The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:378] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Bruce / Regarding: Captain W R Wilson (Patient) / 8 January 1776 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Captn Wilson', whose ailments Cullen says are entirely a disorder of the nervous system. He should 'study tranquillity of mind & avoid any emotion or flurry'. He advises a perpetual blister on the crown of the head, or else a pea issue in the neck, and gives cephalic recipes. Cold bathing may be useful, but not at this time of year.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 378 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/6/77 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 8 January 1776 |
| 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 'For Captn Wilson', whose ailments Cullen says are entirely a disorder of the nervous system. He should 'study tranquillity of mind & avoid any emotion or flurry'. He advises a perpetual blister on the crown of the head, or else a pea issue in the neck, and gives cephalic recipes. Cold bathing may be useful, but not at this time of year. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:57] |
Case of Captain W. R. Wilson whose 'seizures' Cullen attributes to 'nervous weakness'. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:501] | Addressee | Mr Bruce |
| [PERS ID:500] | Patient | Captain W R Wilson |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:501] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Bruce |
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 | Solihull | Midlands | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Captain Wilson to Mr Bruce.
I think formerly knew a little of this gentlemans constitution ----
his ailments entirely a disorder of the Nervous System. No grounds for supposing a Hy¬
drocephalus, nor evidence of any fault of the Circulation of the Blood
The disorder of the Nervous System probably owing to an original delicacy of it
& therefore difficult to correct entirely – but attention & pains may ob¬
viate the present inconveniences. & for this purpose I offer the following.
Little animal food & that of the lighter kinds & only at dinner,
filling up with pudding or vegetables
Ordinary drink wine & water – no malt liquors – a few glasses of
wine after dinner is very allowable, but if he takes of the stronger kinds
they should be diluted with water. ––––
No Indian tea at breakfast except it is very weak, Cocoa or rosemary
tea is much fitter
No animal food at Supper – milk if can digest it will make
a better supper. ––
Gentle exercise & fresh air – Belly to be kept regular.
Should go early to be & not lye abed in the morning. ––––
Should avoid warm chambers –– use no more bedcloaths than what are
absolutely necessary – but in the day time go warmly cloathed.
Should study tranquility of mind & avoid any emotion or flurry ––
All play to the lenght of interesting him much dangerous.
[Page 2]
This regimen steadily observed may do a great deal & unless
th it be observed medicines will be of little service, but some remedies
may be usefull
Let a perpetual blister be made upon the crown of the head
& if this discharges well & is not very uneasy it will be enough
but if it does not answer in both respects, it may be dried up
while a pea Issue is put into the neck on one or both sides of the spine
Let the Gentleman take frequently at bedtime the Cephalic
Bolus ordered below not constantly but when giddiness & headach
are most troublesome.
Let the Bolus be washed down with two or three table
Spoonfulls of the Cephalic Tincture ordered below & the same
quantity of the Tincture may be taken by itself about an hour
or two before dinner.
Cold bathing may be usefull but this not the season for it
but if symptoms are urgent, by tempering the water it may
be employed at any time
Take 3-7 grains of Camphor, 7 grains of Russian Castor, and 3 10 grains of powdered Nitre. Add a little drop of Rectified Alcohol, and mix in the Camphor. Then add the Castor, and with as much Simple Syrup as is needed, make a bolus of one obol's weight. Label: Cephalic Bolus.
Take 2 drachms of ground Peruvian Bark. Blend in a glass or marble mortar with a little water for an hour, then add up to 8 ounces of water. Replace in the vessel and steep for 8 hours, then strain through paper and add to the strained liquid 2 drachms of Volatile Valerian Tincture. Label: Cephalic Tincture
Diplomatic Text
For Captn Wilson to Mr Bruce.
I think formerly knew a little of this gentlemans constitution ----
his ailments entirely a disorder of the N.S. No grounds for supposing a Hy¬
drocephalus, nor evidence of any fault of the Circulation of the Blood
The disorder of the N.S probably owing to an original delicacy of it
& therefore difficult to correct entirely – but attention & pains may ob¬
viate the present inconveniences. & for this purpose I offer the following.
Little animal food & that of the lighter kinds & only at dinner,
filling up with pudding or vegetables
Ordinary drink wine & water – no malt liquors – a few glasses of
wine after dinner is very allowable, but if he takes of the stronger kinds
they should be diluted with water. ––––
No Indian tea at breakfast except it is very weak, Cocoa or rosemary
tea is much fitter
No animal food at Supper – milk if can digest it will make
a better supper. ––
Gentle exercise & fresh air – Belly to be kept regular.
Should go early to be & not lye abed in the morng. ––––
Should avoid warm chambers –– use no more bedcloaths than what are
absolutely necessary – but in the day time go warmly cloathed.
Should study tranquility of mind & avoid any emotion or flurry ––
All play to the lenght of interesting him much dangerous.
[Page 2]
This regimen steadily observed may do a great deal & unless
th it be observed meds will be of little service, but some remedies
may be usefull
Let a perpetual blister be made upon the crown of the head
& if this discharges well & is not very uneasy it will be enough
but if it does not answer in both respects, it may be dried up
while a pea Issue is put into the neck on one or both sides of the spine
Let the Gentleman take frequently at bedtime the Cephalic
Bolus ordered below not constantly but when giddiness & headach
are most troublesome.
Let the Bolus be washed down with two or three table
Spoonfulls of the Cephalic Tincture ordered below & the same
quantity of the Tincture may be taken by itself about an hour
or two before dinner.
Cold bathing may be usefull but this not the season for it
but if symptoms are urgent, by tempering the water it may
be employed at any time
℞ Camphor. a gr iij ad vij
Castor. Russic. gr. vij
Nitr. pulv. gr iij x
Adjecta spirt vin. rectif.t guttula Tincto terito Camphoram
dein adde Castoreum et cum Syr. simpl. q. s. ut f. Bolus ex obolo[sum?].
Signa Cephalic Bolus.
℞ Pulv. Cort. Peruv. ʒii in mortare vitreo vel marm.
cum pauxillo aquæ terito per horam dein adde aquam ad ℥viii
[repone?] Phiala et macera per horas octo dein per chartam
cola et liquore colato adde Tincturiæ valeriana volat. ʒii
Signa Cephalic Tincture
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:378]
Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...
