The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:375] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: James McAlester (Jamie McAlaster, Mcallester) (Patient) / 23 December 1775 / (Outgoing)
Reply, giving directions for Mr McAlester's son, regarding a complaint of the ear. Addressee possibly Hugh Marshall or Thomas Hay (see other letters linked to this case).
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
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Facsimile
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[Page 1]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 375 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/6/74 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 23 December 1775 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, giving directions for Mr McAlester's son, regarding a complaint of the ear. Addressee possibly Hugh Marshall or Thomas Hay (see other letters linked to this case). |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:328] |
Case of John McAlester, a boy who has recovered enough to walk, but who is still deaf. See also the later case from 1785. |
7 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1456] | Patient | James McAlester (Jamie McAlaster, Mcallester) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1650] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr John McAlaster (McAlester, Maccalester, Mccallester) |
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 | Rothesay | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mr Mc Alester's Son.
The case less favourable than before, particularly the deafness. There appears to be
a great flux of humours to the ear & if that be not discharged it may fall on the brain &
have bad consequences. It was unlucky that the Issue in his head was dried up & it
should either be renewed or a pea issue should be put into the nape of his neck on
one or both sides of the Spine, & such a drain kept open for some years.
I am sorry to find he could not in any degree bear the ☿ 1 but I am not told whether
the triturated Mercury as in the ☿ial pill 2 was tried. If it was not, he will
probably bear it better than the Calomel, & it should still be tried as the most probable
remedy for removing all obstructions about the head. Let it be made as in Pharmacopoeia Edimburgensis
editio nova & begin with a quarter of a grain, increasing it as he bears it, & if he bear
it, pursue it in the manner I have before proposed. If he cannot bear {illeg} ☿ in
any shape, let him be frequently but moderately purged with Rhubarb & at any
rate after the ☿ has been employed for 2 or 3 weeks let then the purging course be
pursued. If he do not bear the {illeg} ☿ or if he bear it, after employing it for 2 or 3
weeks let him be put on a course of ↑crude↑ antimony finely prepared, the dose at
first grains j. but if that produce no sickness &c. gradually increase the dose
till he can bear grains v. twice a day & let that be continued for a month.
Diet as before without Animal food.
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Mc Alester's Son.
The case less favourable than before, particularly ye deafness. There appears to be
a great flux of humours to ye ear & if yt be not discharged it may fall on ye brain &
have bad consequences. It was unlucky yt ye Issue in his head was dried up & it
should either be renewed or a pea issue should be put into the nape of his neck on
one or both sides of the Spine, & such a drain kept open for some years.
I am sorry to find he could not in any degree bear the ☿ 1 but I am not told whether
ye triturated Mercury as in ye ☿ial pill 2 was tried. If it was not, he will
probably bear it better yn ye Calomel, & it should still be tried as ye most probable
remedy for removing all obstructions about ye head. Let it be made as in Ph. Ed.
edit. nov. & begin w a quarter of a grain, increasing it as he bears it, & if he bear
it, pursue it in ye manner I have before proposed. If he cannot bear {illeg} ☿ in
any shape, let him be frequently but moderately purged w Rhubarb & at any
rate after ye ☿ has been employed for 2 or 3 weeks let yn ye purging course be
pursued. If he do not bear ye {illeg} ☿ or if he bear it, after employing it for 2 or 3
weeks let him be put on a course of ↑crude↑ antimony finely prepared, the dose at
first gr. j. but if that produce no sickness &c. gradually increase ye dose
till he can bear gr. v. twice a day & let that be cont.d for a month.
Diet as before without Animal food.
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