Cullen

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

 

[ID:3722] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: John Whyte / Regarding: Mr Spittall (Spittel) (Patient) / 23 January 1775 / (Outgoing)

Reply to 'Mr John Whyte about Mr Spittal'.

Facsimile

There are 2 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 3722
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/4/47
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date23 January 1775
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply to 'Mr John Whyte about Mr Spittal'.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:179]
Case of Mr Spittal, annotated 'Mania'.
3


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:487]Addressee John Whyte
[PERS ID:1331]PatientMr Spittall (Spittel)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:487]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary John Whyte

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 Dysart Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Mr John White about Mr Spittal
Dear Sir


I am glad to find from your letter of to¬
day that Mr S. seems to be in a better way, I hope it
shall go on & therefore no addition to my former advice
but still necessary to keep his belly regular & rather upon
& if that can be done by a tolerably mild Medicine
better than by glysters. --


I percieve that neither my solution, nor
your pills answer the purpose properly & I
would have you therefore try the Electuary ordered
on the tother page - you may be surprised at my
ordering the Cr. Tart. & the powdered compound of Jalap
as the latter chiefly consists of the same ---
But you must observe the powdered compound of Jalap was
[inserted?] in the Dispensatory 1
of having some Jalap well triturated with the
C. Tart. always ready, as that Triture renders
the operation of the Jalap both milder & more
certain & by the addition of the Cream of Tartar
extempore we can vary the proportion at pleasure
I have given you the proportion, which I hope will
answer, but you may add more of the powdered compound of Jalap
as you shall find occasion



[Page 2]

If this medicine should not answer, but in a very
bulky dose, I would have you try the Oleum
Ricini or caster oil
to a spoonfull or two. You
will get the best kind of it as fresh expressed from
the Seeds from Mr Lauries Laboratory in this place 2
It is to be given in the morning & is taken the most
easily & sits the best, when it is previously well
shaken in a phial with a tea spoonfull or two
of rum. I believe you have done very right
in being satisfied with a walk as the weather
& perhaps other circumstances might be ↑un↑favourable
to a carriage

For Mr Spittal

Take two drachms of powder of Jalap compound and two and a half ounces of Crystal Tartar. Mix carefully and add one ounce of juice of French prunes and a sufficient quantity of simple syrup, and make a thin electuary or Lochoch. Label: Laxative Electuary. Two, three or four tea spoonfulls in the morning.

Edr 23 Edinburgh 23d January 1775
W C

Notes:

1: By Dispensatory Cullen means an official published list of drugs approved by the Royal Colleges of Physicians, of London or Edinburgh. They appeared in various revised editions, compilations and translations (from Latin), throughout this period so it is unclear precisely which one is being referred to here, though Cullen probably implies that approved by the R.C.P.E.. which he oversaw.

2: Williamson's Directory, for the city of Edinburgh, Canongate, Leith, and suburbs; from June 1778, to June 1779 (Edinburgh: 1778), lists 'Laurie and Co. druggists, head of Niddry's wynd' (p.57). In this context a 'laboratory' indicates a place where drugs are being commercially prepared.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Mr John White about Mr Spittal
Dr Sir


I am glad to find from your letter of to¬
day that Mr S. seems to be in a better way, I hope it
shall go on & therefore no addition to my former advice
but still necessary to keep his belly regr & rather upon
& if that can be done by a tolerably mild Med
better than by glysters. --


I percieve that neither my solution, nor
your pills answer the purpose properly & I
would have you therefore try the Electuary ordered
on the tother page - you may be surprised at my
ordering the Cr. Tart. & the Pulv. e J. comp
as the latter chiefly consists of the same ---
But you must observe the Pulv. e J. compt was
[inserted?] in the Dispensatory 1
of having some Jalap well triturated with the
C. Tart. always ready, as that Triture renders
the operation of the Jalap both milder & more
certain & by the addition of the Cream of Tartar
extempore we can vary the proportion at pleasure
I have given you the proportion, wc I hope will
answer, but you may add more of the Pulv. e J. comp
as you shall find occasion



[Page 2]

If this med should not answer, but in a very
bulky dose, I would have you try the Oleum
Ricini or caster oil
to a spoonfull or two. You
will get the best kind of it as fresh expressed from
ye Seeds from Mr Lauries Laboratory in this place 2
It is to be given in the morng. & is taken the most
easily & sits the best, when it is previously well
shaken in a phial with a tea spoonfull or two
of rum. I believe you have done very right
in being satisfied with a walk as ye weather
& perhaps other circumstances might be ↑un↑favourable
to a carriage

For Mr Spittal


Pulv. e. Jalapp. compt. ʒij
Cryst. Tart. pulv. ℥ijſs
ℳ accurate et adde
Pulp. prun. Gall. ℥j
Syrup. simpl. q. s. ut f electuarum
tenu sive Lochoch
S. Lax. El. 2, 3 or 4 tea spoonfulls in the morng

Edr 23 Edinr 23d Jany 1775
W C

Notes:

1: By Dispensatory Cullen means an official published list of drugs approved by the Royal Colleges of Physicians, of London or Edinburgh. They appeared in various revised editions, compilations and translations (from Latin), throughout this period so it is unclear precisely which one is being referred to here, though Cullen probably implies that approved by the R.C.P.E.. which he oversaw.

2: Williamson's Directory, for the city of Edinburgh, Canongate, Leith, and suburbs; from June 1778, to June 1779 (Edinburgh: 1778), lists 'Laurie and Co. druggists, head of Niddry's wynd' (p.57). In this context a 'laboratory' indicates a place where drugs are being commercially prepared.

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