Cullen

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

 

[ID:3721] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Henry Lochhead (Harry, 'Mr Logan') / Regarding: Mr Henry Lochhead (Harry, 'Mr Logan') (Patient) / 22 January 1775 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'For Mr Lochead'.

Facsimile

There are 4 images for this document.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 3721
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/4/46
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date22 January 1775
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen Yes
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, 'For Mr Lochead'.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:443]
Case of Mr Henry Lochead who regularly travels between Virginia and Glasgow who has a genito-urinary complaint which may be venereal.
12


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:44]AddresseeMr Henry Lochhead (Harry, 'Mr Logan')
[PERS ID:44]PatientMr Henry Lochhead (Harry, 'Mr Logan')
[PERS ID:799]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr John Lindsay
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)

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 Glasgow Glasgow and West Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Lochead
My Dear Sir


I am favoured with yours of the
14th of August by Mr Lindsay & I return this an¬
swer by the same hand - I have had a full conver¬
sation with Mr Lindsay & he has communicated to
me whatever you have written him concerning your
health since he came to this country - I am heartily
sorry that you should think my last of the 2d of
April, not so full as you wished and more concer¬
ned still that you should think I was less attentive
because disobliged. In the last particular you have
been altogether mistaken. I never found any thing
in your letters frivolous & I have often said that
I should rather have a sheet of frivolous super¬
fluities & [repetions?], than lose one line of mate¬
rial disposition circumstances. With respect
to your animadversions on American Practi¬
tioners, I found nothing indiscreet in them ---
I am fond to know & shall always be desirous to
know the state of Practice & Practitioners, every
where & was therefore very well pleased with
your information, tho I did not think it incumbent



[Page 2]

on me or proper for me to make any returns
remarks in return - You gave me no reason
therefore to be offended or on that account to
be innattentive to your case. No, I can assure
you that besides other reasons, the confidence
you have always honoured me with will cer¬
tainly engage my attention &c &c.


After all the information from Mr L.
my opinion is the same as before -


I am now certain that you have no venereal
taint remaining - therefore I forbid all further
use of Mercury. - Your urethra had certainly
recieved much damage & the gleet & Chordee
remaining rendered the state of it doubtfull
& the affection of the neck of the bladder gave
me some uneasy apprehensions, but all these
fears are now gone. The chordee I consider as
entirely gone - The gleet is a very small matter
& the strangury & incontinency is now no more
than a little more frequency in the desire to
make water. With this state of things I think
you ought to be satisfied & trust to regimen



[Page 3]

& time for a recovery as far as it is possible. But
I must now tell you that affected parts have been so much
hurt. their being {illeg} to an absolute & perfect integrity
is hardly to be expected. Your double stream
of urine may perhaps appear at times for the rest
of your life. I have known persons who have
had some degree of Gleet for [40?] years together with¬
out any weakening effects or other inconvenience.
It is possible that you may never be able to retain
your urine so long as many others do or piss so
slowly as you could do 20 years ago. I have now
told you the worst that can happen to you & I
hope it shall not be so bad & at the worst I would
not advise you to use any remedies whatever.
I can now speak more positively, than I did be¬
fore & say that there is no occasion for Bougies.
They are not necessary & might do harm. The
only advice I have to offer you is to persist in
your regimen - You must still, perhaps for a
long time to come, consider your Urethra as
a weak part [w e?] intemperance in of any kind, {illeg}
{illeg} exercise, frequent Venery may hurt it much
Drinking to be avoided, but you may take a
little wine or Spirits to correct [bad?] water.




[Page 4]


Not so strict in eating as before - you may
take always broth & a bit of fles fresh
meat at dinner, but of the lighter kind &
always a large proportion of Vegetables ----
Not to dance. & very little walking.


Riding except for a little way not be done


a single horse Carriage the most healthfull of all
Carriages & kept at little more expense than
a riding horse, will be best for you.


Your establishment, with regard to Venery
good but it must be regular


As soon as any tolerable warm weather
sets you may enter upon the Cold bath two
or three times a week till next winter ----


I have said nothing with regard to the pain
in Ano as I consider it gone.


Edinburgh January 22d.
1775.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Lochead
My Dear Sir


I am favoured with yours of the
14th of Augt by Mr Lindsay & I return this an¬
swer by the same hand - I have had a full conver¬
sation with Mr Lindsay & he has communicated to
me whatever you have written him concerning your
health since he came to this country - I am heartily
sorry that you should think my last of the 2d of
April, not so full as you wished and more concer¬
ned still that you should think I was less attentive
because disobliged. In the last particular you have
been altogether mistaken. I never found any thing
in your letters frivolous & I have often said that
I should rather have a sheet of frivolous super¬
fluities & [repetions?], than lose one line of mate¬
rial disposition circumstances. With respect
to your animadversions on American Practi¬
tioners, I found nothing indiscreet in them ---
I am fond to know & shall always be desirous to
know the state of Practice & Practitioners, every
where & was therefore very well pleased with
your information, tho I did not think it incumbent



[Page 2]

on me or proper for me to make any returns
remarks in return - You gave me no reason
therefore to be offended or on that account to
be innattentive to your case. No, I can assure
you that besides other reasons, the confidence
you have always honoured me with will cer¬
tainly engage my attention &c &c.


After all the information from Mr L.
my opinion is the same as before -


I am now certain that you have no venereal
taint remaining - therefore I forbid all further
use of Mercury. - Your urethra had certainly
recieved much damage & the gleet & Chordee
remaining rendered the state of it doubtfull
& the affection of the neck of the bladder gave
me some uneasy apprehensions, but all these
fears are now gone. The chordee I consider as
entirely gone - The gleet is a very small matter
& the strangury & incontinency is now no more
than a little more frequency in the desire to
make water. With this state of things I think
you ought to be satisfied & trust to regimen



[Page 3]

& time for a recovery as far as it is possible. But
I must now tell you yt aft. pts. have bn so mc
hurt. their being {illeg} to an absolute & perf integrity
is hardly to be expected. Your double stream
of urine m. perhps appear at times for ye rest
of your life. I have known persons who have
had some degree of Gleet for [40?] yrs together w¬
out any weakeng. effects or other inconvenience.
It is possible yt you m. never be able to retain
yr urine so long as many others do or piss so
slowly as you could do 20 yrs ago. I have now
told you ye worst yt can happen to you & I
hope it shall not be so bad & at the worst I would
not advise you to use any remedies whatever.
I can now speak more positively, than I did be¬
fore & say that there is no occasion for Bougies.
They are not necessary & might do harm. The
only advice I have to offer you is to persist in
your regimen - You must still, perhaps for a
long time to come, consider your Urethra as
a weak part [w e?] intemperance in of any kind, {illeg}
{illeg} exercise, freqt Venery may hurt it much
Drinking to be avoided, but you may take a
little wine or Spirits to correct [bad?] water.




[Page 4]


Not so strict in eating as before - you may
take always broth & a bit of fles fresh
meat at dinner, but of the lighter kind &
always a large proportion of Vegs. ----
Not to dance. & very little walking.


Riding except for a little way not be done


a single horse C. the most healthfull of all
Carriages & kept at little more expense than
a riding horse, will be best for you.


Your establishment, with regard to Venery
good but it must be regr.


As soon as any tolerable warm weather
sets you may enter upon the C. bath two
or three times a week till next winter ----


I have said nothing with regard to the pain
in Ano as I consider it gone.


Edr. Janry. 22d.
1775.

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