The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4683] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) / Regarding: Mr John Glassford (of Dougalston) (Patient) / 7 August 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply to [Dr Alexander Stevenson] concerning the case of Mr Glassford. Cullen thinks his complaint may stem from sand in the kidneys, but that there is as yet insufficient evidence for this to change his medication from acids to alkalis. He recommends using Columbo.
- 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 | 4683 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/16/87 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 7 August 1783 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply to [Dr Alexander Stevenson] concerning the case of Mr Glassford. Cullen thinks his complaint may stem from sand in the kidneys, but that there is as yet insufficient evidence for this to change his medication from acids to alkalis. He recommends using Columbo. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:330] |
Case of John Glassford, the 'Tobacco Lord' who suffers from a long-term stomach complaint which eventually proves fatal. Includes post-mortem report. Internal reference implies he was Cullen's patient in 1768, though no letters are extant. |
11 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:563] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) |
| [PERS ID:1619] | Patient | Mr John Glassford (of Dougalston) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:563] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) |
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 | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr Glassford
I am much pleased with your giving me
an opportunity of writing to you about Mr. Glassford
though upon this occasion I have very little to
say. I am glad to find that you do not insist
upon any affection of the Viscera and shall willingly
leave the consideration of it till it shall be
more evident. I think it is very possible that
the whole of his symptoms may depend upon
sand in the kidneys but the red sand you
speak of does not sufficiently ascertain this
and I should not think it decent for us to
be shifting quickly to contrary medicines. For
I must tell you that in all spasmodic disorders
I trust in nothing so much as to the Alkalines
and if you should employ them now the pro¬
priety of our having employed the acids might
appear very doubtful. I would therefore
[Page 2]
avoid speaking of them at present. I wish you had
told me how the Acids & bitters had operated with him
and I would wish you would rather think of diversi¬
fying these than of giving any others of a new kind.
In all cases of weak stomach I have a very good
opinion of Tar water and if other bitters have littl[e]
effect I would commonly have recourse to the Columb[o]
but doing all this as your own direction and good
Judgement shall direct. I am always
your most Obedient Servant
1783
Diplomatic Text
Mr Glassford
I am much pleased with your giving me
an opportunity of writing to you about Mr. Glassford
though upon this occasion I have very little to
say. I am glad to find that you do not insist
upon any affection of the Viscera and shall willingly
leave the consideration of it till it shall be
more evident. I think it is very possible that
the whole of his symptoms may depend upon
sand in the kidneys but the red sand you
speak of does not sufficiently ascertain this
and I should not think it decent for us to
be shifting quickly to contrary medicines. For
I must tell you that in all spasmodic disorders
I trust in nothing so much as to the Alkalines
and if you should employ them now the pro¬
priety of our having employed the acids might
appear very doubtful. I would therefore
[Page 2]
avoid speaking of them at present. I wish you had
told me how the Acids & bitters had operated with him
and I would wish you would rather think of diversi¬
fying these than of giving any others of a new kind.
In all cases of weak stomach I have a very good
opinion of Tar water and if other bitters have littl[e]
effect I would commonly have recourse to the Columb[o]
but doing all this as your own direction and good
Judgement shall direct. I am always
your most Obedient Servant
1783
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