Cullen

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

 

[ID:415] From: Mr William Stewart / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr William Stewart (Patient) / 16 November 1768 / (Incoming)

An unusual document - copy of an incoming letter, titled 'From Mr Stewart at Elgin', in casebook.

Facsimile

There are 2 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 415
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/2/36
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date16 November 1768
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary An unusual document - copy of an incoming letter, titled 'From Mr Stewart at Elgin', in casebook.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:227]
Case of Mr Stewart at Elgin who Cullen considers 'gouty'.
3


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1163]AuthorMr William Stewart
[PERS ID:1163]PatientMr William Stewart
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1239]OtherMr Andrew Stewart (Andrew Stewart Junior)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Elgin East Highlands Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
From Mr Stewart at Elgin
Dear Sir


I give you this trouble in order that you may consult
a Physician for me about four years ago in the begginning of Harvest,
after walking through Wet Corn I was seized with a great Cold in which
I complained of a great Headach and Swelling of my Head particularly
about my Jaws; the Swelling was such that my Jaws fell fell close
together & I could not for some time get them open'd to eat any thing.
However by keeping warm & smoaking Tabacco the Swelling wore
off in the space of two or three days; but Immediately after I was
eased of this, the pain fell down in to the great Toe of my left Foot
in the very Joint, which was so irksome that I could not move my
Toe or Walk; By this I was confined about two days: My Toe was
inflamed & swelled, I was seized with this pain in the Toe twice
or thrice since, but slightly. I have had a reaching & pain of
my Stomach for four or five Years which I have not got clear
of, and am frequently obliged to throw up with it, especially my
Breakfast, my other Meals generally sat easie enough.


I was formerly also troubled with Headachs which were
frequently owing to sitting up late or drinking too much;
but my Headachs then were neither so severe or of such
continuance as of late tho I dont drink much. My chief
Complaints now are the pains in my Stomach as mentio¬
ned above & my Headachs which come on very Suddenly &
violently without any known cause or Misconduct that I
can think of. The Pain reaches from the low part of my head
Forehead backward along the course of what you call the
Sutures till it is far back as the Occiput sometimes it
settles in the lower part of my Forehead in the breadth of a half
Crown, and other times it lyes in as small a space Fontanell. 1
I have often a sensation of Cold in my Head at the same time
as if it was Ice and frequently there are at the same time an
excessive [heat?] sweat over all my Body
occasioned as I think by
the violence of the Pain. I am commonly open in my Belly.




[Page 2]


I frequently have Short flying Pains in my feet, in my knees.
or here & there through my Body like stitches in my knees. They
will continue half a day sometimes of late. I observe that when
the Pains are in my knees or any other place downward I am much
easier in my head. Some people tell me it is an [anguish disor¬
der
?] & others call it goutish. I would be glad to know the Phy¬
sicians opinion. I wish you would consult Dr Cullen and let me
have this answer in course. I have sent inclosed £2 advance
2 shillings till meeting or getting it from Mr Andrew Stewart
Junior. I beg my Compliments to all friends and believe me
Dr Sir Your oblidged & obedient Servant

William Stewart
Elgin 16th Nov 1768

Notes:

1: The grammar renders this reference obscure: 'fontanelle' can mean a form of treatment, a space between muscles, and a dent in the scalp. The context implies the latter is meant here.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
From Mr Stewart at Elgin
Dr Sir


I give you this trouble in order that you may consult
a Physician for me about four years ago in the begginning of Harvest,
after walking through Wet Corn I was seized with a great Cold in which
I complained of a great Headach and Swelling of my Head particularly
about my Jaws; the Swelling was such that my Jaws fell fell close
together & I could not for some time get them open'd to eat any thing.
However by keeping warm & smoaking Tabacco the Swelling wore
off in the space of two or three days; but Immediately after I was
eased of this, the pain fell down in to the great Toe of my left Foot
in the very Joint, which was so irksome that I could not move my
Toe or Walk; By this I was confined about two days: My Toe was
inflamed & swelled, I was seized with this pain in the Toe twice
or thrice since, but slightly. I have had a reaching & pain of
my Stomach for four or five Years which I have not got clear
of, and am frequently obliged to throw up with it, especially my
Breakfast, my other Meals generally sat easie enough.


I was formerly also troubled with Headachs which were
frequently owing to sitting up late or drinking too much;
but my Headachs then were neither so severe or of such
continuance as of late tho I dont drink much. My chief
Complaints now are the pains in my Stomach as mentio¬
ned above & my Headachs which come on very Suddenly &
violently without any known cause or Misconduct that I
can think of. The Pain reaches from the low part of my head
Forehead backward along the course of what you call the
Sutures till it is far back as the Occiput sometimes it
settles in the lower part of my Forehead in the breadth of a half
Crown, and other times it lyes in as small a space Fontanell. 1
I have often a sensation of Cold in my Head at the same time
as if it was Ice and frequently there are at the same time an
excessive [heat?] sweat over all my Body
occasioned as I think by
the violence of the Pain. I am commonly open in my Belly.




[Page 2]


I frequently have Short flying Pains in my feet, in my knees.
or here & there through my Body like stitches in my knees. They
will continue half a day sometimes of late. I observe that when
the Pains are in my knees or any other place downward I am much
easier in my head. Some people tell me it is an [anguish disor¬
der
?] & others call it goutish. I would be glad to know the Phy¬
sicians opinion. I wish you would consult Dr Cullen and let me
have this answer in course. I have sent inclosed £2 advance
2 shillings till meeting or getting it from Mr Andrew Stewart
Junior. I beg my Compliments to all friends and believe me
Dr Sir Your oblidged & obedient Servant

William Stewart
Elgin 16th Nov 1768

Notes:

1: The grammar renders this reference obscure: 'fontanelle' can mean a form of treatment, a space between muscles, and a dent in the scalp. The context implies the latter is meant here.

XML

XML file not yet available.

Feedback

Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:415]

Type
Comments
 

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...