The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5056] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr John? Taylor / Regarding: Mr Thomas Graham (Grahame) (Patient) / 17 May 1785 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mr Graham', who suffers from purging, which Cullen ascribes to weakness and laxity in the bowels. Dietary advice and prescriptions are included. He has previously been treated by a Dr Farquharson. Possibly to John Taylor in Falkirk, who is later involved in the case.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 5 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5056 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/18/39 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 17 May 1785 |
| 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 'For Mr Graham', who suffers from purging, which Cullen ascribes to weakness and laxity in the bowels. Dietary advice and prescriptions are included. He has previously been treated by a Dr Farquharson. Possibly to John Taylor in Falkirk, who is later involved in the case. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1154] |
Case of Mr Thomas Graham (at Camelon) who has bowel, stomach and other complaints. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4988] | Addressee | Mr John? Taylor |
| [PERS ID:5770] | Patient | Mr Thomas Graham (Grahame) |
| [PERS ID:5772] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Farquharson |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4988] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John? Taylor |
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 | Falkirk | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mr. Graham
Having considered carefully the history of
his complaints and the Advice he has received
I am clearly of opinion that his disease consists
entirely in a weakness and laxity of his
bowels, and that though this has been some¬
what obstinate it may I hope be entirely
relieved.
For this purpose I advise him to get a
dry and well aired habitation in the Country
and to provide himself with a horse upon
which he can take some exercise every day
that is tolerably fair, for I think his recovery
will be much promoted by his being much
in the fresh air and in gentle exercise. He
may walk out frequently but it must be
always gently and little at one time, as
[Page 2]
fatigue in this way may do him much harm.
For proper Exercise he must depend upon going
often on horseback and even in this way he
must avoid fatigue by going rather frequently
than much at one time.
For his diet Dr. Farquharson has given
him some very proper directions and particu¬
larly in Advising him to avoid all sort of
Greens, Roots or other Garden things and I
think that all his meals he should live
chiefly upon milk and grain preferring
however what is made of wheat, Rice, millet
or Sago to barley or Oats. At breakfast he
should entirely avoid Common Tea but if he
desires something in that shape he may
take Cocoa tea. If he digests Egg easily he
may take a soft boiled Egg either at breakfast
[Page 3]
Dinner, or Supper. At dinner he should take
no broth, he may take a bit of cold Animal food
but should avoid every thing fat or heavy and
be moderate always in the quantity of whatever
he takes making up his meal with some
light pudding or Pan Cakes. His Supper
should always be light and little chiefly some
kind of milk meat.
In drinking he must avoid entirely all
sorts of Malt liquors. He must even take
wine of any kind very sparingly either by
itself or with water. A little red Port is
the safest. His ordinary drink should be
toast water not quite cold. If his Stomach
is windy he may take a little Spirits and
water after Dinner or Supper but the
less of this the better.
At all times he must take
[Page 4]
every precaution against cold and particularly
to avoid its coming at his feet, legs, or belly.
The medicines that I think proper
for him are prescribed on the paper inclosed
They are Powder and some Pills. The Powder
is to be taken by a spoonful for a dose
twice a day an hour before dinner and Supper
It may be taken moistened with a little
common Syrup.
The pills are to be taken two for
a dose at bed time. While the disposition
to purging continues they may be taken
every night but when the purging is not
urgent they may be frequently intermitted and
when the purging is very urgent three of them
may be taken for a dose.
1785/
[Page 5]
For Mr. Graham
Take a ½ ounce each of prepared Powdered Steel and refined White Sugar, and a drachm of ground Cinnamon. Mix to make a powder. Label: Strengthening Powder a small tea spoonful to be taken for a dose twice a day. N.B. The medicine is to be put up in a wide mouthed Phial
Take 2 drachms of Thebaic Pills, commonly called Pacific Divide into 30 pills. Label: Strengthening Pills two to be taken every night at bed-time.
Diplomatic Text
For Mr. Graham
Having considered carefully the history of
his complaints and the Advice he has received
I am clearly of opinion that his disease consists
entirely in a weakness and laxity of his
bowels, and that though this has been some¬
what obstinate it may I hope be entirely
relieved.
For this purpose I advise him to get a
dry and well aired habitation in the Country
and to provide himself with a horse upon
which he can take some exercise every day
that is tolerably fair, for I think his recovery
will be much promoted by his being much
in the fresh air and in gentle exercise. He
may walk out frequently but it must be
always gently and little at one time, as
[Page 2]
fatigue in this way may do him much harm.
For proper Exercise he must depend upon going
often on horseback and even in this way he
must avoid fatigue by going rather frequently
than much at one time.
For his diet Dr. Farquharson has given
him some very proper directions and particu¬
larly in Advising him to avoid all sort of
Greens, Roots or other Garden things and I
think that all his meals he should live
chiefly upon milk and grain preferring
however what is made of wheat, Rice, millet
or Sago to barley or Oats. At breakfast he
should entirely avoid Common Tea but if he
desires something in that shape he may
take Cocoa tea. If he digests Egg easily he
may take a soft boiled Egg either at breakfast
[Page 3]
Dinner, or Supper. At dinner he should take
no broth, he may take a bit of cold Animal food
but should avoid every thing fat or heavy and
be moderate always in the quantity of whatever
he takes making up his meal with some
light pudding or Pan Cakes. His Supper
should always be light and little chiefly some
kind of milk meat.
In drinking he must avoid entirely all
sorts of Malt liquors. He must even take
wine of any kind very sparingly either by
itself or with water. A little red Port is
the safest. His ordinary drink should be
toast water not quite cold. If his Stomach
is windy he may take a little Spirits and
water after Dinner or Supper but the
less of this the better.
At all times he must take
[Page 4]
every precaution against cold and particularly
to avoid its coming at his feet, legs, or belly.
The medicines that I think proper
for him are prescribed on the paper inclosed
They are Powder and some Pills. The Powder
is to be taken by a spoonful for a dose
twice a day an hour before dinner and Supper
It may be taken moistened with a little
common Syrup.
The pills are to be taken two for
a dose at bed time. While the disposition
to purging continues they may be taken
every night but when the purging is not
urgent they may be frequently intermitted and
when the purging is very urgent three of them
may be taken for a dose.
1785/
[Page 5]
For Mr. Graham
℞ Limatur. mart. ppt.
Sacchar. alb. puriss. @ ℥ſs
Pulv. cinnamom. ʒj
ℳ. f. pulvis.
Sig. Strengthening Powder a small
tea spoonful to be taken for a dose twice
a day.
N.B. The medicine is to be put up in
a wide mouthed Phial
℞ Pilul. Thebaic. vulgo Pacif. ʒij
divide in Pilulas № XXX.
Sig. Strengthening Pills two to be
taken every night at bed-time.
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