Cullen

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

 

[ID:4459] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Patrick Scott / Regarding: Miss Anna Betham (Annie) (Patient) / 17 June 1779 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'Dr P. Scott C[oncerning] Miss A. Betham'

Facsimile

There are 2 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 4459
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/12/26
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date17 June 1779
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, 'Dr P. Scott C[oncerning] Miss A. Betham'
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:879]
Case of Anna ( "Annie") Betham who has a very unusual, painful condition located in the side of her torso which has apparently collapsed inwards and is accompanied by emaciation and other symptoms, which baffles Cullen as to its cause.
4


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:403]AddresseeDr Patrick Scott
[PERS ID:2980]PatientMiss Anna Betham (Annie)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:403]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Patrick Scott

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 Douglas Isle of Man England Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Dr P. Scott. Concerning Miss A. Betham


Still somewhat unusual & mysterious in the Case - The
inclining of the body to one side &c which must occasion an
appearance of falling in on that side must be owing either to
a contraction on that side or a weakness and relaxation on the
other but which is the Case I cannot positively determine -


If there was anything Paralytic on the left side, the body
should incline to the other as in Paralytic cases the mouth
is drawn to the side opposite to the Paralytic one & further if
there was a Palsy on the left side in the trunk of the
body
I think it is singular, that nothing of it appears
in the Eye mouth neck arm or limb of the left (↑same↑) side
If I consider the mather as a Contraction of the muscles
on the side affected. I should be equally puzled to account
for it unless you had given me more circumstances to
judge by. Therefore examine more circumstantially
but this is so well mended at present that I shall offer
no advice - I must take up the Case upon a more
geniral view & there I percieve Miss B. to have a weak
and irritable Nervous System
, which may give occasion to
an endless variety of Symptoms which cannot lay the founda¬
tion of practice, that must turn entirely upon correcting
the geniral habit - For this see below ℞ ----


The operation of this maybe much assisted by frequent
fresh air & riding gently on horseback and at this
season taking frequently a bathe in the Sea, supposing



[Page 2]

always that she continues free from cough
or any marks of ailment in her Lungs ---


Her Diet must be adapted to her digestion which
I am not exactly informed of, but I must say in
geniral that it maybe nourishing but light.

Take two ounces of Tincture of Mars and half-an-ounce of Aromatic. Mix. Label: Strengthening Tincture 20 Drops to be taken in a glass of water twice a day, washing down each dose with two table Spoon fulls of the following

Take Tincture of amarum, two ounces of Peruvian bark, and four ounces each of Simple cinnamon water and Peppermint. Mix. Label:

June 17th. 1779.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Dr P. Scott. C. Miss A. Betham


Still somewhat unusual & mysterious in the Case - The
inclining of the body to one side &c wc must occasion an
appearance of falling in on that side must be owing either to
a contraction on that side or a weakness and relaxation on the
other but wc is the Case I cannot positively determine -


If there was anything Paralytic on the left side, the body
should incline to the other as in Paralytic cases the mouth
is drawn to the side opposite to the Paralytic one & further if
there was a Palsy on the left side in the trunk of the
body
I think it is singular, that nothing of it appears
in the Eye mouth neck arm or limb of the left (↑same↑) side
If I consider the mather as a Contraction of the muscles
on the side affected. I should be equally puzled to account
for it unless you had given me more circumstances to
judge by. Therefore examine more circumstantially
but this is so well mended at present that I shall offer
no advice - I must take up the Case upon a more
geniral view & there I percieve Miss B. to have a weak
and irritable Nervous System
, wc may give occasion to
an endless variety of Symptoms wc cannot lay the founda¬
tion of practice, that must turn entirely upon correcting
the geniral habit - For this see below ℞ ----


The operation of this maybe much assisted by frequent
fresh air & riding gently on horseback and at this
season taking frequently a bathe in the Sea, supposing



[Page 2]

always that she continues free from cough
or any marks of ailment in her Lungs ---


Her Diet must be adapted to her digestion wc
I am not exactly informed of, but I must say in
geniral that it maybe nourishing but light.


Tinct. Mart. ℥ij - Aromatic ℥ſs. ℳ.
S. Strengthening Tincture 20 Drops to be taken in a
glass of water twice a day, washing down each dose with
two table Spoon fulls of the following

June 17th. 1779.

XML

XML file not yet available.

Feedback

Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:4459]

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...