The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3988] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr James Wood (of Berwick) / Regarding: Mr Bell (Master Bell) (Patient) / 25 January 1777 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Wood of Berwick C[oncerning] Master Bell. This is a draft of [DOC ID:1352]. Cullen suggests the infant's ailment is 'paralytic from serous colluvies affecting the medulla spinalis'. He recommends friction and embrocation. Regarding diet, while the patient's age (21 months) limits his suggestions, he advises 'milk meats without roots or greens & a little broth' and that 'he may be the better of a spoonful of Port & water once a day'.
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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 3988 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/8/100 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 25 January 1777 |
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, 'Wood of Berwick C[oncerning] Master Bell. This is a draft of [DOC ID:1352]. Cullen suggests the infant's ailment is 'paralytic from serous colluvies affecting the medulla spinalis'. He recommends friction and embrocation. Regarding diet, while the patient's age (21 months) limits his suggestions, he advises 'milk meats without roots or greens & a little broth' and that 'he may be the better of a spoonful of Port & water once a day'. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
This is the draft of:
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:372] |
Case of Master Bell, an infant with paralysis of the legs after a fever. |
4 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:408] | Addressee | Mr James Wood (of Berwick) |
[PERS ID:1669] | Patient | Mr Bell (Master Bell) |
[PERS ID:408] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr James Wood (of Berwick) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
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 | Berwick-upon-Tweed (Berwick) | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Wood of Berwick Concerning Master Bell.
His ailment is I think paralytic from serous colluvies
affecting the medulla spinalis. Difficult to cure quickly
but I have hopes from time. If on coming out of the cold
bath his skin especially his legs recover soon heat &
colour, it may do service. But if they do not, let the bathing
alone. In any case, frequent friction of the limbs will be of
service, with flannel which has received the steam of some GAlbanu (↑Galbanum↑)
Mastick & amber thrown upon live coals. At times you
may make your friction with flower of mustard in very
dry powder. An embrocation to the Spine of the oil ordered
below may be useful. As to internal medicines few can be de¬
pended upon except perhaps the Chalybeate powder ordered
below, & all the better if the child can wash it down
with the Infusion below. Little room at such an age
for a particular diet, but it should be chiefly of milk meats
without roots or greens & a little broth may be given once a
day & also he may be the better of a spoonful of Port
& water once a day.
XTake 2 ounces of Olive Oil, 2 drachms of Oil of Amber, and a drachm each of Oils of Lavender and of Sassafras. Mix. Label: Embrocation for anointing the Spine every other night
XTake 2 grains of Red Chalybeate and 4 grains each of ground Cinnamon and white lump Sugar. Mix to make a powder and in this way make 14 doses. Label: Strengthening powders one to be taken in a little Currant jelly twice a day, washing it down with two tablespoonfuls of the following Infusion.
XTake 2 drachms of powdered Peruvian Bark. In a glass or marble mortar, add enough spring water as to make a semiliquid mass, and blend thoroughly for half an hour.
Then add a pint of spring water. Replace in phial and steep for 12 hours. Strain through paper and add an ounce of simple Cinnamon water. Label: Strengthening Infusion:
Diplomatic Text
Wood of Berwick C. Master Bell.
His ailment is I think paralytic from serous colluvies
affecting the medulla spinalis. Difficult to cure quickly
but I have hopes from time. If on coming out of the cold
bath his skin especially his legs recover soon heat &
colour, it may do service. But if they do not, let the bathing
alone. In any case, frequent friction of the limbs will be of
service, with flannel wc has received the steam of some GAlbanu (↑Galbanum↑)
Mastick & amber thrown upon live coals. At times you
may make your friction with flower of mustard in very
dry powder. An embrocation to the Spine of the oil ordered
below m. b. useful. As to internal meds. few can be de¬
pended upon except perhaps the Chalybeate powder ordered
below, & all the better if the child can wash it down
with the Infusion below. Little room at such an age
for a particular diet, but it shd be chiefly of milk meats
without roots or greens & a little broth m. b. given once a
day & also he may be the better of a spoonful of Port
& water once a day.
X℞ Ol. Olivar. ℥ii ---- succin. ʒii ---- lavend. ---- sassafras @ ʒi
ℳ. S. Embrocation for anointg the Spine every other night
X℞ Rubig. chalyb. gr ii Cinnam. pulv. sacch. alb. duriss. @ gr. iv
ℳ. f. pulv. & f. h: m: dos. № xiv. S. Strengtheng powders
one to be taken in a little Currant jelly twice a day, washing
it down with two tablespoonfuls of the followg Infusion.
X℞ Pulv. cort. Peruv. ʒii. In mortar. vitr. vel marmor. adde
Aq. font. q. s. ut f. massa semiliq. et terito diligent. per dimidiam
horam dein adde Aq. font. @ lbi Repone in phiala et macera
horas 12 per chart. cola et adde Aq. cinnam. simpl. ℥i
S. Strengthening Infusion:
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