Cullen

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

 

[ID:2800] From: Mr Thomas Wilson / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Wood (of Thoresby) (Patient) / 23 April 1786 / (Incoming)

Letter from Thomas Wilson, reporting the death of Mr Wood's son and the post mortem.

Facsimile

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 2800
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/1838
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date23 April 1786
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy Yes
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter from Thomas Wilson, reporting the death of Mr Wood's son and the post mortem.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting Yes

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1155]
Case of Master Wood, aged seventeen and recently a pupil at Westminster School, who has a bladder complaint attributed to a venereal infection and also a pulmonary weakness which proves fatal.
12


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:5139]AuthorMr Thomas Wilson
[PERS ID:1]AddresseeDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:5140]PatientMr Wood (of Thoresby)
[PERS ID:5139]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr Thomas Wilson
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:5564]Other Physician / SurgeonDr Wilson
[PERS ID:5141]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr Wood (of Thoresby)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Louth Midlands England Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Place of Handstamp Louth Midlands England Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Louth April 23d. 1786 -
Sir,


I am desired by Mr Wood to inform you, that
his Son, after a gradual wasting of strength, died on
the 8th. of this month; and to communicate to you, not
doubting but it will give you pleasure, the appearances
upon dissection -


In the Thorax -


The Membrane lining the Trachea shewed signs of pre¬
vious inflammation
just above its bifurcation -
The Lungs adhered on all sides to the pluera with
very considerable firmness - Their whole substance
was disease - There were two large Vomicæ, one on
the upper part of each lobe
, containing each about
two ounces of a thin fluid; besides several smaller
ones
, and numerous tubercles, more or less advanced
to suppuration -


The Heart and its Appendages were sound.




[Page 2]


In the Abdomen


The first view of the left Kidney saw it in a morbid state; it
was much inlarged, uneven on its surface, and unequally
hard to the feel
- The Ureter of the same side was distended
to about a third of an inch in diameter, and was also hard -
These parts on being opened were found to be filled with
two or three ounces of a firm impacted pus
, which could
be washed off with difficulty, and was squeezed out upon
pressure on every side from the Tubili urineferi of the
Kidney
-


The right Kidney seemed larger & softer than usual -


The rest of the Viscera sound -


In the Pelvis -


The Bladder, on exposing its cavity had a very uncommon
appearance - it contained some spoonfuls of ↑a↑ Fluid like
whey mixed with curds - its inner surface was of a
yellowish white colour, hard to the touch, and was
unequally raised of thickned, so as to resemble longitudi¬
nal incisions irregularly intersected; this was most obser¬




[Page 3]


vable about the Neck: the opening of the right Ureter
had the appearance of a small nipple -


The Prostate shewed no mark of previous disease:
nor the Urethra -


Mr Wood, Sir, desires me further to say that if it were
not troublesome he could wish to have your sentiments upon
the disease as now stated, particularly as to the original
cause, whether it ought to be attributed to the Kidney or
Lungs - And to inform you, as it may throw some light
upon the matter, that his Son had the Meazles in Novem¬
ber 1780, & after them, a cough & fever for some months -
that in the summer of the same year he rode post upwards
of 80 miles which heated him violently, and was followed by
a fever soon after - He desires one to say also that his
Son was much in the practice of strong exertions in the
way of jumping -


Before I conclude, Dr. Cullen will allow me to say that
I had the Honour of attending his Lectures in the
years 1770, 71 & 72, & to [offer?] him my sincere acknow¬




[Page 4]


ledgements for many personal civilities, and for almost
every degree of medical knowledge which I possess - My
Brother, who graduated last June, [desires?] his respects: &

I have the honour to be Sr, Your obliged humble Servant
Thos. Wilson
-


Dr. Cullen
Edinburgh
Turn at Stilton


Dr Wilson
Concerning Mr. Wood 106.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Louth April 23d. 1786 -
Sir,


I am desired by Mr Wood to inform you, that
his Son, after a gradual wasting of strength, died on
the 8th. of this month; and to communicate to you, not
doubting but it will give you pleasure, the appearances
upon dissection -


In the Thorax -


The Membrane lining the Trachea shewed signs of pre¬
vious inflammation
just above its bifurcation -
The Lungs adhered on all sides to the pluera with
very considerable firmness - Their whole substance
was disease - There were two large Vomicæ, one on
the upper part of each lobe
, containing each about
two ounces of a thin fluid; besides several smaller
ones
, and numerous tubercles, more or less advanced
to suppuration -


The Heart and its Appendages were sound.




[Page 2]


In the Abdomen


The first view of the left Kidney saw it in a morbid state; it
was much inlarged, uneven on its surface, and unequally
hard to the feel
- The Ureter of the same side was distended
to about a third of an inch in diameter, and was also hard -
These parts on being opened were found to be filled with
two or three ounces of a firm impacted pus
, which could
be washed off with difficulty, and was squeezed out upon
pressure on every side from the Tubili urineferi of the
Kidney
-


The right Kidney seemed larger & softer than usual -


The rest of the Viscera sound -


In the Pelvis -


The Bladder, on exposing its cavity had a very uncommon
appearance - it contained some spoonfuls of ↑a↑ Fluid like
whey mixed with curds - its inner surface was of a
yellowish white colour, hard to the touch, and was
unequally raised of thickned, so as to resemble longitudi¬
nal incisions irregularly intersected; this was most obser¬




[Page 3]


vable about the Neck: the opening of the right Ureter
had the appearance of a small nipple -


The Prostate shewed no mark of previous disease:
nor the Urethra -


Mr Wood, Sir, desires me further to say that if it were
not troublesome he could wish to have your sentiments upon
the disease as now stated, particularly as to the original
cause, whether it ought to be attributed to the Kidney or
Lungs - And to inform you, as it may throw some light
upon the matter, that his Son had the Meazles in Novem¬
ber 1780, & after them, a cough & fever for some months -
that in the summer of the same year he rode post upwards
of 80 miles which heated him violently, and was followed by
a fever soon after - He desires one to say also that his
Son was much in the practice of strong exertions in the
way of jumping -


Before I conclude, Dr. Cullen will allow me to say that
I had the Honour of attending his Lectures in the
years 1770, 71 & 72, & to [offer?] him my sincere acknow¬




[Page 4]


ledgements for many personal civilities, and for almost
every degree of medical knowledge which I possess - My
Brother, who graduated last June, [desires?] his respects: &

I have the honour to be Sr, Yr. obliged humble Servt
Thos. Wilson
-


Dr. Cullen
Edinburgh
Turn at Stilton


Dr Wilson
C. Mr. Wood 106.

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