The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:515] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Matthew Davidson / Regarding: Mr Patrick Mellis (Meliss) (Patient) / 28 February 1775 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mr Mellis - To M. Davidson'
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 515 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/3/93 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 28 February 1775 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Mr Mellis - To M. Davidson' |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:646] |
Case of Mr Patrick Meliss who has a feverish cough. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1440] | Addressee | Mr Matthew Davidson |
| [PERS ID:276] | Patient | Mr Patrick Mellis (Meliss) |
| [PERS ID:1440] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Matthew Davidson |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr 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 | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr Mellis- To M.Davidson
Catarrh or Phthisis
your account of Mr Mellis is very distinct & I be¬
lieve very compleat, for it leaves me in no doubt with regard to
the nature of the disease.
It appears that the Lungs have been from his Infancy
weak & therefore readily Affected with cold, & the repetition,
have now fixed them in a catarrh catarrhal state. Such a
state frequently ends in a Phthisis but I hope Mr Mellis
is not yet come to that, & therefore Care & pains may
still prolong his Life to a due term. I doubt if it will
be possible to restore his Lungs or to prevent their
being frequently Affected with Catarrhal disorder.
I believe you have done as much for him, as could be, &
you have employed so many proper remedies, as leave
me very little to add. But I shall give you my oppinion
of the most proper Conduct.
His diet should consist of Milk & farinacea with
Fruits of any kind avoiding on the one hand Animal
food & on the other roots & Greens. His drink should
be water or watery Liquors only, Avoiding all kinds of
fermented Liquor. the He must continue to take as
much Excercise on Horseback as the weather & other
Circumstances will allow. Much walking & any kind
of Bodily Excercise is bad. He should wear a Flannel
shirt next his skin might & Day, be otherwise well
Cloathed & otherwise Carefully guard against cold & Damp¬
ness. - The Isue is to be continued in his Arm, &
upon occasion of his cough becoming more bound with
difficultie of Breathing a Blister on his Back, but while
the [Issue?] continues in his Arm it will not be necessary
to keep the Blister Long open, & it will be better to reserve
the front for fresh Blisters. I am glad he finds relief from
the Bark & Opium & as I supose that neither of them
are in large doses, I am clear they should be continued.
[Page 2]
As his Cough is frequently bound & Expectoration difficult, it may
be proper to employ some Pectorals but of the Coolest kind.
The squils may be usefull but in small doses, they are
fatiguing by the nausea & sickiness they induce & therefore
tho full doses are best, they can not be long continued at
one time. I give you the following as a Pectoral to
be safely employed
Take half a drachm of Balsam of Tolu, two drachms of white sugar and rub together, test then add one drachm of spermaceti. Rub [rursus?] and add half a drachm of each of powdered elecampagne and liquorice. An ounce and a half of Gum Arabic, two ounces of Elderberry Rob and a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Balsam in order to make a thin Electuary. Label: Pectoral Electuary, a teaspoonful to be taken [several?] times a day.
These are the measures which I hope will do
as much for Mr M- as can be done at this [season?]
For till the worst of the spring is over he cannot
have any entire recovery. &ce &ce -
Edinburgh February 28
1775
Diplomatic Text
Mr Mellis- To M.Davidson
Catarrh or Phthisis
your account of Mr Mellis is very distinct & I be¬
lieve very compleat, for it leaves me in no doubt with regard to
the nature of the disease.
It appears that the Lungs have been from his Infancy
weak & therefore readily Affected with cold, & the repetition,
have now fixed them in a catarrh catarrhal state. Such a
state frequently ends in a Phthisis but I hope Mr Mellis
is not yet come to that, & therefore Care & pains may
still prolong his Life to a due term. I doubt if it will
be possible to restore his Lungs or to prevent their
being frequently Affected with Catarrhal disorder.
I believe you have done as much for him, as could be, &
you have employed so many proper remedies, as leave
me very little to add. But I shall give you my oppinion
of the most proper Conduct.
His diet should consist of Milk & farinacea with
Fruits of any kind avoiding on the one hand Animal
food & on the other roots & Greens. His drink should
be water or watery Liquors only, Avoiding all kinds of
fermented Liquor. the He must continue to take as
much Excercise on Horseback as the weather & other
Circumstances will allow. Much walking & any kind
of Bodily Excercise is bad. He should wear a Flannel
shirt next his skin might & Day, be otherwise well
Cloathed & otherwise Carefully guard against cold & Damp¬
ness. - The Isue is to be continued in his Arm, &
upon occasion of his cough becoming more bound with
difficultie of Breathing a Blister on his Back, but while
the [Issue?] continues in his Arm it will not be necessary
to keep the Blister Long open, & it will be better to reserve
the front for fresh Blisters. I am glad he finds relief from
the Bark & Opium & as I supose that neither of them
are in large doses, I am clear they should be continued.
[Page 2]
As his Cough is frequently bound & Expectoration difficult, it may
be proper to employ some Pectorals but of the Coolest kind.
The squils may be usefull but in small doses, they are
fatiguing by the nausea & sickiness they induce & therefore
tho full doses are best, they can not be long continued at
one time. I give you the following as a Pectoral to
be safely employed
℞ Bals. Tolut. ʒſs. Sacch. alb. duriss. ʒij Terito
simul probe dein adde sperm.cet. ʒj Terito [rursus?]
& adde Pulv. enul.camp. glycirrh. aa ʒſs.
Mucil. G. Arab. ℥iſs Rob. Samb. ℥ij Syr. Balsam.
q.s. uft f. Elect. tenue. Signa Pect. Elect. a tea sp.
to be taken [sevl?] times a day.
These are the measures which I hope will do
as much for Mr M- as can be done at this [season?]
For till the worst of the spring is over he cannot
have any entire recovery. &ce &ce -
Edr Febry 28
1775
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