The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4553] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Thomas Livingston / Regarding: Mrs Innes (of Muiriefauld, Muiryfold) (Patient), Mrs Janet MacLean (MacLeod or McLeod?) (McLean; of Coll) (Patient) / 15 December 1779 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mrs Maclean'. Cullen suspects a schirrosity of the uterine system or ovaries, because of her continued menstruation after he believes it should have ceased. Comparison is made with the late Dr [James] Saunders' treatment of Mrs Innes of Muiryfauld. He recommends the use of Henbane Extract or of Cicuta.
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
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Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4553 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/12/120 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 15 December 1779 |
| 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 'For Mrs Maclean'. Cullen suspects a schirrosity of the uterine system or ovaries, because of her continued menstruation after he believes it should have ceased. Comparison is made with the late Dr [James] Saunders' treatment of Mrs Innes of Muiryfauld. He recommends the use of Henbane Extract or of Cicuta. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:151] |
Case of Mrs Innes of Muriefold, whose symptoms are considered 'nervous or hysteric'. |
3 |
| [Case ID:1143] |
Case of Mrs Maclean of Coll, who has a menstrual disorder that Cullen attributes to a serious uterine condition. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:852] | Addressee | Dr Thomas Livingston |
| [PERS ID:3116] | Patient | Mrs Janet MacLean (McLean; of Coll) |
| [PERS ID:35] | Patient | Mrs Innes (of Muiriefauld, Muiryfold) |
| [PERS ID:934] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Chalmers (Chambers) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:852] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Thomas Livingston |
| [PERS ID:596] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr James Kenneth Saunders |
| [PERS ID:934] | Supplemental Addressee | Dr William Chalmers (Chambers) |
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 | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Banff (Bamf) | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Mrs Maclean.
From the long continuance of her Menstruation it
appears there has been an extraordinary determination
of the blood to the Uterus & which at the time it should
naturaly cease has formed some infarction or perhaps
schirrosity in some portion of the Uterine system &
very probably in the Ovarium & ligaments on the
left side & I have known cases of that kind which have
occasioned a præternatural continuation of the
Menses. Such a schirrosity will be at any time dif¬
ficult to remove but especially while the Menses
continue to recur & thereby increase the impetus of the
blood in the vessels of the Uterus. We can therefore
do little at present but palliate as you have done
already by Opiates; tho I must own that the frequent
use of these may contribute both to continue & to
increase the Menses. I wish you could find some
other sedative, that you might use the Opiate
more sparingly. The Henbane Extract has
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sometimes answered well. I have found also great
use from Cicuta in some uterine cases. With the late
Dr Sanders of Banff I had a patient (Mrs Innes of Mui¬
riefauld) labouring under a palpable schirrosity in
each ovarium with considerable discharge of blood
& various matters from the Uterus. In this case the
Cicuta did much. It did not entirely remove the
hardness of the Ovarium but relieved all the affec¬
tions of the Uterus. I have had several cases more
which prevent me thinking the Cicuta an insig¬
nificant medicine.
I think this is all I need do ↑that is to↑ hint ↑of↑ the medicines
which may have a chance of going to the bottom
of the disease. The daily occurrences can be man¬
aged only by a person on the spot.
Diplomatic Text
For Mrs Maclean.
From the long continuance of her Menstruation it
appears there has been an extraordinary determination
of the blood to the Uterus & which at the time it should
naturaly cease has formed some infarction or perhaps
schirrosity in some portion of the Uterine system &
very probably in the Ovarium & ligaments on the
left side & I have known cases of that kind which have
occasioned a præternatural continuation of the
Menses. Such a schirrosity will be at any time dif¬
ficult to remove but especially while the Menses
continue to recur & thereby increase the impetus of the
blood in the vessels of the Uterus. We can therefore
do little at present but palliate as you have done
already by Opiates; tho I must own that the freqt
use of these may contribute both to continue & to
increase the Menses. I wish you could find some
other sedative, that you might use the Opiate
more sparingly. The Extr. hyoscyami has
[Page 2]
sometimes answered well. I have found also great
use from Cicuta in some uterine cases. With the late
Dr Sanders of Banff I had a patient (Mrs Innes of Mui¬
riefauld) labouring under a palpable schirrosity in
each ovarium with considerable discharge of blood
& various matters from the Uterus. In this case the
Cicuta did much. It did not entirely remove the
hardness of the Ovarium but relieved all the affec¬
tions of the Uterus. I have had several cases more
which prevent me thinking the Cicuta an insig¬
nificant medicine.
I think this is all I need do ↑that is to↑ hint ↑of↑ the medicines
which may have a chance of going to the bottom
of the disease. The daily occurrences can be man¬
aged only by a person on the spot.
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