination to vomit: a gentle emetic was given
to encourage puking, which brought off a con¬
siderable quantity of Atrabilis or coffee-colour¬
ed stuff, & along with it a good deal of tough
glutinous phlegm: Notwithstanding this evacu¬
ation, the seeming Spasmodic pains in the Stom¬
ach & about it continued attended with an ob¬
stinate costiveness & loss of Appetite. –– Again
on thursday last he was attacked much as
above, discharging by Vomit about 3 quarts
of the coffee-coloured stuff (a quantity far exceed¬
ing that which he had taken for five or six pre-ceding
days) & along with it some tough glutinous phlegm.
He also complains of a pain in his chest somewhat
resembling Heartburn, especially on swallowing
liquids. –– The pains at the Stomach sometimes
kept to regular periods, & when that was the case
he was mostly reliev'd by the Bark in Tincture
& Flowers of Mars join'd with it.
Sir James's strength & appetite before these
attacks were somewhat impaired, but since, they
are both very much so; He being scarce able to
take a few turns in his garden, & his appetite
so bad, that he almost eats no food at all.
He has taken every thing I could suggest but
[Page 3]
without relief; among these several of the Antispas¬
modics, such as Thebaic Tincture, Musk, Asafœtida,
Castor and Epispastic on the region on the Stomach
while the pain was fixed there, &c. but the only
thing I can trust to is Laudanum, & that sometimes
fails me, tho' given liberally. –– Several mild
Laxatives have also been given to obviate the ob¬
stinate costiveness, ↑& also↑ to without effect; so that al¬
most every stool he has, is by force of a Glyster.
I have only to observe to You that Sir J.
Nicholson was never subject to Gout or Rheumatism
nor any of his Family. I am
(with the utmost respect)
Dear Sir
Your Most Obedient
humble servant
P. S. Be pleased to accept of two Guinea-notes
inclosed. –– I shall be glad of Your advice when
convenient, & beg leave to correspond with You
on Sir James Nicholsons case as circumstances
require.
Dr. Cullen.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh.
Mr Hunter
Concerning Sir J. Nicolson
May 7. 1781.
V XIII p. 32
Diplomatic Text
I beg leave to lay before You the
following case of Sir James Nicolson Barn.
of Glenbervie, for Your advice & opinion.
He is aged 59, of a thin spare make &
rather inactive; has for these thirty Years
been subject to cramps in the extremities, to such
a degree that the tendons of the fingers of both hands
are knotted; & two of the fingers contracted to his hand
↑so↑ as to render them perfectly useless: the tendons
of the toes of one of his feet are also knotted.––
He has for the same number of Years been subject
at times to a pain about the region of the Stomach, but of late Years, have become more se¬
vere & the attacks more frequent; also to op¬
pression at the Præcordia which makes his
breathing slow & difficult.– Last Winter he
has been seldom free of these pains, & for one fort¬
night only, they were altogether absent.
About five weeks ago the pains at the
region of the Stomach became extremely se¬
vere, at the same time was seized with Nausea
[Page 2]
& inclination to vomit: a gentle emetic was given
to encourage puking, which brought off a con¬
siderable quantity of Atrabilis or coffee-colour¬
ed stuff, & along with it a good deal of tough
glutinous phlegm: Notwithstanding this evacu¬
ation, the seeming Spasmodic pains in the Stom¬
ach & about it continued attended with an ob¬
stinate costiveness & loss of Appetite. –– Again
on thursday last he was attacked much as
above, discharging by Vomit about 3 quarts
of the coffee-coloured stuff (a quantity far exceed¬
ing that which he had taken for five or six pre-ceding
days) & along with it some tough glutinous phlegm.
He also complains of a pain in his chest somewhat
resembling Heartburn, especially on swallowing
liquids. –– The pains at the Stomach sometimes
kept to regular periods, & when that was the case
he was mostly reliev'd by the Bark in Tincture
& Fla. Martis join'd with it.
Sir James's strength & appetite before these
attacks were somewhat impaired, but since, they
are both very much so; He being scarce able to
take a few turns in his garden, & his appetite
so bad, that he almost eats no food at all.
He has taken every thing I could suggest but
[Page 3]
without relief; among these several of the Antispas¬
modics, such as Thebaic Tincture, Musk, Asafœtida,
Castor and Epispastic on the region on the Stomach
while the pain was fixed there, &c. but the only
thing I can trust to is Laudanum, & that sometimes
fails me, tho' given liberally. –– Several mild
Laxatives have also been given to obviate the ob¬
stinate costiveness, ↑& also↑ to without effect; so that al¬
most every stool he has, is by force of a Glyster.
I have only to observe to You that Sir J.
Nicholson was never subject to Gout or Rheumatism
nor any of his Family. I am
(with the utmost respect)
Dear Sir
Your Most Obedient
humble servant
P. S. Be pleased to accept of two Guinea-notes
inclosed. –– I shall be glad of Your advice when
convenient, & beg leave to correspond with You
on Sir James Nicholsons case as circumstances
require.
Dr. Cullen.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh.
Mr Hunter
C. Sir J. Nicolson
May 7. 1781.
V XIII p. 32
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