The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3619] From: Mr George Burdon / To: Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) / Regarding: Mr George Burdon (Patient) / 12 January 1789 / (Incoming)
Letter from George Burdon to Henry Cullen, describing his own case and referring to Henry's father's indisposition. Mr Burdon has tried salt of tartar dissolved in water, lime water, spermaceti and gum arabic, and is now taking bearberry leaf powder.
- 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 | 3619 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/2507 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 12 January 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 George Burdon to Henry Cullen, describing his own case and referring to Henry's father's indisposition. Mr Burdon has tried salt of tartar dissolved in water, lime water, spermaceti and gum arabic, and is now taking bearberry leaf powder. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:968] |
Case of George Burdon who has a long-standing rheumatic complaint, develops bloody urine, suspected gravel and who eventually passes a large stone. |
11 |
| [Case ID:2567] |
Case of Dr William Cullen. This links together some significant instances where Cullen mentions in passing his own illhealth, and letters in which his son Henry, standing in to respond to patients, mentions his father's increasing indisposition and terminal decline from late 1789 (not fully comprehensive). |
8 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:4763] | Author | Mr George Burdon |
| [PERS ID:544] | Addressee | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
| [PERS ID:4763] | Patient | Mr George Burdon |
| [PERS ID:544] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
| [PERS ID:82] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr William Ingham |
| [PERS ID:1] | Other | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Writing | Newcastle upon Tyne | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Newcastle upon Tyne | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Sir
I am favoured with your Letter of the 9th. Instant & am
extreamly sorry to hear of your Fathers Indisposition & very
sincerely wish him soon better. the first Medicine that
ever gave ↑me↑ Relief in the Gravel was Blackeries Lixivium
but after I had got quit of great Quantitys, as my Urine
continued discoloured & turbid I immagined there might
be some Particles of Stone left & so continued to take the
Lixivium in small Quantitys; in 1783 my Friend Mr.
Ingham (tho not my surgeon) recommended the Water
to me which is the same I dare say that both you & I
mean, it is Salt of Tartar dissolved in Water & impregna↑ted↑
with fixed Air it proved very severe to me as it brought
away great Quantitys of the finer Coats or Linings
of the Kidneys particularly on the left Side at those
Times I have desisted for a while from taking anything
& now the bleeding has increased to that Degree that I
am totally at a Loss what to do. I remembered that your
Father recommended Lime Water & soap Pills to me I lately
asked my Surgeon what Quantity of Lime I might
put to a Gallon of Water, his Answer was as much
as I pleased for the only Property of Lime in Gravelly
[Page 2]
Complaints was the fixed Air that it contained, impressed
with this Idea I mixed a large Quantity of Lime with
a Jug of Water which I took for some few Nights with
one or two Pills of Soap at first it brought away some
small Particles of sharp Sand but in Time the Water
became a very strong Ley & increased the bleeding and
occasioned a severe gnawing Pain in my left Kidney
to remedy which he gave me a mixture of Spermacæti &
Gum Arrabec, this did me no good for all Gums to me
are forcing. I am now taking Powders of the Uva
Ursi which gives me a temporary Relief both as to the
Pain & the bleeding but if I desist for 12 Hours only from
taking it the bleeding Returns. I propose trying it
for a few Days more after which I will take the
Liberty of acquainting you with it's effect. please to
acquaint me with the Receipt of the inclosed Notes that
I may know they come safe to Hand.
I am
Sir
your most obedient servant
Geo. Burdon
NewCastle the 12 January 1790
[Page 3]
Doctor Henry Cullen
Edinburgh
Mr. Burdon
January 1790
V. XX. P.
Mr. Burdon
Diplomatic Text
Sir
I am favoured with your Letter of the 9th. Inst. & am
extreamly sorry to hear of your Fathers Indisposition & very
sincerely wish him soon better. the first Medicine that
ever gave ↑me↑ Relief in the Gravel was Blackeries Lixivium
but after I had got quit of great Quantitys, as my Urine
continued discoloured & turbid I immagined there might
be some Particles of Stone left & so continued to take the
Lixivium in small Quantitys; in 1783 my Friend Mr.
Ingham (tho not my surgeon) recommended the Water
to me which is the same I dare say that both you & I
mean, it is Salt of Tartar dissolved in Water & impregna↑ted↑
with fixed Air it proved very severe to me as it brought
away great Quantitys of the finer Coats or Linings
of the Kidneys particularly on the left Side at those
Times I have desisted for a while from taking anything
& now the bleeding has increased to that Degree that I
am totally at a Loss what to do. I remembered that your
Father recommended Lime Water & soap Pills to me I lately
asked my Surgeon what Quantity of Lime I might
put to a Gallon of Water, his Answer was as much
as I pleased for the only Property of Lime in Gravelly
[Page 2]
Complaints was the fixed Air that it contained, impressed
with this Idea I mixed a large Quantity of Lime with
a Jug of Water which I took for some few Nights with
one or two Pills of Soap at first it brought away some
small Particles of sharp Sand but in Time the Water
became a very strong Ley & increased the bleeding and
occasioned a severe gnawing Pain in my left Kidney
to remedy which he gave me a mixture of Spermacæti &
Gum Arrabec, this did me no good for all Gums to me
are forcing. I am now taking Powders of the Uva
Ursi which gives me a temporary Relief both as to the
Pain & the bleeding but if I desist for 12 Hours only from
taking it the bleeding Returns. I propose trying it
for a few Days more after which I will take the
Liberty of acquainting you with it's effect. please to
acquaint me with the Rect. of the inclosed Notes that
I may know they come safe to Hand.
I am
Sir
your most obedient Servt.
Geo. Burdon
N.Castle the 12 Jany. 1790
[Page 3]
Doctor Henry Cullen
Edinburgh
Mr. Burdon
Jany. 1790
V. XX. P.
Mr. Burdon
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