Cullen

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

 

[ID:351] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Mr Lydon (Patient) / October? 1775? / (Outgoing)

Reply 'For Mr Lydon', intended for his (unidentified) physician(s); Cullen begins by saying that as the information on the case is 'neither full nor exact', he can give only general directions, as it is unclear whether his ailment is diarrhœa or dystentery. A laxative recipe is attached.

Facsimile

There are 2 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 351
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/6/50
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
DateOctober? 1775?
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) Enclosure(s) present
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply 'For Mr Lydon', intended for his (unidentified) physician(s); Cullen begins by saying that as the information on the case is 'neither full nor exact', he can give only general directions, as it is unclear whether his ailment is diarrhœa or dystentery. A laxative recipe is attached.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:634]
Case of Mr Lydon whose abdominal complaint cannot be diagnosed fully without further details.
1


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1553]Addressee
[PERS ID:1507]PatientMr Lydon
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1553]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary

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

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Lydon.


Information on the case neither full nor exact, and of an old
date; therefore I can give only general directions --


If the complaint seemed to be entirely owing to some intempe¬
rance, if for the time, no Dysentery was Epidemic in the country, if the
disease, tho without bloody stools, had no other of the Dysenteric
symptoms
, such as gripes, Tenesmus and with frequent mucous
stools a retention of fæces the natural fæces, I would in these
circumstances conclude the disease to be a Diarrhœa only and I
would hope to cure it by Tonics, Astringents & Opiates and I
give a formula below, which I hope will be found to answer
and with that let him live on grain and milk, without wine
malt liquor or vegetables. When the looseness ceases or is much abated
let him take some Bark, with a small proportion of Alum and
if the Bark shows any tendency to purge him, let him take a
little Laudanum along with it. When he can bear riding it
will be of service to him & or some journey in a carriage ––


The advice I have now given proceeds entirely upon the
supposition that there has not been either first or last anything
in it properly Dysenteric, but if there has been anything of
this kind, the measures should probably be different. I consider
it as always the in Dysentery, that the natural fæces are retai¬
ned in the
Colon and that such retention is the cause of the
gripes Tenesmus and mucous stools, and that the disease can
not be cured but by Laxatives obviating the stagnation of
fæces
. Cr. Tart. Manna and Tamarinds may be tried
and if they are not enough they may be assisted by Senna



[Page 2]

Rhubarb, Jalap or Calomile as the state of the gentlemans
bowels seems to require, and if these Laxatives are found to bring
away hardened fæces, the repetition alternated with Opiates may be
depended upon for relief. But it may happen that the disease
which was at first Dysenteric
may by mistake be continued and
at length change into a Diarrhœa. If this can certainly be alledged
with regard to Mr Lydon then the measures are the same I
proposed for the (↑an↑) Original Diarrhœa


I can do no more at present, than this endeavour to put
Gentlemen in a way of judging of the real nature &c.

For Mr Lydon

Take an ounce each of powdered best Japanese Earth and crushed Cinnamon, and ounce of Gum Arabic and 8 ounces of boiling water. Steep, stirring, for 4 hours, then strain through woollen fabric, and add to the strained liquid an ounce each of Tincture of Japanese Earth and Diacodeine Syrup, and 40 drops of Thebaic Tincture, more or less as required.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Lydon.


Information on the case neither full nor exact, and of an old
date; therefore I can give only general directions --


If the complaint seemed to be entirely owing to some intempe¬
rance, if for the time, no Dysentery was Epidemic in the country, if the
disease, tho without bloody stools, had no other of the Dysenteric
symptoms
, such as gripes, Tenesmus and with frequent mucous
stools a retention of fæces the natural fæces, I would in these
circumstances conclude the disease to be a Diarrhœa only and I
would hope to cure it by Tonics, Astringents & Opiates and I
give a formula below, which I hope will be found to answer
and with that let him live on grain and milk, without wine
malt liquor or vegetables. When the looseness ceases or is much abated
let him take some Bark, with a small proportion of Alum and
if the Bark shows any tendency to purge him, let him take a
little Laudanum along with it. When he can bear riding it
will be of service to him & or some journey in a carriage ––


The advice I have now given proceeds entirely upon the
supposition that there has not been either first or last anything
in it properly Dysenteric, but if there has been anything of
this kind, the measures should probably be different. I consider
it as always the in Dysentery, that the natural fæces are retai¬
ned in the
Colon and that such retention is the cause of the
gripes Tenesmus and mucous stools, and that the disease can
not be cured but by Laxatives obviating the stagnation of
fæces
. Cr. Tart. Manna and Tamarinds may be tried
and if they are not enough they may be assisted by Senna



[Page 2]

Rhubarb, Jalap or Calomile as the state of the gentlemans
bowels seems to require, and if these Laxatives are found to bring
away hardened fæces, the repetition alternated with Opiates may be
depended upon for relief. But it may happen that the disease
which was at first Dysenteric
may by mistake be continued and
at length change into a Diarrhœa. If this can certainly be alledged
with regard to Mr Lydon then the measures are the same I
proposed for the (↑an↑) Original Diarrhœa


I can do no more at present, than this endeavour to put
Gentlemen in a way of judging of the real nature &c.

For Mr Lydon


℞. Pulv. Terr. Japon opt
Cinn.m contus. aa ʒi
G. Arab. ℥i
Aq. bull. ℥viii
Digere subinde agitans, horas quatuor dein per panm.
laneum cola et liq. colato adde
Tinct. terr. Japon.
Syr. diacod. aa ℥i
Tinct. Thebaic. gtt 40 plus, aut minus pro re nata

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