The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3698] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Richard Allen / Regarding: Robert Harkness (Patient) / 5 June 1774 / (Outgoing)
Reply titled 'For Mr Harkness' ('For Mr Rich. Allan' is struck out), recorded in a highly contracted form, concerning the difficulty of treating his rheumatic and inflammatory disorder.
- 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 | 3698 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/4/23 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 5 June 1774 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | Yes |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Reply titled 'For Mr Harkness' ('For Mr Rich. Allan' is struck out), recorded in a highly contracted form, concerning the difficulty of treating his rheumatic and inflammatory disorder. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:148] |
Case of Robert Harkness with a protracted history of headaches, stomach problems and a more recent bout of fever. |
6 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:418] | Addressee | Richard Allen |
[PERS ID:1053] | Patient | Robert Harkness |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:418] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Richard Allen |
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 |
Destination of Letter | Kirkmichael House | Lochmaben | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mr Rich. Allan
For Mr Harkness
I have carefully considered your full &
distinct narration & shall be glad to be of
service to your patient. It is however difficult in
such a complicated case to advise without having nearer
access to the Patient & is difficult to advise in a case
which is probably changing every day but I shall give
you my opinion to direct your conduct as well as I can.
In the first place we must neglect his
former circumstances & attend only to the present. There
are no symptoms mentioned which can lead me to suspect
a suppuration going on in the Liver. There is more reason to
suspect that in February last his disease was Intermittent
but that does not seem to be the case now & I think
that all which passed before 21 Ultimo is to be neglected ex¬
cept this that there has appeared to be a great deal of Rheu¬
matic & Inflammatory disposition in his constitution.
The Cold to which he was exposed the 21. Ultimo seems
to have brought back the Rheumatism & Inflammatory state
with more violence & that this too has affected his
Lungs with some thing Peripneumonic but I hope this last
is not to a great degree. However it may be I think
[Page 2]
the remedy should have been bloodletting to a greater quantity. If the
Lungs have been much affected that remedy will now
come too late & perhaps your patient may be gone before this
come to hand but if he still subsist & be (is) still
affected with cough & proves any worse about the Thorax with
his [Pulse frequency?] & any thing firm or hard he may still be
the better of losing a little blood & that to be carried fur¬
ther or repeated according to the effects on trial.
Next to blood letting his relief is especially to be
expected from blistering on his back, sides & breast as
the state of pain shall direct & on all of them successful
as symptoms may require. With bleeding & the Linseed
Tea & other such softening & demulcent [these?] are very proper
but I am very doubtfull about the use of Opiates. When
early employed these do much harm but if the Expectoration become
free & the pus be {illeg} while the Cough continues the Opiates
may be of great service. There is nothing more desirable
in this case than to promote Expectoration which we
have not much in our power but you may try it with the
Squill Mixture as ordered below. Let him take it several
times a day to the quantity which his Stomach will bear without much
sickness & with the repetition which will keep his belly open.
If your patient shall recover we may think of obviating
the former disorders of his constitution &cc.
turn
[Page 3]
For Mr Harkness.
Take three ounces of Rose water, {illeg} of cinnamon, one ounce each of Acet. scillit. and syrup of squills. Label: Pectoral Mixture to be taken several times a day.
Edinburgh June 5.
1774.
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Rich. Allan
For Mr Harkness
I have carefully considered your full &
distinct narration & shall be glad to be of
service to yr patient. It is howev. difft in
sc a complicated case to advise w out havg nearer
access to ye Patt & is difft to advise in a case
wc is probably changg evy d. bt I shall give
you my opin. to direct yr condt as well as I can.
In ye first place we must neglect his
former circumstances & attend only to ye prest. Yre
are no sympts mentiond wc can lead me to suspect
a suppurn going on in ye Liver. Yre is more reason to
suspect yt in Feb. last his disease was Intermitt.
bt yt does nt seem to be ye case now & I think
yt all wc passed bef. 21 Ult. is to be neglected ex¬
cept ys yt yre has appeared to be a gt dl of Rheu¬
matic & Inflammy dispos. in his constitut.
The Cold to wc he was exposed ye 21. Ult. seems
to have brt back ye Rheumat. & Inflammy state
w more violence & yt ys too has affected his
Lungs w some yg Peripneumonic bt I hope ys last
is nt to a gt degr. Howev. it may be I think
[Page 2]
ye remedy shd have bn bldlettg to a gter qty. If ye
Lungs have bn mc affected yt remedy will now
come too late & perhaps yr patt may be gone before ys
come to hand but if he still subsist & be (is) still
affected w cough & pre any wse abt ye Thorx w
his [P. freq.?] & any yg firm or hard he may still be
ye better of losg a little blood & yt to be carried fur¬
ther or repeated accordg to ye effts on trial.
Next to blood letting his relief is espect to be
expected fm blistg on his back, sides & breast as
ye state of pn shall direct & on all of ym success:
as sympts may require. W bleedg & blistg Linseed
Tea & other sc softg & demulct [ys?] are very proper
bt I am very doubtfull abt ye use of Opiates. Wn
early employed yse do mc harm bt if ye Expectn become
free & ye pus be {illeg} wle ye Cough conts ye Opiates
may be of gt service. Yre is nothing more desirable
in ys case yn to promote Expectoration wc we
have nt mc in our powr bt you may try it w ye
Squill ℳ as ordd below. Let him take it sevl
times a day to ye qty wc his Stom. will bear w out mc
sickn & w ye repetition wc will keep his belly open.
If yr patient shall recover we may think of obviatg
ye former disords of his constitutn &cc.
turn
[Page 3]
For Mr Harkness.
℞ Aq. ros. ℥iij
Cinam. s. v.
Acet. scillit.
Syr. -----ana ℥j
Signa Pect ℳ a table sp. f. to be tn. sevl
times a day.
Edr June 5.
1774.
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