Cullen

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

 

[ID:499] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr (of Christiansund (Norway)) (Patient) / 11 July 1774 / (Outgoing)

Reply with directions on regimen, particularly the need for winter exercise, for 'Mr _______ of Christiansund' (Kristiansund, Norway). Cullen recommends diet, exercise and the flesh brush, and supplies laxative and diaphoretic prescriptions. Not categorised as a formal 'Regimen', because these instructions are not actually enumerated, it largely follows the usual form for such instructions.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 499
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/3/77
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date11 July 1774
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen Yes
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply with directions on regimen, particularly the need for winter exercise, for 'Mr _______ of Christiansund' (Kristiansund, Norway). Cullen recommends diet, exercise and the flesh brush, and supplies laxative and diaphoretic prescriptions. Not categorised as a formal 'Regimen', because these instructions are not actually enumerated, it largely follows the usual form for such instructions.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:467]
Case of an anoymised patient from Christiansund (Kristiansund, Norway), for whom Cullen recommends a regimen and a laxative and diaphoretic.
1


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1339]PatientMr (of Christiansund (Norway))
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)

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 Kristiansund (Christiansund) Norway Norway Europe inferred
Mentioned / Other Norway Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mr ____________ of Christiansund.


Tho I have not a full information concerning this Gentleman’s
case I think I understand it very well & have no doubt
of relieving it if my advice can be executed


A foullness of blood & laxity of Solids has been brought
on by full living & want of Exercise & tho at present
the symptoms are nt considerable very troublesome or dangerous
they threaten a disease of Asthma or Dropsy which may not
be easily cured & I should think it necessary to take a
great deal of pains to prevent them


The most effectual & perhaps the only means for the
purpose is by diet & Exercise


In diet he should take very moderately of animal
food and as much of fresh vegetables as he can. He should
particularly take fish very sparingly & of salted meat not



[Page 2]

at all. Spiceries bad for him but Mustard Onion Shallot
& all kind of pickles he may take freely. He should
take no Suppers.


For ordinary drink he may take water, or wine &
water, but no kind of malt liquors. At Dinner he may
take a few glasses of claret or Rhenish but it should be
always moderately & if the Spanish or Portu¬
guese wines he should not taste. Coffee & Tea are nt
bad for him if they be taken in moderate quantities


The place of his presidence is said to be unfavou¬
rable for Exercise but this is absolutely necessary to preserve
his health & it is a very singular which has no out¬
let or opportunity for Exercise tho not convenient. In
winter the roads of Norway are always good & if they
cannot be employed a chamber machine may at
all seasons.


There is an Exercise very proper in this case, that is the
flesh brush. Let it be employed upon the legs only in
the morn. rubbing not violent but gentle & long continued.


These are the measures I would have this Gentleman depend
on both for relieving present & preventing future
complaints& if He think it depends on medicines alone he
will be deceived. However I shall mention some medicines
which may be of service to him:


A Gentle vomit of Ipecac. 1ce a month will be proper


A Gentle Purgation once a fortnight will also be of Service. The



[Page 3]

most proper purgative I have ordered below. It may be taken
once a fortnight to the quantity which shall be found necessary to give 2
or 3 stools, but if he be of a costive habit he should take
it more frequently to the quantity necessary to keep Bowels Regular.


To clear his blood more effectively let him take a table¬
spoonful or two of the diaphoretic mixture ordered below


If it do not affect his Stomach with any squeamishness
the dose may be still further increasd. This may be continued
for 2 or 3 weeks at a time & several times a year.


In the Spring season he should take a months
course of the Antiscorbutic Juices.

Wm. Cullen
Edinburgh 11 July.
1774.
For Mr___________ of Christiansund.

Take two ounces of powdered Tartar Crystals, one and a half drachms of ground Jalap Root, a drachm of ground Nutmeg, an ounce of pulp of French prunes, and enough Simple Syrup as to make a thin Electuary or Linctus. Label: Laxative Electuary.

Take eight ounces of Rosewater, an ounce of Clove Syrup and four grains of Tartar Emetic. Dissolve and Label: Diaphoretic Mixture.

W.
11 Jully
1774.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mr ____________ of Christiansund.


Tho I have not a full informat.n concerng ys G.s
case I think I understand it very well & have no doubt
of relieving it if my advice can be executed


A foullness of blood & laxity of Solids has bn brt
on by full living & want of Exercise & tho at prest
ye sympt.s are nt considble very troubles. or dangerous
yy threaten a disease of Asthma or Dropsy wc may not
be easy cured & I should think it necessary to take a
gt dl of pns. to prevent ym.


The most effectual & perhaps ye only means for ye
purpose is by diet & Exercise


In diet he should take very moderately of animal
food and as mc of fresh vegetables as he can. He should
particularly take fish very sparingly & of salted meat not



[Page 2]

at all. Spiceries bad for him bt Mustard Onion Shallot
& all kind of pickles he may take freely. He should
take no Suppers.


For ordinary drink he may take water, or wine &
water, bt no kind of malt liquors. At Dinner he may
take a few glasses of claret or Rhenish bt it should be
always moderately & if ye Spanish or Portu¬
guese wines he shd not taste. Coffee & Tea are nt
bad for him if yy be taken in mod. q.ties


The place of his presidence is said to be unfavou¬
rable for Exerc. bt ys is absolutely necessy. to preserve
his health & it is a very singular which has no out¬
let or opportunity for Exerc. tho not convent. In
winter the roads of Norway are always good & if yy
cannot be employed a chamber machine may at
all seasons.


Yre is an Exerc. very proper in ys case, yt is ye
flesh brush. Let it be employed upon ye legs only in
ye morn. rubbing not violt. but gentle & long cont.d.


Yse are ye measures I would have ys Gn. depend
on both for relieving present & preventg future
compts.& if He think it depends on meds. alone he
will be deceived. However I shall mentn some meds..
wc may be of service to him:


A Gentle vom. of Ipecac. 1ce a mth will be proper


A Gentle Purgat. 1ce a 4nt will also be of Service. Te



[Page 3]

most proper purgative I have ordd below. It may be takn
once a 4tnt to ye qty wc shall be found necessy to give 2
or 3 stools, bt if he be of a costive habit he should take
it more freqy. to ye qy necess. to keep B. Reg.r


To clear his blood more effecty. let him take a table¬
spoonful or two of ye. diaphoretic mixture ordd below


If it do not affect his Stom. w any sqeamishn.
ye dose may be still further increasd. Ys may be contd.
for 2 or 3 weeks at a time & several times a year.


In ye Spring season he should take a mths
course of ye Antiscorbutic Juices.

Wm. Cullen
Edinr. 11 July.
1774.
For Mr___________ of Christiansund.


Cryst. Tart. pulv. ℥ij Rad. Jalap. pulv. ʒjſs.
Nuc. moschat. pulv. ʒj pulp. prunor. Gall. ℥j
Syrup. simpl. q. s. ut f. Electuarium tenue
sive Lochoch
Signa Laxat. Elect.


Aq. Ros. ℥viij Syr. caryophyll. ℥j
Tart. Emet. gr. iv Solve et
signa Diaphoretic ℳ

W.
11 Jully
1774.

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