The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4723] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr William Hamilton (in Glasgow) / Regarding: Mr Thomas Alston (Patient) / 6 October 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply, headed 'Mr Alston' and addressee identifiable as Dr William Hmilton at Glasgow . Cullen believes that 'the case is absolutely desperate and you can have nothing to do but while he lives to keep him as easy as you can.' He recommends the use of opiates: 'you must not be restrained by the fear of fits', and suggests giving them by glyster.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4723 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/16/127 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 6 October 1783 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, headed 'Mr Alston' and addressee identifiable as Dr William Hmilton at Glasgow . Cullen believes that 'the case is absolutely desperate and you can have nothing to do but while he lives to keep him as easy as you can.' He recommends the use of opiates: 'you must not be restrained by the fear of fits', and suggests giving them by glyster. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:671] |
Case of Mr Thomas Alston who spits blood and consequently has a poor prognosis and whose case eventually proves fatal. |
13 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:175] | Addressee | Dr William Hamilton (in Glasgow) |
| [PERS ID:554] | Patient | Mr Thomas Alston |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:175] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Hamilton (in Glasgow) |
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. Alston
I am heartily concerned for your Patient Mr.
Alston. I think the case is absolutely desperate and
you can have nothing to do but while he lives to
keep him as easy as you can. The urgent symptom
is the looseness and the only certain relief is to be
obtained by Opiates and from which in the necessary
quantity you must not be restrained by the fear
of fits, if {illeg} the moderate use of the
opiate is not likely to bring them on and I think
fifty drops is just [now as moderate a dose as?] {illeg}
{illeg} a fortnight before. But in the present Case
I can give you relief by proposing your giving the
opiate in glysters better adapted to his Case and
less [liable to affect the system?] {illeg}
{illeg} by the mouth. I give you one other
formula I have employed with great
[Page 2]
conveniency and advantage. Wishing [you heartily?]
success with Compliments to Mr. Alston [and family?]
I am most sincerely
your most Obedient servant
1783
[Page 3]
For Mr. Thomas Alston
Take 3 drachms of Gum Arabic and 3 ounces of hot water. Dissolve and to the strainings add 20 drops of Thebaic Tincture, and let it be injected as an enema every night at bedtime.
1783.
Diplomatic Text
Mr. Alston
I am heartily concerned for your Patient Mr.
Alston. I think the case is absolutely desperate and
you can have nothing to do but while he lives to
keep him as easy as you can. The urgent symptom
is the looseness and the only certain relief is to be
obtained by Opiates and from which in the necessary
quantity you must not be restrained by the fear
of fits, if {illeg} the moderate use of the
opiate is not likely to bring them on and I think
fifty drops is just [now as moderate a dose as?] {illeg}
{illeg} a fortnight before. But in the present Case
I can give you relief by proposing your giving the
opiate in glysters better adapted to his Case and
less [liable to affect the system?] {illeg}
{illeg} by the mouth. I give you one other
formula I have employed with great
[Page 2]
conveniency and advantage. Wishing [you heartily?]
success with Compliments to Mr. Alston [and family?]
I am most sincerely
your most Obedient servant
1783
[Page 3]
For Mr. Thomas Alston
℞ Gum. Arabic. ʒiij
Aq. fervent. ℥iij
Solve et colaturæ adde
Tinct. Thebaic. gtt. 20.
et sit pro enemate omni nocte h.s. injeciendo.
1783.
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