Cullen

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

 

[ID:3907] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Douglas (Sir Alexander Douglas of Glenbervie) / Regarding: Mrs Neilson (Patient) / August? 1776? / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'For Mrs Neilson in answer to Sir Alexander Douglas Bart'.. The very neat case-book entry has been annotated with the numbers '2' and '1' above parts of the opening text and with a dot within a circle at the end of the letter followed by 'ing'. Although they suggest the type of editorial markers found n some of Cullen's retained drafts, the precise significance of these particular additions is obscure.

Facsimile

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[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 3907
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/8/19
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
DateAugust? 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, 'For Mrs Neilson in answer to Sir Alexander Douglas Bart'.. The very neat case-book entry has been annotated with the numbers '2' and '1' above parts of the opening text and with a dot within a circle at the end of the letter followed by 'ing'. Although they suggest the type of editorial markers found n some of Cullen's retained drafts, the precise significance of these particular additions is obscure.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:844]
Case of Mrs Neilson who has had a 'morbus niger'.
1


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:546]AddresseeDr Alexander Douglas (Sir Alexander Douglas of Glenbervie)
[PERS ID:3341]PatientMrs Neilson
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:546]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Alexander Douglas (Sir Alexander Douglas of Glenbervie)

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
Therapeutic Recommendation South of France France Europe certain
Therapeutic Recommendation Lisbon Portugal Portugal Europe certain
Therapeutic Recommendation Nice France France Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mrs. Neilson
in answer to Sir Alexander Douglas Bart.


I had yours concerning Mrs. Neilson two days ago, but as the answer required no
haste, I could not conveniently give it 'till now. It appears, that some years ago she was affected with the
Morbus Niger, and tho for more than a year past, there has been no appearance of it, she has not
got the better of the Sallow complexion which that disease always produces. - Whether it
has left any particular disorder in the Viscera, must be uncertain, and not very necessary
to determine, as we must take that view of ↑2↑ the case only ↑1↑, 1 which admits of Remedy. In this
View then, I think the pains she has suffered, are purely spasmodic, and she is liable to
these from a general debelity of the Alimentary Canal; and upon this supposition, I
think the measures you have persued for the spring, and Summer, have been extremely
judicious; and accordingly have been very successfull. - I consider her complaints
at present, as very much releived, and that truly the advice she needs is to guard
against a return of them, which Winter threatens her with. - For this purpose,
I know nothing likely to prove more effectual, than her avoiding the Winter altogether,
by going for that Season to a Southern climate. - If she can go by Sea, the Voyage will
probably be of service, and Lisbon will be as proper a place as any, but if she is very
averse to a voyrage, she must go to the South of France or to Nice. If she keeps to
France, she must get as near to the Coast of the Mediterranean as possible, for at any
distance from it, the cold is sometimes very considerable. -- One very bad effect of
Winter in this Climate is, that it prevents exercise, which I take to be a remedy of great con¬
sequence to Mrs. Neilson, and wherever she goes, she should persist in it, as deli¬
gently as she can. -- The vegetable diet, which agrees so well with her, I should
not have expected a priori, but I have known some other cases of the same kind, and
am clear that Mrs. Neilson should persist in it; and this affords another reason for her
going to a climate, where she can have such a diet for the winter, better than she can in
Scotland. - I am of Opinion also that she should continue her cold bathing, which
she will also bear better in a Warm Climate. -- I am perswaded that her exercise,
her diet, her bathing, and the benifit of Climate will Secure her health tollerably
well; and that Medicine can make little addition to it, but if I was to propose
any, it would be some Chalybeate, and she may take either the Tinct. Martis.
of our New Dispensatory, 2 taking it in water, in imitation of the Water she has
been drinking, or she may take it in the form ordered below. -- I think her
experience rejects the Bark, and bitters are so much akin to it, that I could not
advise them to Mrs. Neilson. --- This is all that occurs to me at present,
but if either you or Mrs. Neilson have any farther questions to put, I shall
be ready to answer them, as well as I can.

I am with great regard, Dear Sir
your most obedient Servant. ---
William Cullen



[Page 2]
For Mrs. Neilson

Take ten drachms of powdered steel. ground Cinnamon five of each required or sufficient quantity. White Sugar lumps ten of each required or sufficient quantity. Mix into a powder and let there be made fifteen doses this way. The following Stomachic powders one to be taken twice a day in a little Currant Jelly or Panada. --

W.C.


-- ing.

Notes:

1: For his and subsequent added marks see main note heading this document.

2: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p.79.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mrs. Neilson
in answer to Sir Alexander Douglas Bart.


I had yours concerning Mrs. Neilson two days ago, but as the answer required no
haste, I could not conveniently give it 'till now. It appears, that some years ago she was affected with the
Morbus Niger, and tho for more than a year past, there has been no appearance of it, she has not
got the better of the Sallow complexion which that disease always produces. - Whether it
has left any particular disorder in the Viscera, must be uncertain, and not very necessary
to determine, as we must take that view of ↑2↑ the case only ↑1↑, 1 which admits of Remedy. In this
View then, I think the pains she has suffered, are purely spasmodic, and she is liable to
these from a general debelity of the Alimentary Canal; and upon this supposition, I
think the measures you have persued for the spring, and Summer, have been extremely
judicious; and accordingly have been very successfull. - I consider her complaints
at present, as very much releived, and that truly the advice she needs is to guard
against a return of them, which Winter threatens her with. - For this purpose,
I know nothing likely to prove more effectual, than her avoiding the Winter altogether,
by going for that Season to a Southern climate. - If she can go by Sea, the Voyage will
probably be of service, and Lisbon will be as proper a place as any, but if she is very
averse to a voyrage, she must go to the South of France or to Nice. If she keeps to
France, she must get as near to the Coast of the Mediterranean as possible, for at any
distance from it, the cold is sometimes very considerable. -- One very bad effect of
Winter in this Climate is, that it prevents exercise, which I take to be a remedy of great con¬
sequence to Mrs. Neilson, and wherever she goes, she should persist in it, as deli¬
gently as she can. -- The vegetable diet, which agrees so well with her, I should
not have expected a priori, but I have known some other cases of the same kind, and
am clear that Mrs. Neilson should persist in it; and this affords another reason for her
going to a climate, where she can have such a diet for the winter, better than she can in
Scotland. - I am of Opinion also that she should continue her cold bathing, wch.
she will also bear better in a Warm Climate. -- I am perswaded that her exercise,
her diet, her bathing, and the benifit of Climate will Secure her health tollerably
well; and that Medicine can make little addition to it, but if I was to propose
any, it would be some Chalybeate, and she may take either the Tinct. Martis.
of our New Dispensatory, 2 taking it in water, in imitation of the Water she has
been drinking, or she may take it in the form ordered below. -- I think her
experience rejects the Bark, and bitters are so much akin to it, that I could not
advise them to Mrs. Neilson. --- This is all that occurs to me at present,
but if either you or Mrs. Neilson have any farther questions to put, I shall
be ready to answer them, as well as I can.

I am with great regard, Dear Sir
your most obedient Servant. ---
William Cullen



[Page 2]
For Mrs. Neilson

Limatur Mart. ppte.
Cinnamom pulv. aa qs V
Sacch. Alb. duriss qs X. ℳ F. pulvis. et fiant. h. m. dos. XIV.
Seqs Stomachic powders one to be taken twice a day in a little Currant Jelly or
Panado. --

W.C.


-- ing.

Notes:

1: For his and subsequent added marks see main note heading this document.

2: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p.79.

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