The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:218] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Wommersley (Patient) / 20 November 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Mr Wommersly'. Directions for Mr Wommersley, in response to an account of his case from Mr White. Internal evidence in related letters suggest that this may have been addressed to Dr Marshall.
- 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 | 218 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/104 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 20 November 1781 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'For Mr Wommersly'. Directions for Mr Wommersley, in response to an account of his case from Mr White. Internal evidence in related letters suggest that this may have been addressed to Dr Marshall. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1337] |
Case of Mr Wommersley whose persistent abdominal pains, which prevent him sleeping, may indicate a liver disorder. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:186] | Patient | Mr Wommersley |
| [PERS ID:3000] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John White (Whytt) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1829] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Robert Marshall |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Destination of Letter | Paisley | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mr Wommersly
Upon the full ↑&↑ exact information I have had from
Mr White I have studied this gentlemans Case with all
the attention possible and I am sorry to observe that in
spite of the most judicious treatment it continues obsti¬
nate and threatens still to be troublesome. However there
is still no room to despair and I hope by some pains and
attention the disease may be entirely removed.
For this purpose He will be pleased to take every
night at bedtime the diaphoretic and diuretic draught
A. and if it agrees very well with his stomach and seems
to have diuretic effects it may be repeated in the morning
Till this morning ↑dose↑ shall be found proper let him take
every morning two table spoonfulls of ↑the↑ Decoction B.
repeating it every three hours till he has taken four or
six times every day. If this medicine sits well on his
stomach and goes by urine rather than by stool let him
take it either six times a day or three spoonfulls at a
dose for four times but if it either sits ill on his stomach
[Page 2]
or runs off much by stool ↑both↑ the quantity and number of doses
must be diminished.
These are the only medicines I would propose at pre¬
sent but I shall always be ready upon Mr Whites report
to advise farther.
Let Mr Wommerslys diet be light and rather cooling
I would by no means forbid animal food altogether but it
should be of the lighter kinds in moderate quantity and
only at dinner time. If his appetite should be bad so
that he can swallow some liquid food better than solid
I should ↑not↑ be against his having some broth but I would not
have him take more liquid food than is just necessary.
On that account too he should take Coffee at breakfast
rather than tea. If he can digest milk easily I would
advise him to take some milk meats either at breakfast
or supper. Roots and greens should be taken sparingly
on account of the flatulency of his bowels which he is liable
In drinking he must be very temperate both with res¬
pect to quantity and quality. Much drink of any kind
will hurt him and small beer as much as any thing but
[Page 3]
as drink cannot be avoided altogether let him take water
or gruel acidulated with lemon so that it quench in small
quantity & if this thirst should be very urgent let him take
- Slice of lemon or a bit of tamarind to deceive his thirst rather
than to gratify it by drinking. Strong drink in any quantity
would be very hurtfull but a glass or two of Rhenish or
of punch made of good dutch Gin may be at times allowable
When the weather is tolerably mild and dry an airing
in a carriage may be of service but the season is unfavourable
and cold might do much harm.
I hope he is not rendered unfit for business and a little
attention to it will do no harm but much application
would do a great deal
Edinburgh 20th November
1781
[Page 4]
For Mr Wommersly
Take one scruple of Tartar Salt, half an ounce or a sufficient quantity of lemon Juice, half an ounce of Simple cinnamon Water, one ounce of rose Water, two drachms of Simple Syrup and fifteen drops of sweet Spirit of nitre. Mix. Label: Diaphoretic Draught to be taken every night at bedtime
Take five drachms of Crystall Tartar and two drachms of Tamarind. In an earthen vessel, boil water from twelve ounces to ten ounces. Strain and add two drachms of white Sugar and half an ounce of Syrup of orange and orange peel. Mix. Label: Aperient Decoction two or three tablespoonfulls for a dose four or six times a day.
20th November
1781
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Wommersly
Upon the full ↑&↑ exact information I have had from
Mr White I have studied this gentlemans Case with all
the attention possible and I am sorry to observe that in
spite of the most judicious treatment it continues obsti¬
nate and threatens still to be troublesome. However there
is still no room to despair and I hope by some pains and
attention the disease may be entirely removed.
For this purpose He will be pleased to take every
night at bedtime the diaphoretic and diuretic draught
A. and if it agrees very well with his stomach and seems
to have diuretic effects it may be repeated in the morning
Till this morning ↑dose↑ shall be found proper let him take
every morning two table spoonfulls of ↑the↑ Decoction B.
repeating it every three hours till he has taken four or
six times every day. If this medicine sits well on his
stomach and goes by urine rather than by stool let him
take it either six times a day or three spoonfulls at a
dose for four times but if it either sits ill on his stomach
[Page 2]
or runs off much by stool ↑both↑ the quantity and number of doses
must be diminished.
These are the only medicines I would propose at pre¬
sent but I shall always be ready upon Mr Whites report
to advise farther.
Let Mr Wommerslys diet be light and rather cooling
I would by no means forbid animal food altogether but it
should be of the lighter kinds in moderate quantity and
only at dinner time. If his appetite should be bad so
that he can swallow some liquid food better than solid
I should ↑not↑ be against his having some broth but I would not
have him take more liquid food than is just necessary.
On that account too he should take Coffee at breakfast
rather than tea. If he can digest milk easily I would
advise him to take some milk meats either at breakfast
or supper. Roots and greens should be taken sparingly
on account of the flatulency of his bowels which he is liable
In drinking he must be very temperate both with res¬
pect to quantity and quality. Much drink of any kind
will hurt him and small beer as much as any thing but
[Page 3]
as drink cannot be avoided altogether let him take water
or gruel acidulated with lemon so that it quench in small
quantity & if this thirst should be very urgent let him take
- Slice of lemon or a bit of tamarind to deceive his thirst rather
than to gratify it by drinking. Strong drink in any quantity
would be very hurtfull but a glass or two of Rhenish or
of punch made of good dutch Gin may be at times allowable
When the weather is tolerably mild and dry an airing
in a carriage may be of service but the season is unfavourable
and cold might do much harm.
I hope he is not rendered unfit for business and a little
attention to it will do no harm but much application
would do a great deal
Edinr. 20th Novr.
1781
[Page 4]
For Mr Wommersly
A. ℞ Sal. Tartar ℈j
Succ. limon. ℥ſs vel. q.s.
Aq. cinnam. Simpl. ℥ſs
-- rosar ℥j
Syr. Simpl. ʒij
Spt. nitr. dulc. gtt XV.
ℳ. Signa Diaphoretic Draught to be taken every
night at bedtime
B. ℞ Crystall. Tartar. ʒv
Tamarind ʒij
Coque in vase fictili ex aquæ ℥xij ad ℥x et
colaturæ adde Sacchar. alb. ʒij
Syr. e cort. aurantior ℥ſs
ℳ. Signa Aperient Decoction two or three table
spoonfulls for a dose four or six times a day
20th Novr
1781
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