The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4179] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Miss Jeanie McMurdo (Macmurdo) (Patient) / 24 October 1777 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'Dr Hamilton Dumfries'. confirmed as concerning Jeanie McMurdo from internal cross-references to related letters. Cullen discusses the advantages of an artificial sweating given the possibility that she may have had a 'hectic' fever (consumption).
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4179 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/10/36 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 24 October 1777 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'Dr Hamilton Dumfries'. confirmed as concerning Jeanie McMurdo from internal cross-references to related letters. Cullen discusses the advantages of an artificial sweating given the possibility that she may have had a 'hectic' fever (consumption). |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:684] |
Case of Miss Jean ["Jeanie"] McMurdo [MacMurdo] who in 1775 has a fever, in 1778 has a bad chest condition with feverish symptoms, and then develops severe bouts of colic. |
9 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1403] | Patient | Miss Jeanie McMurdo (Macmurdo) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2112] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Hamilton (in Dumfries) |
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 | Dumfries | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Northumberland | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Dr Hamilton. Dumfries. --
Having been called into Northumberland immedi¬
atily after your letter came there, it has lain longer unanswered
than I wished. Upon considering it I am no clearer than before,
only I think the tendency to phthisis appears still stronger
than before. However both your information & mine is very
incompleat. We have some interim accidents upon which I
cannot advise at a distance, but they tell us nothing that [expecting?]
the tenor or progress of the disease or the effects of remedies. That the
blister either increased the cough or the rheumatism I do not believe.
However I think it my duty to write to you, tho it is to say that
I have hardly any thing now to propose. I dont think that
any fair trial has ever been made of the anodyne & antimonical
& tho some sweatings have happened, I dont perceive that they
are constant, & I often perceive that quiting the cough & giving [the?]
Sleep will prevent Sweatings which would otherwise happen. - If the
rheumatic pains continue I shall still think it necessary to try
my medicine tho it should occasion Sweating, as the artificial
sweats do what spontanious Sweats will not. However if the
hectic symptoms shall have become more distant, I cannot
insist on any sweating course, & if you find that the cold & hot
fits come regularly every day with sweats in the night
& morning, you may conclude a hectic formerly come on
[Page 2]
and there will be much doubt of our doing any good. In such
a case however, you may try acids both vegetable and fossil
very freely & if you find that the pulse is tolerably settled in
the morning, you may give a little bark in the forenoons, but
then only. I shall say farther that if pains continue I shall
think more blistering necessary & it may be of service, can
certainly do no harm to the cough. I doubt of the propriety
of Silk or water, and I am clear that all the good it can do, is
is not worth the Carriage to Dumfries. - I am -- &c.
Edinburgh 24th. October
1777
Diplomatic Text
Dr Hamilton. Dumfries. --
Having been called into Northumberland immedi¬
atily after your letter came there, it has lain longer unanswered
than I wished. Upon considering it I am no clearer than before,
only I think the tendency to phthisis appears still stronger
than before. However both your information & mine is very
incompleat. We have some interim accidents upon which I
cannot advise at a distance, but they tell us nothing that [expecting?]
ye tenor or progress of ye disease or the effects of remedies. That ye
blister either increased the cough or ye rheumatism I do not believe.
However I think it my duty to write to you, tho it is to say that
I have hardly any thing now to propose. I dont think that
any fair trial has ever been made of ye anodyne & antimonical
& tho some sweatings have happened, I dont perceive that they
are constant, & I often perceive that quiting ye cough & giving [ye?]
Sleep will prevent Sweatings wc would otherwise happen. - If the
rheumatic pains continue I shall still think it necessary to try
my medicine tho it should occasion Sweating, as ye artificial
sweats do what spontanious Sweats will not. However if the
hectic symptoms shall have become more distant, I cannot
insist on any sweating course, & if you find that ye cold & hot
fits come regularly every day with sweats in the night
& morning, you may conclude a hectic formerly come on
[Page 2]
and there will be much doubt of our doing any good. In such
a case however, you may try acids both vegetable and fossil
very freely & if you find that the pulse is tolerably settled in
the morning, you may give a little bark in the forenoons, but
then only. I shall say farther that if pains continue I shall
think more blistering necessary & it may be of service, can
certainly do no harm to the cough. I doubt of the propriety
of Silk or water, and I am clear that all the good it can do, is
is not worth the Carriage to Dumfries. - I am -- &c.
Edinr. 24th. Octr.
1777
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