The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4768] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Bannerman / Regarding: Mr George Gordon (Patient) / 10 January 1784 / (Outgoing)
Reply concerning the case of Mr George Gordon, in which Cullen also passes on his compliments to 'my old pupil Dr Skene'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4768 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/16/172 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 10 January 1784 |
| 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 concerning the case of Mr George Gordon, in which Cullen also passes on his compliments to 'my old pupil Dr Skene'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1589] |
Case of George Gordon who suffers from rheumatic pains and colic which may be the gout. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3456] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Bannerman |
| [PERS ID:4094] | Patient | Mr George Gordon |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:64] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr George Skene |
| [PERS ID:3456] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Bannerman |
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 |
Normalized Text
Mr Geo: Gordon
I was favoured with your last night but too
late to answer it in course. I have now attenpted to (↑tively↑)
considered Mr. Gordon's case and shall be glad
to give you any assistance in it.
I have formerly been of opinion that all
pains of the extremities which alternated with
affections of the internal parts were to be considered
as Gouty and that by this mark especially Gout
and Rheumatism were to be distinguished from
one another but upon several occasions I have
been led to doubt of the universality of this position.
I have now met with several instances of what
while it appeared in the extremities I concluded from
every circumstance of Age, Sex, symptoms and
remedies to be truly Rheumatic but found the
same by cold bathing, blistering and even rubi¬
[Page 2]
facients to be translated to the Alimentary Canal
and I am very much disposed to think that the case
you give me is another instance of the same kind
of disease though I will be no means say that
the translation of it has been owing to any im¬
proper even accidentally improper management.
Though I have thus given you my opinion
of the disease I own myself much at a loss in
ascertaining the nature of the affection in the
Alimentary Canal or in directing the Cure of it
and this letter cannot admitt of a discussion
of the doubts and difficulties which have for¬
merly occurred to me and do in a stronger
manner now. Mr. Gordons case has so far
advanced as to preclude us from remedies I
might have thought of before. The state of his
stomach though you do not speak clearly
[Page 3]
about it is evidently much in our way and I am
afraid the febrile state now come on is still much
more so but we must do as well as we can.
I must suppose that the frequency & violence of
pain will not allow you to ommitt the use of Opium
and I cannot propose it but you must obviate some
of it by the very diligent use of glysters
to which I would advise the joining some good
Asafoetida both as laxative and Antispasmodic.
After what you have told me I cannot propose
purgatives but there is a medicine which
I have found to me the best Carminative laxa¬
tive I have known and if his stomach and
fever will admitt of it I would still propose
This is a solution of good Gum Guaiac. Let it
be well diffused by being first rubbed with
Sugar and then well triturated with yolk
of Egg and let it be thrown in small
[Page 4]
portions as the Stomach and fever bear it. Where we are
so much precluded from internal medicines we must
be more busy in seeking external and I am of opinion
that both fomentations and blistering may be useful
to Mr. Gordon and both of these remedies may be
applied sometimes to the lower extremities and some¬
times to the belly itself which I leave to your and
Dr. Skenes good judgement and discretion. Please
present my respectful and affectionate Compliments
to my Old Pupil Dr. Skene and believe me to be
with the utmost regard
Edinburgh 10th. January
1784
Diplomatic Text
Mr Geo: Gordon
I was favoured with your last night but too
late to answer it in course. I have now attenpted to (↑tively↑)
considered Mr. Gordon's case and shall be glad
to give you any assistance in it.
I have formerly been of opinion that all
pains of the extremities which alternated with
affections of the internal parts were to be considered
as Gouty and that by this mark especially Gout
and Rheumatism were to be distinguished from
one another but upon several occasions I have
been led to doubt of the universality of this position.
I have now met with several instances of what
while it appeared in the extremities I concluded from
every circumstance of Age, Sex, symptoms and
remedies to be truly Rheumatic but found the
same by cold bathing, blistering and even rubi¬
[Page 2]
facients to be translated to the Alimentary Canal
and I am very much disposed to think that the case
you give me is another instance of the same kind
of disease though I will be no means say that
the translation of it has been owing to any im¬
proper even accidentally improper management.
Though I have thus given you my opinion
of the disease I own myself much at a loss in
ascertaining the nature of the affection in the
Alimentary Canal or in directing the Cure of it
and this letter cannot admitt of a discussion
of the doubts and difficulties which have for¬
merly occurred to me and do in a stronger
manner now. Mr. Gordons case has so far
advanced as to preclude us from remedies I
might have thought of before. The state of his
stomach though you do not speak clearly
[Page 3]
about it is evidently much in our way and I am
afraid the febrile state now come on is still much
more so but we must do as well as we can.
I must suppose that the frequency & violence of
pain will not allow you to ommitt the use of Opium
and I cannot propose it but you must obviate some
of it by the very diligent use of glysters
to which I would advise the joining some good
Asafoetida both as laxative and Antispasmodic.
After what you have told me I cannot propose
purgatives but there is a medicine which
I have found to me the best Carminative laxa¬
tive I have known and if his stomach and
fever will admitt of it I would still propose
This is a solution of good Gum Guaiac. Let it
be well diffused by being first rubbed with
Sugar and then well triturated with yolk
of Egg and let it be thrown in small
[Page 4]
portions as the Stomach and fever bear it. Where we are
so much precluded from internal medicines we must
be more busy in seeking external and I am of opinion
that both fomentations and blistering may be useful
to Mr. Gordon and both of these remedies may be
applied sometimes to the lower extremities and some¬
times to the belly itself which I leave to your and
Dr. Skenes good judgement and discretion. Please
present my respectful and affectionate Compliments
to my Old Pupil Dr. Skene and believe me to be
with the utmost regard
Edinr. 10th. Janry.
1784
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