The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4332] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr John Alves / Regarding: Mr Alexander Fraser (of Culduthill, Culduthell; 6th of Culduthel) (Patient) / 11 November 1778 / (Outgoing)
Reply probably to Dr Alves, headed 'For Mr Fraser of Culduthhill [i.e. Culduthel]', whose stomach disorder is attributed to the pressure of a hard tumour.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4332 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/11/70 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 11 November 1778 |
| 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 probably to Dr Alves, headed 'For Mr Fraser of Culduthhill [i.e. Culduthel]', whose stomach disorder is attributed to the pressure of a hard tumour. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1021] |
Case of Mr Fraser of Culduthill who has a painful stomach disorder with vomiting which Cullen attributes to the pressure of a tumour. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:148] | Addressee | Dr John Alves |
| [PERS ID:2455] | Patient | Mr Alexander Fraser (of Culduthill, Culduthell; 6th of Culduthel) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:148] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Alves |
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 | Inverness | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Culduthel | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
[Page 1]
For Mr Fraser of Culduth hill
[Page 2]
but I suspect that the hardness you mention implies a
steatomatous tumor formed or forming in the Omentum
which pressing upon the stomach has been the cause
of the disorder. If the disease is simply spasmodic
you will readily get the better of it by opiates and
laxative properly alternated but if the tumor that
I suspect has actually taken place which you will
know by the continuance or perhaps increase of
a fixed hardness, the care will be more difficult.
To obviate or discuss such hardness I know nothing
more proper than the cicuta, which you may try
giving the powders of the leaves well (↑properly↑) dried; at
first at two grains for a dose & afterwards increasing
it gradually till it has some sensible effects. Till
this can take effect you must Relieve the pains
& vomitings by opiates, but avoiding costiveness.
The only possible interruption to the manage¬
ment, that I can foresee is the coming on of fever
which you lead me to think by observing some
frequency of pulse & thirst the day you write.
These tho increasing need not interrupt the use of the
cicuta but if the feverishness is in any degree it
should interrupt the Opiates, especially if the fever¬
ishness be attended with any symptoms of inflam¬
mation. In this last case very different measures may
be necessary but I cannot advise them without being
upon the spot.
For Mr Fraser of Culduth hill
I suspect the symptoms are not yet perfectly decisive with
regard to the nature of the disease. It has hither to ap¬
peared as flatulent spasmodic affection of the stomach
[Page 2]
but I suspect that the hardness you mention implies a
steatomatous tumor formed or forming in the Omentum
which pressing upon the stomach has been the cause
of the disorder. If the disease is simply spasmodic
you will readily get the better of it by opiates and
laxative properly alternated but if the tumor that
I suspect has actually taken place which you will
know by the continuance or perhaps increase of
a fixed hardness, the care will be more difficult.
To obviate or discuss such hardness I know nothing
more proper than the cicuta, which you may try
giving the powders of the leaves well (↑properly↑) dried; at
first at two grains for a dose & afterwards increasing
it gradually till it has some sensible effects. Till
this can take effect you must Relieve the pains
& vomitings by opiates, but avoiding costiveness.
The only possible interruption to the manage¬
ment, that I can foresee is the coming on of fever
which you lead me to think by observing some
frequency of pulse & thirst the day you write.
These tho increasing need not interrupt the use of the
cicuta but if the feverishness is in any degree it
should interrupt the Opiates, especially if the fever¬
ishness be attended with any symptoms of inflam¬
mation. In this last case very different measures may
be necessary but I cannot advise them without being
upon the spot.
W.C.
Edinburgh November 11. 1778
Diplomatic Text
[Page 1]
For Mr Fraser of Culduth hill
[Page 2]
but I suspect that the hardness you mention implies a
steatomatous tumor formed or forming in the Omentum
which pressing upon the stomach has been the cause
of the disorder. If the disease is simply spasmodic
you will readily get the better of it by opiates and
laxative properly alternated but if the tumor that
I suspect has actually taken place which you will
know by the continuance or perhaps increase of
a fixed hardness, the care will be more difficult.
To obviate or discuss such hardness I know nothing
more proper than the cicuta, which you may try
giving the powders of the leaves well (↑properly↑) dried; at
first at two grains for a dose & afterwards increasing
it gradually till it has some sensible effects. Till
this can take effect you must Relieve the pains
& vomitings by opiates, but avoiding costiveness.
The only possible interruption to the manage¬
ment, that I can foresee is the coming on of fever
which you lead me to think by observing some
frequency of pulse & thirst the day you write.
These tho increasing need not interrupt the use of the
cicuta but if the feverishness is in any degree it
should interrupt the Opiates, especially if the fever¬
ishness be attended with any symptoms of inflam¬
mation. In this last case very different measures may
be necessary but I cannot advise them without being
upon the spot.
For Mr Fraser of Culduth hill
I suspect the symptoms are not yet perfectly decisive with
regard to the nature of the disease. It has hither to ap¬
peared as flatulent spasmodic affection of the stomach
[Page 2]
but I suspect that the hardness you mention implies a
steatomatous tumor formed or forming in the Omentum
which pressing upon the stomach has been the cause
of the disorder. If the disease is simply spasmodic
you will readily get the better of it by opiates and
laxative properly alternated but if the tumor that
I suspect has actually taken place which you will
know by the continuance or perhaps increase of
a fixed hardness, the care will be more difficult.
To obviate or discuss such hardness I know nothing
more proper than the cicuta, which you may try
giving the powders of the leaves well (↑properly↑) dried; at
first at two grains for a dose & afterwards increasing
it gradually till it has some sensible effects. Till
this can take effect you must Relieve the pains
& vomitings by opiates, but avoiding costiveness.
The only possible interruption to the manage¬
ment, that I can foresee is the coming on of fever
which you lead me to think by observing some
frequency of pulse & thirst the day you write.
These tho increasing need not interrupt the use of the
cicuta but if the feverishness is in any degree it
should interrupt the Opiates, especially if the fever¬
ishness be attended with any symptoms of inflam¬
mation. In this last case very different measures may
be necessary but I cannot advise them without being
upon the spot.
W.C.
Edr Novr 11. 1778
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:4332]
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...
