The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Henry Richardson / Regarding: Mr Richardson (of Newham) (Patient), Anonymous (Patient) / 21 June 1764 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Dr Richardson of Alnwick'. Concerns the case of Mr Richardson, who is suffering from a lung disease.
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
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Facsimile
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[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 4 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/1/1 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 21 June 1764 |
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 Dr Richardson of Alnwick'. Concerns the case of Mr Richardson, who is suffering from a lung disease. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:190] |
Case of Mr Richardson with a chest complaint. |
2 |
[Case ID:2456] |
Case of an unnamed male patient whose joints have a tendency to swell. |
1 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:4] | Addressee | Dr Henry Richardson |
[PERS ID:5] | Patient | Mr Richardson (of Newham) |
[PERS ID:1175] | Patient | |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:4] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Henry Richardson |
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 | Alnwick | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Dr Richardson at Alnwick -
Having been detained at a great distance from Edinburgh for a
fortnight past I could not acknowledge your favour of the
19th Current till now.
I am sory to find Mr Richardson's Case a difficult one.
I am afraid his Lungs are affected so far that it may be impos¬
sible to restore them however it is our duty to attempt
it as well as we may & I must own that you have already
employed some of the most probable means for that purpose.
Some of these must still be continued - He should drink
the Goat Whey as long as it is in good Condition and
when that is over let him return again to the Asses
Milk - Let his blister also be kept running or if it is [disposed?]
to dry up let a fresh blister be made on another place.
His Exercise I consider as a principal Remedy and he should
take as much of it as his strength can bear. Short Airings
are better than sitting at home but much Benefit
is only to be expected from 20 or more miles every day and that
for many days together. For the sake of the Goat Whey
he may be confined to one place but if that does not
appear to do him much sevice he may give it up &
get more benefit by the Change of Air that occurs in
taking a Journey to some distance. - While I expect
so much from Riding I must observe that all bodily
exercise will do him harm. If he enter upon a Journey
I would advise you to take a little blood [from]
his arm before he sets out. The quantity [may]
[Page 2]
be a few Ounces or a little more if his Pulse is
tollerably firm & he seems to bear it well & tho he
should not think of a Journey I believe that taking a
little Blood may be serviceable to his breathing.
As this Desease took its rise from an Intermittent
& returned again at the season of Intermittents it is
possible that something of that kind might still
be lurking about him & I would therefore
propose trial of the bark but it must be done
with Caution & I trust it as I may safely do to
our discretion - The joining Elix. Vitrioli will
make his stomach bear it better & some doses of
Sal. Ammon. will also render the bark safer -
Unless you can discern very distinctly the
character of intermittent which may require a more
nourishing diet I would in respect of the desease
in his Breast advise a Diet entirely of Milk
& Farinacea abstaining from animal food
of all kinds. I would advise also a total
abstinence from all kinds of Strong Drink except
former habits or peculiarily of his Stomach shall
plead some Exception. I think it is of consequence
to him to wear flannel next his skin but
for his sweatings & for avoiding Cold which
however it will be very difficult for him to
do by any means while he lives in a damp
house - I have now only to add the two
following medecines
Take two drachms of Balsam of Locatelli., a half drachm of uric acid, and a drachm apiece of crushed licorice and white sugar. Add a sufficient amount of simple syrup to taste, and mix. Separate the mixture into pills of 5 grams apiece. Label: the Pectoral Pills five to be taken every night & morning washing them down w a cup full of the following decoction.
Take an ounce of dried tussilago solution and cook with two pints of spring water and add one pint boiled to which an ounce of lump sugar has been added. Label: Pectoral decoction to be taken at several draughts so as a pint may be taken every day.
So much for the young Gentleman & now for the old.
When his joints Swell they may be relieved by
Leeches set upon them but this remedy will be
of little service at other times- To prevent his
ailments he must live very temperately go very frequently
on Horseback use the flesh brush & wear flannels. The following
Bolus taken frequently at bed time will be of Service.
Take ten grains of Gum Guaiacum, three grains of Sal Volatile and five grains of white sugar. Then [while turning into a mucilage?] add a sufficient quantity of Gum Tragacanth to taste, and let it be made into bolii. Label: The Diaphoretic Bolus.
should keep his belly regular but if it does not let the
quantity of G Guaiac be encreased - I should have
taken larger Paper but I can not mend it now without
loosing a post. I am with great regard
Diplomatic Text
For Dr Richardson at Alnwick -
Having been detained at a great distance from Edr for a
fortnight past I could not acknowledge your favour of the
19th Currt till now.
I am sory to find Mr Richardson's Case a difficult one.
I am afraid his Lungs are affected so far that it may be impos¬
sible to restore them however it is our duty to attempt
it as well as we may & I must own that you have already
employed some of ye most probable means for that purpose.
Some of these must still be continued - He should drink
the Goat Whey as long as it is in good Condition and
when that is over let him return again to the Asses
Milk - Let his blister also be kept running or if it is [disposed?]
to dry up let a fresh blister be made on another place.
His Exercise I consider as a principal Remedy and he should
take as much of it as his strength can bear. Short Airings
are better than sitting at home but much Benefit
is only to be expected from 20 or more miles every day and that
for many days together. For the sake of the Goat Whey
he may be confined to one place but if that does not
appear to do him much sevice he may give it up &
get more benefit by the Change of Air that occurs in
taking a Journey to some distance. - While I expect
so much from Riding I must observe that all bodily
exercise will do him harm. If he enter upon a Journey
I would advise you to take a little blood [from]
his arm before he sets out. The quantity [may]
[Page 2]
be a few Ounces or a little more if his Pulse is
tollerably firm & he seems to bear it well & tho he
should not think of a Journey I believe that taking a
little Blood may be serviceable to his breathing.
As this Desease took its rise from an Intermittent
& returned again at ye season of Intermittents it is
possible that something of that kind might still
be lurking about him & I would therefore
propose trial of ye bark but it must be done
with Caution & I trust it as I may safely do to
our discretion - The joining Elix. Vitrioli will
make his stomach bear it better & some doses of
Sal. Ammon. will also render ye bark safer -
Unless you can discern very distinctly the
character of intermittent which may require a more
nourishing diet I would in respect of the desease
in his Breast advise a Diet entirely of Milk
& Farinacea abstaining from animal food
of all kinds. I would advise also a total
abstinence from all kinds of Strong Drink except
former habits or peculiarily of his Stomach shall
plead some Exception. I think it is of consequence
to him to wear flannel next his skin but
for his sweatings & for avoiding Cold which
however it will be very difficult for him to
do by any means while he lives in a damp
house - I have now only to add the two
following medecines
℞ Bals. Locatell. ʒii
Uric liquid ʒſs Pulv. Glych. Sachar Alb @ ʒi
[Page 3]
Syrup Simpl. q.s. ut f. Massa dividend in pil. sing gr V
Signa the Pectoral Pills five to be taken every night
& morning washing them down in a cup full of the following decoction.
℞ Sol. Tussilago Siccat ℥i coqu
ex Aq. Fontan lb ii ad lb i Colature add sachar
caud ℥i & signa Pectoral Decoction to be taken at
several draughts so as a pint may be taken every day.
So much for the young Gentleman & now for the old.
When his joints Swell they may be relieved by
Leeches set upon them but this remedy will be
of little service at other times- To prevent his
ailments he must live very temperately go very frequently
on Horseback use the flesh brush & wear flannels. The following
Bolus taken frequently at bed time will be of Service.
℞ Gum Guaiac. gr X Sal. Vol. C.C. gr. iii Sachar
Alb. gr V terito simul {illeg} & cum Mucilag G. Traga¬
canth q.s. f. Bolus. S. The Diaphoretic Bolus.
should keep his belly regular but if it does not let ye
quantity of G Guaiac be encreased - I should have
taken larger Paper but I can not mend it now without
loosing a post. I am with great regard
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