Cullen

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

 

[ID:2402] From: George Cochran (Cochrane) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: George Cochran (Cochrane) (Patient), Mr John Shanks (Patient) / 15 February 1784 / (Incoming)

Letter from George Cochran, concerning his own case and that of John Shanks.

Facsimile

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 2402
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/1457
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date15 February 1784
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 George Cochran, concerning his own case and that of John Shanks.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting Yes

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:727]
Case of John Shanks who has a pulmonary condition.
4
[Case ID:2083]
Case of George Cochrane whose case is diagnosed as dyspepsia.
4


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:3240]Author George Cochran (Cochrane)
[PERS ID:1]AddresseeDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:3240]Patient George Cochran (Cochrane)
[PERS ID:3241]PatientMr John Shanks
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:216]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr Robert Wallace
[PERS ID:3240]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary George Cochran (Cochrane)

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 Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Place of Handstamp Glasgow Glasgow and West Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Sir


Mr John Shanks ↑Merchant↑ a Gentleman about 30 years of age of a
thin sparse habit of body & rather narrow chested subject to Coughs in
winter & at other times used to complain of pain in his breast in
a slight degree, which was generally relieved by blooding, accus¬
tomed to live pretty freely but not remarkably intemperate- He had
a Cough & pulmonic complaints 6 or 7 years ago which were soon
relieved by the usual remedies & has never been so bad as to be
confined to the House since- In the end of December last was seizd
with Cough more severely than usual & uneasy sensation at
his breast heat and frequent pulse- January 1st was blooded- took
a doze Salts- had an emetic- some [Nitrous?] powders- confined to the
house- complained of pain in the Breast- Blooding repeatted the
9th not very sizy a Blister applied to Sternum which seemd to
relieve him- Cough & other complaints better so that he went out
for some days- about the 20th Cough returned- had ammoncal Solu¬
tion
spat up thick mucous at times pretty freely, but pulse
very frequent being never under 80 in the morning & encreased
to 110 & 120 in the evening
- pain pain in lower part of thorax right
side
to which a Blister was applied which made it shift & easd
it a little- inclin'd to sweat through the night & wasted very




[Page 2]


fast. The Blooding was not repeatted as neither pulse nor other com ↑appearances↑
indicated Plethora- He is at present much emaciated. He sits up in
the Day sleeps tollerably, has little Drough- can take some victu¬
als & drinks milk in the morning without any inconveniency. Of
late has some Disposition to Diarrhœa- Mr Wallace with whom
I am now in partnership has seen him all along & thinks he has
been much at a stand these some days I have not seen him of late
being confined myself- this morning was told he was a good deal
troubled with Cough & did not spit up any- pulse above 80- yet he
he had got good nights rest & two stools thro the night- he has not
consulted any Physician here & {illeg} wishes much to have your
advice as soon as possible- I believe he has no hereditary
taint- I hope you well can form a proper enough idea of this Disease
tho' I have been obliged to draw his case hastily & perhaps not
so accurately as it should have been- As I am writing
you at any rate I shall use the freedom to give you an account of
my own disease & if you can give me any hint from the slight
account I shall give you of it, how to manage it or point out
any method I should ffollow either by Regimen or Medicines
I shall esteem it a singular favour- Towards the end of the year
I had great weakness of stomach- reluctance to all kind of ffood &
[wearedness?] & uneasy sensation- I took a vomit & used Bitters ↓expecting it↓




[Page 3]


woud go off as usual- for I have been all my life of a weakly consti¬
tution & very subject to a Disease you have so excellently marked out
& distinguished viz Dyspepsia however my disorder increased &
I at last perceived I had got the jaundice this was the first week of January
it seemd but slight & went off on taking a puke & laxatives I went about
8 or 10 days but never recovered any appetite when I was again siezed
with severe sickness & to relieve myself took two or three vomits which I
believe weakd & damaged my stomach too much- for many days
coud take no nourishment & was weakened to a great degree I re¬
covered gradualy & in 12 or 14 days after getting my belly opend
with aloetic pills & soap the jaundice disapeard almost entirely. I
got my appetite & turnd strong & went about for 10 days when I
perceived the Jaundice again attack me to a great degree so
there seems a total obstruction of bile skin & urine very
deep tinged & faeces clayish colourd & this still continues. I
can all along ↑in↑ this attack, take some victuals tho very
sick
↑at times↑ but not like nausea- I keep open with Aloetic pill
I tryed soap two drachms a day did no good but sickend me- some
little thirst
- & as the weather is so severe confind myself en¬
tirely to the House- I never had least pain about the liver
nor any where- would be quite costive if I did not take the pills- in short
this third attack is not like to leave me but I have troubled you ↑too↑ long
with this account-


I am Sir with great esteem Your
Much obliged Servant
Geo: Cochran
Glasgow 15 February 1784



[Page 4]


Dr William Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh


Mr. John Shanks
February 1784

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Sir


Mr John Shanks ↑Mercht.↑ a Gentleman about 30 years of age of a
thin sparse habit of body & rather narrow chested subject to Coughs in
winter & at other times used to complain of pain in his breast in
a slight degree, which was generally relieved by blooding, accus¬
tomed to live pretty freely but not remarkably intemperate- He had
a Cough & pulmonic complaints 6 or 7 years ago which were soon
relieved by the usual remedies & has never been so bad as to be
confined to the House since- In the end of Decemr. last was seizd
with Cough more severely than usual & uneasy sensation at
his breast heat and frequent pulse- Jany 1st was blooded- took
a doze Salts- had an emetic- some [Nitrous?] powders- confined to the
house- complained of pain in the Breast- Blooding repeatted the
9th not very sizy a Blister applied to Sternum which seemd to
relieve him- Cough & other complaints better so that he went out
for some days- about the 20th Cough returned- had ammoncal Solu¬
tion
spat up thick mucous at times pretty freely, but pulse
very frequent being never under 80 in the morning & encreased
to 110 & 120 in the evening
- pain pain in lower part of thorax right
side
to which a Blister was applied which made it shift & easd
it a little- inclin'd to sweat through the night & wasted very




[Page 2]


fast. The Blooding was not repeatted as neither pulse nor other com ↑appearances↑
indicated Plethora- He is at present much emaciated. He sits up in
the Day sleeps tollerably, has little Drough- can take some victu¬
als & drinks milk in the morning without any inconveniency. Of
late has some Disposition to Diarrhœa- Mr Wallace with whom
I am now in partnership has seen him all along & thinks he has
been much at a stand these some days I have not seen him of late
being confined myself- this morning was told he was a good deal
troubled with Cough & did not spit up any- pulse above 80- yet he
he had got good nights rest & two stools thro the night- he has not
consulted any Physician here & {illeg} wishes much to have your
advice as soon as possible- I believe he has no hereditary
taint- I hope you well can form a proper enough idea of this Disease
tho' I have been obliged to draw his case hastily & perhaps not
so accurately as it should have been- As I am writing
you at any rate I shall use the freedom to give you an account of
my own disease & if you can give me any hint from the slight
account I shall give you of it, how to manage it or point out
any method I should ffollow either by Regimen or Medicines
I shall esteem it a singular favour- Towards the end of the year
I had great weakness of stomach- reluctance to all kind of ffood &
[wearedness?] & uneasy sensation- I took a vomit & used Bitters ↓expecting it↓




[Page 3]


woud go off as usual- for I have been all my life of a weakly consti¬
tution & very subject to a Disease you have so excellently marked out
& distinguished viz Dyspepsia however my disorder increased &
I at last perceived I had got the jaundice this was the first week of Jany
it seemd but slight & went off on taking a puke & laxatives I went about
8 or 10 days but never recovered any appetite when I was again siezed
with severe sickness & to relieve myself took two or three vomits wch. I
believe weakd & damaged my stomach too much- for many days
coud take no nourishment & was weakened to a great degree I re¬
covered gradualy & in 12 or 14 days after getting my belly opend
with aloetic pills & soap the jaundice disapeard almost entirely. I
got my appetite & turnd strong & went about for 10 days when I
perceived the Jaundice again attack me to a great degree so
there seems a total obstruction of bile skin & urine very
deep tinged & faeces clayish colourd & this still continues. I
can all along ↑in↑ this attack, take some victuals tho very
sick
↑at times↑ but not like nausea- I keep open with Aloet. pill
I tryed soap ʒij a day did no good but sickend me- some
little thirst
- & as the weather is so severe confind myself en¬
tirely to the House- I never had least pain about the liver
nor any where- would be quite costive if I did not take the pills- in short
this third attack is not like to leave me but I have troubled you ↑too↑ long
with this account-


I am Sir with great esteem Your
Much obliged Servt
Geo: Cochran
Glasgow 15 ffeby 1784



[Page 4]


Dr William Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh


Mr. John Shanks
Febry. 1784

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