Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:2145] From: Dr William Hamilton (in Glasgow) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mrs Janet Arnot (Alston) (of Silverwood) (Patient) / 6 February 1782 / (Incoming)

Letter from William Hamilton concerning the case of Mr [John] Alston's daughter, Mrs Arnot, who suffers from a constriction of the Å“sophagus which causes difficulty in swallowing. She is also costive. Her illness is attributed to a chill and sore throat caught when travelling in the North 3 years previously (c. 1779). A year later, she had consulted Dr Hamilton's father about it.

Facsimile

There are 4 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 

[Page 3]


 

[Page 4]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 2145
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/1220
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date6 February 1782
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter from William Hamilton concerning the case of Mr [John] Alston's daughter, Mrs Arnot, who suffers from a constriction of the Å“sophagus which causes difficulty in swallowing. She is also costive. Her illness is attributed to a chill and sore throat caught when travelling in the North 3 years previously (c. 1779). A year later, she had consulted Dr Hamilton's father about it.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting Yes

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:880]
Case of Mrs Janet Arnot who has a constricted throat.
7


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:175]AuthorDr William Hamilton (in Glasgow)
[PERS ID:1]AddresseeDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1265]PatientMrs Janet Arnot (of Silverwood)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:175]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Hamilton (in Glasgow)
[PERS ID:1057]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryProfessor Thomas Hamilton
[PERS ID:1938]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr John Alston (of Overhall)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Glasgow Glasgow and West Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Cullen's House / Mint Close Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other North Highlands Scotland Europe certain
Place of Handstamp Glasgow Glasgow and West Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Dear Sir


I am desired by Mr Alston
a merchant in town to consult you about
his daughter Mrs Arnot. Three years ago
she took a journey to the North country
in an open chaise, in the beginning of
winter six months after she had lain in.
From the bad weather, & damp beds
they met with on the road, she got a
sore
throat which however was not
very violent. When this complaint had
left her she found a difficulty in swallow¬
ing
& as she described it, a lump on the
inside of the gullet
which prevented the
food from passing easily
. This obstruction
was about an inch above the sternum
nearly under the Thyroid Gland.


At first little or no attention was paid
to it, & for a year continued nearly in the



[Page 2]

same state rather encreasing as otherwise
When from the uneasiness it gave her
she grew alarmed & spoke of it to my
father. A Blister was applied over the part
which produced no alleviation of the complaint.
She was then directed to rub half a drachm of strong
mercurial ointment
every night upon
her throat & to keep herself wrapped up
in flannel. Soon after the use of the
Mercury
a soreness began in the narrow
part which spread from that along the
Œsophagus
to the mouth and rendered swallow¬
ing still more difficult
. The Mercury
was left off when Mrs Arnot was with child
but never has as yet apparently affected
her mouth. The last time it was used
a drachm of the ointment was rubbed every
night & continued for about a month
since which time the soreness in the
œsophagus
has in a great measure
left her, which is a month or six weeks ago.
The feeling of a lump in her throat has
likewise left her, but in place of that she
says she has a swelling all round which
prevents her from swallowing, by shutting
up the canal
& she thinks at present
she could not get a pea thro it.




[Page 3]


Upon examining the throat ↑externally↑ no swelling
whatever is observable nor can that
can that thickening of the coats of the
Œsophagus
she describes as feeling, be
discovered. The difficulty in swallowing
has all along been easier when she
was with child
or in warm weather
& on the other hand exposure to cold has
always encreased it. I have never had
an opportunity of examining with the
[probating?] so can say nothing with certain¬
ty of the size of the stricture.
She likewise complains of a kind
of tightness about the end of the
Rectum
which prevents her
from voiding hard fæces
with ease. She is in every other respect
in perfect health & if you think the use
of Mercury necessary, it can be safely
given as she is not at present with Child.
You will please recieve a guinea enclosed
& I shall expect an answer as soon
as convenient. I ever am Dear Sir

with the highest esteem
your obliged servant
William Hamilton
Glasgow
February 6th
1782



[Page 4]


Dr Cullen
Professor of Medecine
Edinburgh


Mr Hamilton
Concerning Mrs Arnot
February 1782
V XIII. p. 285 &c

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Dear Sir


I am desired by Mr Alston
a merchant in town to consult you about
his daughter Mrs Arnot. Three years ago
she took a journey to the North country
in an open chaise, in the beginning of
winter six months after she had lain in.
From the bad weather, & damp beds
they met with on the road, she got a
sore
throat which however was not
very violent. When this complaint had
left her she found a difficulty in swallow¬
ing
& as she described it, a lump on the
inside of the gullet
which prevented the
food from passing easily
. This obstruction
was about an inch above the sternum
nearly under the Thyroid Gland.


At first little or no attention was paid
to it, & for a year continued nearly in the



[Page 2]

same state rather encreasing as otherwise
When from the uneasiness it gave her
she grew alarmed & spoke of it to my
father. A Blister was applied over the part
which produced no alleviation of the complaint.
She was then directed to rub ʒſs of strong
mercurial ointment
every night upon
her throat & to keep herself wrapped up
in flannel. Soon after the use of the
Mercury
a soreness began in the narrow
part which spread from that along the
Œsophagus
to the mouth and rendered swallow¬
ing still more difficult
. The Mercury
was left off when Mrs Arnot was with child
but never has as yet apparently affected
her mouth. The last time it was used
ʒi of the ointment was rubbed every
night & continued for about a month
since which time the soreness in the
œsophagus
has in a great measure
left her, which is a month or six weeks ago.
The feeling of a lump in her throat has
likewise left her, but in place of that she
says she has a swelling all round which
prevents her from swallowing, by shutting
up the canal
& she thinks at present
she could not get a pea thro it.




[Page 3]


Upon examining the throat ↑externally↑ no swelling
whatever is observable nor can that
can that thickening of the coats of the
Œsophagus
she describes as feeling, be
discovered. The difficulty in swallowing
has all along been easier when she
was with child
or in warm weather
& on the other hand exposure to cold has
always encreased it. I have never had
an opportunity of examining with the
[probating?] so can say nothing with certain¬
ty of the size of the stricture.
She likewise complains of a kind
of tightness about the end of the
Rectum
which prevents her
from voiding hard fæces
with ease. She is in every other respect
in perfect health & if you think the use
of Mercury necessary, it can be safely
given as she is not at present with Child.
You will please recieve a guinea enclosed
& I shall expect an answer as soon
as convenient. I ever am Dear Sir

with the highest esteem
your obliged servant
William Hamilton
Glasgow
Feby 6th
1782



[Page 4]


Dr Cullen
Professor of Medecine
Edinburgh


Mr Hamilton
C Mrs Arnot
Febry 1782
V XIII. p. 285 &c

XML

XML file not yet available.

Feedback

Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:2145]

Type
Comments
 

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...