Cullen

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

 

[ID:3851] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Thomas Yorstoun (Yerstoun, Yorstown, Yorkston) / Regarding: Reverend Peter Yorstoun (of Closeburn & Dalgarnoch; Yerstoun, Yorkston) (Patient), Mr Kennedy (Patient) / 1 July 1776 / (Outgoing)

Reply to Dr Thomas Yorstoun, 'For The Revd Mr Yorstoun' his father. Cullen advises on treating the father's gout, piles and anal prolapse, and comments very briefly on the case of Mr Kennedy, another of their patients.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 3851
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/7/72
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date1 July 1776
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 Dr Thomas Yorstoun, 'For The Revd Mr Yorstoun' his father. Cullen advises on treating the father's gout, piles and anal prolapse, and comments very briefly on the case of Mr Kennedy, another of their patients.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:333]
Case of Mr Kennedy whose disease Cullen considers to be 'entirely epileptic'.
8
[Case ID:710]
Case of the Reverend Peter Yorstoun who has piles and related complaints.
5


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:929]AddresseeDr Thomas Yorstoun (Yerstoun, Yorstown, Yorkston)
[PERS ID:1054]PatientMr Kennedy
[PERS ID:928]PatientReverend Peter Yorstoun (of Closeburn & Dalgarnoch; Yerstoun, Yorkston)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:929]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Thomas Yorstoun (Yerstoun, Yorstown, Yorkston)
[PERS ID:929]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendDr Thomas Yorstoun (Yerstoun, Yorstown, Yorkston)

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 Waterside Dumfries Borders Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For ✍The Revd Mr Yourston.✍


As to his Gout, we cannot command the course of it, & after
such habits of indolence & under such inability to move, too late
for recovering a sound state of the System. The Gout in the
decline of life often becomes moderate in its attacks, &
this a great advantage, if it were not also ready to attack the
internal parts -- The attacks of the stomach & intestines may be
generally removed by Opiates, Camphorated & volatile salts
Attack on the head not so easy, but chief remedy is blis¬
blistering the
Head. His other complaint is his chief one at pre¬
sent. A Hæmorrhoidal affection & purely an affection of the Rectum.



[Page 2]

As an evacuation it must not be stopped & t'will be difficult
to do any thing to the Prolapsus but by Astringents which
would hazard the stopping of the evacuation. You will please
to observe that his complaint is very compatible with a stagna¬
tion of fæces in the cells of
the Colon & the formation of the
hardened scybala there. These even while in the Colon give
irritation to the Rectum, produce Tenesmus, & in passing
increase the Prolapsus -- Chiefly therefore prevent stagnation
in the Colon & take so much of a Laxative as will ans¬
wer without giving liquid stools. The best, Fl. sulph.
or if they do not answer, the Cast. oil: These at first
may seem to require such a dose as may do more than neces¬
sary but when frequently repeated I find them answer in
a very small dose. Assist them by a proper Diet for
which take his own Experience, only observe that to
do it by much of a vegetable diet is not safe for Gouty
persons at his age. Some other measures might be
taken, for restoring the tone of the parts but these at his
age, only temporary, & hazardous. When the Prolapsus comes
endeavour by his lying along, & by pressing up the Gut
to reduce it as soon as possible. In the above you
will find most of your Query answered. I am glad
Mr Kennedy is better. He must be left to Regimen,
the


[Page 3]

Seton or other Issue, & to changes which happen at his age. I
expect little from medicine but after some interval he may be the
better of some Copper for two or three weeks. Your
preparation may answer & I have often given Blue vitriol but
use sugar rather than chalk for diffusing either it or the Ærugo.

W. C.
Edinburgh July 1. 1776.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For ✍The Revd Mr Yourston.✍


As to his Gout, we cannot command the course of it, & after
sc habits of indolence & under sc inability to move, too late
for recovering a sound state of the System. The Gout in the
decline of life often becomes moderate in its attacks, &
this a great advantage, if it were not also ready to attack the
internal parts -- The attacks of the stom. & intest. m. b.
generally removed by Opiates, Camphorated & volatile salts
Attack on the head not so easy, but chief remedy is blis¬
terg ye
Head. His other compl.t is his chief one at pre¬
sent. A Hæmorrhoid. affect. & purely an affect. of ye Rectum.



[Page 2]

As an evacuation it must not be stopped & t'will be difficult
to do any thing to ye Prolapsus but by Astringents wc
wd hazard the stoppg. of ye evacuation. You will please
to observe yt his complt. is very compatible w a stagna¬
tion of fæces in ye cells of
ye Colon & ye formation of ye
hardened scybala there. These even while in the Colon give
irritat. to ye Rectum, produce Tenesmus, & in passg.
increase ye Prolaps. -- Chiefly theref. prevent stagnat.
in ye Colon & take so mc of a Laxative as will ans¬
wer wout giving liquid stools. The best, Fl. sulph.
or if they do not answer, the Cast. oil: These at first
m. seem to require sc a dose as m do more than neces¬
sary but wn frequently repeated I find them answer in
a very small dose. Assist them by a proper Diet for
wc take his own Experience, only observe that to
do it by mc of a vegetable diet is not safe for Gouty
persons at his age. Some other measures mt be
taken, for restorg ye tone of ye parts but these at his
age, only temporary, & hazardous. Wn ye Prolaps. comes
endeavour by his lying along, & by pressing up ye Gut
to reduce it as soon as possible. In the above you
will find most of your Quer. answered. I am glad
Mr Kennedy is better. He must be left to Regimen,
the


[Page 3]

Seton or other Issue, & to changes wc happen at his age. I
expect little fm med. but after some interv. he m. b. the
better of some Copper for two or three weeks. Your
preperat. m. answer & I have often given Blue vitriol but
use sugar rather yn chalk for diffusg either it or ye Ærugo.

W. C.
Ed.r July 1. 1776.

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