The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:2165] From: Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Gilbert Gordon (Collector Gordon; of Halleaths and Lochmaben) (Patient), (a Gentleman) (Patient) / 2 March 1782 / (Incoming)
Letter from John Gilchrist, concerning the case of an unnamed female patient, who has been treated for fluor albus with eggshells, and reporting on the progress of Mr Gordon of Halleath, who is 'growing fatter' and 'sleeps well'. However, his paralysis continues, despite the use of warm bathing. Gilchrist asks whether cold bathing at Allonby would be suitable.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 2165 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1239 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 2 March 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 John Gilchrist, concerning the case of an unnamed female patient, who has been treated for fluor albus with eggshells, and reporting on the progress of Mr Gordon of Halleath, who is 'growing fatter' and 'sleeps well'. However, his paralysis continues, despite the use of warm bathing. Gilchrist asks whether cold bathing at Allonby would be suitable. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1354] |
Case of Mr Gordon, who obtains an electrical machine to treat the pain and weakness in his lower back and stomach region, a condition considered almost paralytic by his local physician Dr John Gilchrist. |
7 |
| [Case ID:1373] |
Case of an unnamed female patient with menstrual and uterine problems which are thought to be affecting he mental state; a friend and poor relation of Dr John Gilchrist at Dumfries. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:115] | Author | Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2133] | Patient | (a Gentleman) |
| [PERS ID:168] | Patient | Mr Gilbert Gordon (Collector Gordon; of Halleaths and Lochmaben) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:115] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) |
| [PERS ID:178] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Margaret Gordon (of Halleaths) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Dumfries | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Allonby | North-West | England | Europe | certain | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Cumberland | North-West | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I drop a line by an oportunity which offers, just
to mention that the distressed Lady, of whom I last writ
you, has for three or four weeks past, been a good deal
better, that is to say she has been ↑in↑ a great measure free
both from the profluvium and fluor albus, during that time,
though still very low and distressed at times. – Before this
amendment she had used Cold bathing for a short time
among other things; – but a good deal of advantage is
supposed to have been gained from a remedy which I would
not have expected to have afforded any – namely egg shells,
not calcined, but merely roasted brown ↑and powdered,↑ recommended ex¬
pressly for the fluor albus & profluvium by an experienced
nurse; and so strongly that I consented to their being tried.
– Could they have had any effect upon these symptoms? – Soon
after the patient began to use them, she voided some Gra¬
vel, an effect which they might have produced – At the time
I mentioned this case last, and before the egg shells were
proposed, the Lady was affected for two or three days, with
such severe and continuing pains in the lower parts of
the belly that I began to be apprehensive of some more
confirmed and incurable disease. These (which I was
once obliged to direct the warm bath for, & with very sensible
[Page 2]
And immediate relief) were succeeded by a diarrhœa, which
Continued more or less for several days; and the patient has
been since little distressed with her former (↑obstinate↑) costiveness – in
Comparison of what she formerly was: – This is a change more
likely to have procured the present respite than the
Nurse's remedy –– After all however there has been a re¬
turn of the fluor albus, within these two or three days,
And we are making a trial of the Bearberry, which, since
I was favoured with yours, there never was room
or occasion for before - The Ladys friends were much
satisfied with the letter you was so good as to write me
This Week I had a letter from Mrs Gordon of
Halleaths informing me that after a complete trial
of the warm Bathing, Mr Gordon is just where he
was, the use of the lower extremities not being in
the smallest degree restored mended. – I heartily wish
I could have given you a better account. – Mrs
Gordon asks if any thing can be thought for the ensuing
Summer? –– He is growing fatter, sleeps well, & when
objects occur to amuse him, gets into good spirits, though
[Page 3]
at other times he is extremely depressed – As the season
advances I believe some easy excursion will be ad¬
viseable - to pass the time, – and likewise ↑to↑ keep up Mr
Gordons spirits with the prospect of it. – Formerly you
did not think cold bathing adviseable – Could it be
spoken of now as a thing, in certain circumstances
and with proper management, to be tried in the
heat of Summer? – On the opposite side of our
Firth [at] Allanby in Cumberland, there is an
exceedingly convenient bathing place, – with
every good and cheap accommodation, to which
Mr & Mrs G might perhaps like to go at the proper
time, whether they used the bathing much or not; for in¬
deed I should be very doubtful if there would be re¬
action enough ↑or of a proper kind↑ in his system for the shock of a
cold bath. – Some cautious trials however in the warm¬
est weather might not be hurtful
When you have leisure to drop a line on these
points I shall be happy to receive it, and in the
mean time am
D[ear] Sir
Yours always
[Page 4]
To
Doctor Cullen Physician
Edinburgh
Dr Gilchrist
Concerning a Lady & Gordon
of Halleaths
March 1782
V XIII p 324.
Diplomatic Text
I drop a line by an oportunity which offers, just
to mention that the distressed Lady, of whom I last writ
you, has for three or four weeks past, been a good deal
better, that is to say she has been ↑in↑ a great measure free
both from the profluvium and fluor albus, during that time,
though still very low and distressed at times. – Before this
amendment she had used Cold bathing for a short time
among other things; – but a good deal of advantage is
supposed to have been gained from a remedy which I would
not have expected to have afforded any – namely egg shells,
not calcined, but merely roasted brown ↑and powdered,↑ recommended ex¬
pressly for the fluor albus & profluvium by an experienced
nurse; and so strongly that I consented to their being tried.
– Could they have had any effect upon these symptoms? – Soon
after the patient began to use them, she voided some Gra¬
vel, an effect which they might have produced – At the time
I mentioned this case last, and before the egg shells were
proposed, the Lady was affected for two or three days, with
such severe and continuing pains in the lower parts of
the belly that I began to be apprehensive of some more
confirmed and incurable disease. These (which I was
once obliged to direct the warm bath for, & with very sensible
[Page 2]
And immediate relief) were succeeded by a diarrhœa, which
Continued more or less for several days; and the patient has
been since little distressed with her former (↑obstinate↑) costiveness – in
Comparison of what she formerly was: – This is a change more
likely to have procured the present respite than the
Nurse's remedy –– After all however there has been a re¬
turn of the fluor albus, within these two or three days,
And we are making a trial of the Uva Ursi, which, since
I was favoured with yours, there never was room
or occasion for before - The Ladys friends were much
satisfied with the letter you was so good as to write me
This Week I had a letter from Mrs Gordon of
Halleaths informing me that after a complete trial
of the warm Bathing, Mr Gordon is just where he
was, the use of the lower extremities not being in
the smallest degree restored mended. – I heartily wish
I could have given you a better account. – Mrs
Gordon asks if any thing can be thought for the ensuing
Summer? –– He is growing fatter, sleeps well, & when
objects occur to amuse him, gets into good spirits, though
[Page 3]
at other times he is extremely depressed – As the season
advances I believe some easy excursion will be ad¬
viseable - to pass the time, – and likewise ↑to↑ keep up Mr
Gordons spirits with the prospect of it. – Formerly you
did not think cold bathing adviseable – Could it be
spoken of now as a thing, in certain circumstances
and with proper management, to be tried in the
heat of Summer? – On the opposite side of our
Firth [at] Allanby in Cumberland, there is an
exceedingly convenient bathing place, – with
every good and cheap accommodation, to which
Mr & Mrs G might perhaps like to go at the proper
time, whether they used the bathing much or not; for in¬
deed I should be very doubtful if there would be re¬
action enough ↑or of a proper kind↑ in his system for the shock of a
cold bath. – Some cautious trials however in the warm¬
est weather might not be hurtful
When you have leisure to drop a line on these
points I shall be happy to receive it, and in the
mean time am
D[ear] Sir
Yours always
[Page 4]
To
Doctor Cullen Physician
Edinburgh
Dr Gilchrist
C a Lady & Gordon
of Halleaths
March 1782
V XIII p 324.
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