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.
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
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Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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[Page 4]
Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 2145 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1220 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 6 February 1782 |
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 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 ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:175] | Author | Dr William Hamilton (in Glasgow) |
[PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:1265] | Patient | Mrs Janet Arnot (of Silverwood) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:175] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Hamilton (in Glasgow) |
[PERS ID:1057] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Professor Thomas Hamilton |
[PERS ID:1938] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr 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
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
your obliged servant
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
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
your obliged servant
Feby 6th
1782
[Page 4]
Dr Cullen
Professor of Medecine
Edinburgh
Mr Hamilton
C Mrs Arnot
Febry 1782
V XIII. p. 285 &c
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