Cullen

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

 

[ID:4404] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Abernethie / Regarding: Mr (Patient) / 7 April 1779 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'To Mr Abernethy Surgeon about a Gentleman'

Facsimile

There are 3 images for this document.

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[Page 2]


 

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 4404
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/11/142
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date7 April 1779
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, 'To Mr Abernethy Surgeon about a Gentleman'
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1131]
Case of and unnamed twenty-one year old patient of the surgeon Alexander Abernethie [Abernethy] who has a 'confirmed pthisis', and who is advised over the merits of staying at Banff.
3


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:3180]AddresseeDr Alexander Abernethie
[PERS ID:3182]PatientMr
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:3180]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Alexander Abernethie

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 Banff (Bamf) East Highlands Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

To Mr Abermethy Surgeon ↑at↑ about
For a Gentleman


The patient is not to see this letter. I think
in a confirmed Phthisis from which few can escape.


You have managed him very judiciously & I
can only desire you to persist in your measures.


While the tendency to Diarrhœa continue I should
prefer cow's milk to any other.


Not necessary to have skinned milk at breakfast.


X see nex




[Page 2]

It would be better to give him new milk even
with the cream in it, as more easily digested &
sufficiently safe. While the diarrhœa the
tendency to it continues avoid marmalade and the
sweet meats. Sir J. Elliot proposed to cure
consumption by juice of Lemons. I have not seen
any cure by it but have known it given with
advantage even in case of Diarrhœa. It may
therefore enter the Calvesfeet & hartshorn jelly.


Both for sweating and other reasons you
may give the Sp. vitriol. ten. more largely. I em¬
ploy the following formula.

Take three ounces of rose Water, half an ounce of dried roses Syrup and half an ounce of Spiritus vitrioli tenuis. Mix; a teaspoon of this I give in a glass of water often in the day and night and even for ordinary drink.


Riding is the most material part of his exercise.
Walking unless most gentle is dangerous &
should be used only in very mild weather air
shelter places for the fresh air.


For his gripes you should give the opiate in
larger quantity. It is to be feared the gripings
may increase & the Diarrhœa become more con¬
siderable. In that case the only certain means
is he restraining by opiates, but let them be
employed with great moderation & therefore let
part of the business be done by Astringents.

Take half a drachm of the best Japanese Earth, one drachm of Cinnamon, one ounce of Gum Arabic and eight ounces of boiling water. Let it digest for three hours, stirring from time to time and then, after it has left a sediment, strain using a thick cloth. Add, to the strained liquid, nine drops of Thebaic Tincture and one and a half ounces of Syrup of diacodium Mix. Label as Strengthening mixture. Two tablespoon when gripping or purging is troublesome.


Let a pea



[Page 3]

issue
be put in behind his Shoulders it
will gratify his friends & cause no harm.


W.C.

Edinburgh April. 7. 1779.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

To Mr Abermethy Surgeon ↑at↑ about
For a Gentleman


The patient is not to see this letter. I think
in a confirmed Phthisis from which few can escape.


You have managed him very judiciously & I
can only desire you to persist in your measures.


While the tendency to Diarrhœa continue I should
prefer cow's milk to any other.


Not necessary to have skinned milk at breakfast.


X see nex




[Page 2]

It would be better to give him new milk even
with the cream in it, as more easily digested &
sufficiently safe. While the diarrhœa the
tendency to it continues avoid marmalade and the
sweet meats. Sir J. Elliot proposed to cure
consumption by juice of Lemons. I have not seen
any cure by it but have known it given with
advantage even in case of Diarrhœa. It may
therefore enter the Calvesfeet & hartshorn jelly.


Both for sweating and other reasons you
may give the Sp. vitriol. ten. more largely. I em¬
ploy the followg. formula.


Aq. ros. ℥iij
Syr. e ros. sicc.
Sp. vitriol. ten. @℥fs ℳ a teaspoon¬
ful of this I give in a glass of water often in
the day & night & even for ordinary drink.


Riding is the most material part of his exercise.
Walking unless most gentle is dangerous &
should be used only in very mild weather air
shelter places for the fresh air.


For his gripes you should give the opiate in
larger quantity. It is to be feared the gripings
may increase & the Diarrhœa become more con¬
siderable. In that case the only certain means
is he restraining by opiates, but let them be
employed with great moderation & therefore let
part of the business be done by Astringents.


Terr. Japon. opt. ʒfs Cinnam. ʒj G. Arab. ℥j
Aq. fervent. ℥viij Digere subinde agitans horas 3.
dein post subsidentiam per pannum densum cola
et colato adde Tinct. Theb. gtt. IX. Syr. diacod. ℥ifs ℳ.
S. Strengthening ℳ. Two tablespoonfuls when gr¬
ping
or purging is troublesome.


Let a pea



[Page 3]

issue
be put in behind his Shoulders it
will gratify his friends & cause no harm.


W.C.

Edinr. April. 7. 1779.

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