The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3498] From: Mr John Goodsir / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr John Bethune (Lindsay) (Lindsay of Wormiston; after 1782, Bethune of Kilconquhar/Balfour) (Patient), Mr (Patient) / 16 April 1789 / (Incoming)
Letter from John Goodsir to William and Henry Cullen, concerning the case of Mr Bethune, whose stomach has become 'more and more deraingd' and continues to suffer from Å“dema. Goodsir also mentions 'a poor young man in this neighbourhood' who is 'subject to Epilepsy', and asks 'if he could be admitted at present as Doctor Cullens Clerical Patient'.
- 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 | 3498 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/2390 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 16 April 1789 |
| 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 Goodsir to William and Henry Cullen, concerning the case of Mr Bethune, whose stomach has become 'more and more deraingd' and continues to suffer from Å“dema. Goodsir also mentions 'a poor young man in this neighbourhood' who is 'subject to Epilepsy', and asks 'if he could be admitted at present as Doctor Cullens Clerical Patient'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:196] |
Case of John (Lindsay) Bethune of Kilconquhar, being reported almost daily by his surgeon John Goodsir. |
24 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1301] | Author | Mr John Goodsir |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:464] | Patient | Mr John Bethune (Lindsay of Wormiston; after 1782, Bethune of Kilconquhar/Balfour) |
| [PERS ID:5917] | Patient | Mr |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:544] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
| [PERS ID:1301] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Goodsir |
| [PERS ID:544] | Supplemental Addressee | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Largo | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | The University of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Place of Handstamp | Leven | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
About the 6th. or 7th. last.
Mr. Bethune began to observe his Urine not so free
Breathlessness rather more frequent, & Swelling on the
Limbs a little encreased, much about the same time
also his Stomach began to fail a little, I wrote a report
of the same on the 10th. current in that as well as in
the report of the 14th. I probably was not ↑so↑ minute
as I ought to have been to have said that Mr. Bethune
was averse to food & medicine the Electuary excepted
tho it did not ↑even↑ set well, the other medicines he only
would take as his Stomach would seem to receive
them so they were not on that account regularly
taken, as his Stomach became more and more deraingd
from the above date till the Evening of the 13th. when
he got the Emetic- When I said in a former report
that the Laudenam & Squills had no sensible effects
on Mr. Bethune I meant to signify that the Laudenam
neither produced composure nor sleep, nor the Squills
had no effect on the Bowels or Kidnies, In a former
[Page 2]
report I remember of saying that it wasw not from
any particular pain that Mr. Bethune could not
sleep but from an Anxiety about the Præcordia
Last report was on Friday Morning the 14th. current
at which time Mr. Bethune had got the Electuary
but was not then begun to operate, afterward, how¬
ever it produced two copious watery stools, all the
other Symptomes thro' this day the same as mention'd
in the mornings report, Pass'd but a poor night-
Wednesday Morning all the Symptomes the same as
yesterday. Was three hours out in the Carriage besides
a walk round the Garden before Breakfast- At
Bedtime got five grams of Nitre with half a grain
of Squills (but would by no means take the Laudenam)
sat well on his Stomach and had a better night
than he has had for two or three weeks past--
This morning Thursday was looking Better, & in
Better Spirits than I have seen for a long time past
made a food Breakfast of Pottage & Milk about 8 oClock
said he found himself perfectly free and easy in Breathing
since yesterday after his Airing (no return of Breathlessness
[Page 3]
at the same time pass'd little Urine thro the night
& still turbid- Swelling of the Limbs a good deal demin¬
ish'd this moring. Dryness of the Tongue gone, Bowels
natural and would not take the Electuary, but made
a point he was to take 3 or 4 doses of Nitre & Squills
at bedtime which he agreed to, & urged a long ride within
fatigue-- I was favourd with yours of the 11th. current
on the 14th- at noon-
There is a poor young man in this neighbourhood
for some time past has been subject to Epil[epsy]
I beg leave to know if he could be admi[tted at]
present as Doctor Cullens Clerical Patient--
With very much Respect
I am Dear Gentlemen,
Your very Humble & Obedient Servant
Largo April 16th.
1789
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Professor of Medicine
University of Edinburgh
Diplomatic Text
About the 6th. or 7th. last.
Mr. Bethune began to observe his Urine not so free
Breathlessness rather more frequent, & Swelling on the
Limbs a little encreased, much about the same time
also his Stomach began to fail a little, I wrote a report
of the same on the 10th. Curr. in that as well as in
the report of the 14th. I probably was not ↑so↑ minute
as I ought to have been to have said that Mr. Bethune
was averse to food & medicine the Electuary excepted
tho it did not ↑even↑ set well, the other medicines he only
would take as his Stomach would seem to receive
them so they were not on that account regularly
taken, as his Stomach became more and more deraingd
from the above date till the Evening of the 13th. when
he got the Emetic- When I said in a former report
that the Laudenam & Squills had no sensible effects
on Mr. Bethune I meant to signify that the Laudenam
neither produced composure nor sleep, nor the Squills
had no effect on the Bowels or Kidnies, In a former
[Page 2]
report I remember of saying that it wasw not from
any particular pain that Mr. Bethune could not
sleep but from an Anxiety about the Præcordia
Last report was on Friday Morning the 14th. Curr.
at which time Mr. Bethune had got the Electuary
but was not then begun to operate, afterward, how¬
ever it produced two copious watery stools, all the
other Symptomes thro' this day the same as mention'd
in the mornings report, Pass'd but a poor night-
Wednesday Morning all the Symptomes the same as
yesterday. Was three hours out in the Carriage besides
a walk round the Garden before Breakfast- At
Bedtime got five grams of Nitre with half a grain
of Squills (but would by no means take the Laudenam)
sat well on his Stomach and had a better night
than he has had for two or three weeks past--
This morning Thursday was looking Better, & in
Better Spirits than I have seen for a long time past
made a food Breakfast of Pottage & Milk about 8 oClock
said he found himself perfectly free and easy in Breathing
since yesterday after his Airing (no return of Breathlessness
[Page 3]
at the same time pass'd little Urine thro the night
& still turbid- Swelling of the Limbs a good deal demin¬
ish'd this moring. Dryness of the Tongue gone, Bowels
natural and would not take the Electuary, but made
a point he was to take 3 or 4 doses of Nitre & Squills
at bedtime which he agreed to, & urged a long ride within
fatigue-- I was favourd with yours of the 11th. Currt.
on the 14th- at noon-
There is a poor young man in this neighbourhood
for some time past has been subject to Epil[epsy]
I beg leave to know if he could be admi[tted at]
present as Doctor Cullens Clerical Patient--
With very much Respect
I am Dear Gentlemen,
Your very Hube. & Obt. Servt.
Largo April 16th.
1789
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Professor of Medicine
University of Edinr.
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