
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3053] From: Mr John Johnstone (Jock; of Alva) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Miss Elizabeth Johnstone (Betty; Mrs Betty; Johnston; of Westerhall) (Patient), Miss Ann Elizabeth Johnstone (Betty) (Patient) / 14 July 1787 / (Incoming)
etter from John Johnstone of Alva, concerning his sister Betty (here unnamed), who suffers from numbness and from pain in the bowels. He also reports on his daughter, also known as Betty, who suffers from a cough, accompanied by nosebleeds and vomiting.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.

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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 3053 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/2086 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 14 July 1787 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Authorial original |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | No |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | etter from John Johnstone of Alva, concerning his sister Betty (here unnamed), who suffers from numbness and from pain in the bowels. He also reports on his daughter, also known as Betty, who suffers from a cough, accompanied by nosebleeds and vomiting. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:2070] |
Case of Miss Betty Johnstone of Alva, a child with a cough and nosebleeds. |
6 |
[Case ID:2071] |
Case of Betty Johnstone, sister of John Johnstone of Alva, who has a serious bowel disorder which prompts Cullen to make a personal visit. |
7 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:5322] | Author | Mr John Johnstone (Jock; of Alva) |
[PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:1087] | Patient | Miss Elizabeth Johnstone (Betty; Mrs Betty; Johnston; of Westerhall) |
[PERS ID:5324] | Patient | Miss Ann Elizabeth Johnstone (Betty) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:5322] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr John Johnstone (Jock; of Alva) |
Places linked to this document
Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Writing | Alva House | Alva | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
Place of Handstamp | Alloa | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I am greatly Obliged by your very
kind letter which I have never been at leisure to
acknowledge being often from home since we
parted –– It will be acceptable to you who take
so great a Concern for our worthy friend she
continues better than you saw her Sleeps tolerably
has had no returns of the pain In her Bowels nor
does she complain of the Sickness & Pain that used to
attack her about three in the morning –– nevertheless
the Numbness still continues notwithstanding all the chafing
is bestowed upon it & some Pain ↑of↑ which she does
not complain after what she has endured –– she continues
to take the Draft you ordered every night –– We have
got her out for an hour In the Coach three times
to try If she could bear the Motion & she bore it tolerably
[Page 2]
We have only given the drops once since you went
I mean 50 at a time –– you will please to say
what we should do for the numbness, besides the airing
Rubbing & keeping up her spirits.
Our Dear Child Betty
suffers much, the Coughing fits are frequent & violent
& always accompanied by large bleedings at the nose
from the Violence of the straining –– It has brought her
very thin & I am afraid she fall too weak If the
bleeding be permitted to go on –– should we try to
stop it? –– Would ass or mares milk do her
any service? –– she takes the Antispasmodic
Mixture twice a day –– has only taken two
vomits yet. ↑Should they be continued so↑ She throws up a great deal of flegm
in her chinks –– I have only time to say I have
a very strong sense of your great attention, & am
[Page 3]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
Diplomatic Text
I am greatly Obliged by your very
kind letter which I have never been at leisure to
acknowledge being often from home since we
parted –– It will be acceptable to you who take
so great a Concern for our worthy friend she
continues better than you saw her Sleeps tolerably
has had no returns of the pain In her Bowels nor
does she complain of the Sickness & Pain that used to
attack her about three in the morning –– nevertheless
the Numbness still continues notwithstanding all the chafing
is bestowed upon it & some Pain ↑of↑ which she does
not complain after what she has endured –– she continues
to take the Draft you ordered every night –– We have
got her out for an hour In the Coach three times
to try If she could bear the Motion & she bore it tolerably
[Page 2]
We have only given the drops once since you went
I mean 50 at a time –– you will please to say
what we shd. do for the numbness, besides the airing
Rubbing & keeping up her spirits.
Our Dear Child Betty
suffers much, the Coughing fits are frequent & violent
& always accompanied by large bleedings at the nose
from the Violence of the straining –– It has brought her
very thin & I am afraid she fall too weak If the
bleeding be permitted to go on –– shd. we try to
stop it? –– Would ass or mares milk do her
any service? –– she takes the Antispasmodic
Mixture twice a day –– has only taken two
vomits yet. ↑Should they be continued so↑ She throws up a great deal of flegm
in her chinks –– I have only time to say I have
a very strong sense of your great attention, & am
[Page 3]
Doctor Cullen
Edinr.
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