The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:50] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mrs Mathews (Patient) / 23 March 1769 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mrs Mathews'
- 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 | 50 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/1/45 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 23 March 1769 |
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 Mathews' |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:266] |
Case of Mrs Matthews who has swollen legs. |
1 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:48] | Patient | Mrs Mathews |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:1126] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr Anton von Störck (Stork, Storck; Freiherr von Störck) |
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 |
Mentioned / Other | Yorkshire | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Mrs Mathews
Dropsy
I am sorry to find that Mrs Mathews ailments continue
& that the medicines proposed succeed so ill with her. However
I think there is still space & opportunity for farther trials
which may prove more successfulle, Tho the purgative with
Calomel did not take down the swellings when it was great¬
est it may have better effects when the discharge from the
Legs has taken down the swelling so much - the only
Difficulty arises from the bloody stools . it is liable to occa¬
sion & if that effect continues the purgative cannot be pushed
but I hope that smaller dosed & longer intervals may avoid
those bloody stools ~
Tho the Discharge from the Legs has taken down
the swelling, it cannot be depended upon till the free Course
of the Urine is restored & which I perceive has not yet happened
I think it therefore very necessary to Continue these the attempt
by Diuretics & the squills are a good one when properly
managed. It is true they will occasion reaching and
vomiting but I can always avoid that by diminishing the
dose & at Commonly same time obtain the diuritic effects
by a frequent repetion I very commonly take Down the
dose to a quarter & somtimes the eight of a grain dryed
squills & such doses will hardly vomit any body
but repeating them every two or three I can throw
in a good deal & if not the first day at least after some
days by gradually reconciling the stomach to it.
[Page 2]
Observe that this is much more difficult with squills
in any liquid form. If after all the squills are found
inadmissible I would advise to a trial of the [colchicum?]
which has very frequently succeeded with us but
for the managment of it I must refer entirely to
Dr Storick pamphlet 1 which Yorkshire must
certainly afford. I shall advise another Diuritic
which is easily managed & has often succeeded
Take 25 ↑live↑ wood lice & pour upon them in a small cup 3 or
4 spoonfulls of the treacle beer - Do this over night &
in the morning bruise the woodlice among the Beer very
carefully & throw the whole in to a linnen rag squeeze out
the whole liquid & let it be swallowed immediately
This Dose is to be repeated every morning only every second
Day let the number of the Woodlice be increased 10 & they
may at length be an 100 but as the number is increased the
quantity of Liquor must be so also - If the Dose becoming
large is disagreeable it may be divided into two one to be taken
at night & the other in the Morning only it must also be by two
seperate Infusions - When Persons can bear large Doses this
Medicine seldom fails to Prove Diuretic - I have no other to
advise at Present but must observe that the present relief by the
Discharge from the Legs is precarious & it may be interrupted by
the Inflammation coming upon the parts -- If the Inflammation
should become violent & thereby dangerous Mrs Mathews must ↓avoid↓
[Page 3]
and allow the Parts to heal up by lying abed for some days toge¬
ther in Case by the Drying up the Discharge the swellings
should return the Drain must be again Opened but in
another manner that is by Punctures which are much easier
& much safer then either scarifying or blistering - These Punctures
made with a narrow-bladed lancer are not liable to inflame
& can be healed or renewed at Pleasure
I have nothing now to add to what I said formerly about
her Regimen - Tho I should not have advised the Treacle beer
we must not submit to it - There is no mo mention made of
any attempt to take Exercise but am still of Opinion that
if she can be brought to bear it she might be better for it
Notes:
1: Anton Freher von Storck, An Essay on the Internal use of Thorn-apple, Henbane, and Monkshood; which are shewn to be safe and efficacious remedies, in the cure of many obstinate diseases (London: 1763).
Diplomatic Text
For Mrs Mathews
Dropsy
I am sorry to find that Mrs Mathews ailments continue
& that the medicines proposed succeed so ill with her. However
I think there is still space & opportunity for farther trials
which may prove more successfulle, Tho the purgative with
Calomel did not take down the swellings when it was great¬
est it may have better effects when the discharge from the
Legs has taken down the swelling so much - the only
Difficulty arises from the bloody stools . it is liable to occa¬
sion & if that effect continues the purgative cannot be pushed
but I hope that smaller dosed & longer intervals may avoid
those bloody stools ~
Tho the Discharge from the Legs has taken down
the swelling, it cannot be depended upon till the free Course
of the Urine is restored & which I perceive has not yet happened
I think it therefore very necessary to Continue these the attempt
by Diuretics & the squills are a good one when properly
managed. It is true they will occasion reaching and
vomiting but I can always avoid that by diminishing the
dose & at Commonly same time obtain the diuritic effects
by a frequent repetion I very commonly take Down the
dose to a quarter & somtimes the eight of a grain dryed
squills & such doses will hardly vomit any body
but repeating them every two or three I can throw
in a good deal & if not the first day at least after some
days by gradually reconciling the stomach to it.
[Page 2]
Observe that this is much more difficult with squills
in any liquid form. If after all the squills are found
inadmissible I would advise to a trial of the [colchicum?]
which has very frequently succeeded with us but
for the managment of it I must refer entirely to
Dr Storick pamphlet 1 which Yorkshire must
certainly afford. I shall advise another Diuritic
which is easily managed & has often succeeded
Take 25 ↑live↑ wood lice & pour upon them in a small cup 3 or
4 spoonfulls of the treacle beer - Do this over night &
in the morning bruise the woodlice among the Beer very
carefully & throw the whole in to a linnen rag squeeze out
the whole liquid & let it be swallowed immediately
This Dose is to be repeated every morning only every second
Day let the number of the Woodlice be increased 10 & they
may at length be an 100 but as the number is increased the
quantity of Liquor must be so also - If the Dose becoming
large is disagreeable it may be divided into two one to be taken
at night & the other in the Morning only it must also be by two
seperate Infusions - When Persons can bear large Doses this
Medicine seldom fails to Prove Diuretic - I have no other to
advise at Present but must observe that the present relief by the
Discharge from the Legs is precarious & it may be interrupted by
the Inflammation coming upon the parts -- If the Inflammation
should become violent & thereby dangerous Mrs Mathews must ↓avoid↓
[Page 3]
and allow the Parts to heal up by lying abed for some days toge¬
ther in Case by the Drying up the Discharge the swellings
should return the Drain must be again Opened but in
another manner that is by Punctures which are much easier
& much safer then either scarifying or blistering - These Punctures
made with a narrow-bladed lancer are not liable to inflame
& can be healed or renewed at Pleasure
I have nothing now to add to what I said formerly about
her Regimen - Tho I should not have advised the Treacle beer
we must not submit to it - There is no mo mention made of
any attempt to take Exercise but am still of Opinion that
if she can be brought to bear it she might be better for it
Notes:
1: Anton Freher von Storck, An Essay on the Internal use of Thorn-apple, Henbane, and Monkshood; which are shewn to be safe and efficacious remedies, in the cure of many obstinate diseases (London: 1763).
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