The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:529] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr James Hall / Regarding: Mr John Graham (of Dougalston) (Patient) / 13 April 1782 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Dr Hall C[oncerning] Graham of Dougalston'. Cullen says the case is 'a very bad one', and adds that he 'doubt much if your Patient shall be alive when this comes to hand'; the fault lies not with Dr Hall, the correspondent, but rather with the patient himself, 'whose wilfulness has certainly pushed his evacuations a great deal too far'. Also passes on his compliments to Mr Home of Wedderburn, of whom 'there is nobody's call I would obey more readily than his'.
- 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 | 529 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/15/12 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 13 April 1782 |
| 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, 'Dr Hall C[oncerning] Graham of Dougalston'. Cullen says the case is 'a very bad one', and adds that he 'doubt much if your Patient shall be alive when this comes to hand'; the fault lies not with Dr Hall, the correspondent, but rather with the patient himself, 'whose wilfulness has certainly pushed his evacuations a great deal too far'. Also passes on his compliments to Mr Home of Wedderburn, of whom 'there is nobody's call I would obey more readily than his'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1500] |
Case of Mr Graham of Dougalston, (father-in-law and guest of Patrick Home of Wedderburn) whose health was ruined in the West Indies and who has had a very serious bilious attack after an over-night journey which Cullen believes is largely through his own doing and may well prove fatal. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4799] | Addressee | Dr James Hall |
| [PERS ID:3592] | Patient | Mr John Graham (of Dougalston) |
| [PERS ID:4799] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr James Hall |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3092] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Patrick Home (of Wedderburn and Billie) |
| [PERS ID:4789] | Other | Mr George Home |
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 | Duns (Dunse) | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Dougalston | Milngavie | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Mentioned / Other | Wedderburn | Duns (Dunse) | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Dr Hall Concerning Graham of Dougalston
Make my respectful Compliments
to Mr Home of Wedderburn and tell him that [there?] is
nobody's call I would obey more readily than his, and
upon this occasion I would most willingly show my
regard for my old friend and acquaintance Mr Graham
but the situation of my business at present is such
as makes it impossible ↑for me↑ to leave the Town of Edinburgh
for a few hours, and I hope I have satisfied Mr George
Home of this. I must therefore be satisfied with
giving you my opinion and best advice upon the Case.
I am sorry {illeg} say that I think it a very bad one
and doubt much if your Patient shall be alive when
this comes to hand; but I must at the same time say
that you do not seem in the least to be in blame
[Page 2]
for this; but very much Mr Graham himself
whose wilfulness has certainly pushed his evacua¬
tions a great deal too far. Tho it is very probable
that the redundancy of Bile had a great share
in the first part of the Disease and that from the
Evacuation both upwards and downwards was
proper, I am certain that it can be now pushed
no further, as it is now a great debility and perhaps
some pulvescency is come on; and the only chance
of averting the consequences seems to me to be in
supporting his strength by Bark and Wine, and
[correcting?] the most urgent Symptoms by Musk [as?]
an Antispasmodic and especially by Opium
as a Tonic Cordial and Anodyne. All or many of
these remedies I must leave to your discretion
as Symptoms shall require and circumstances
[Page 3]
shall admit. You know very well, that at this
instance, there can be only a general plan given
and I am very well satisfied that you will
execute it very properly. The Delirium that is
now come on, is certainly a very bad symptom
but I know Mr Grahams temper is well, that
it is the only circumstance, that will
allow you to take the measures you
think most proper. Wishing you
most heartily success, and with my
best Compliments to all at Wedderburn.
I am Sir
your most obedient Servant
Edinburgh April 13.
1782.
Diplomatic Text
Dr Hall C Graham of Dougalston
Make my respectful Compliments
to Mr Home of Wedderburn and tell him that [there?] is
nobody's call I would obey more readily than his, and
upon this occasion I would most willingly show my
regard for my old friend and acquaintance Mr Graham
but the situation of my business at present is such
as makes it impossible ↑for me↑ to leave the Town of Edinburgh
for a few hours, and I hope I have satisfied Mr George
Home of this. I must therefore be satisfied with
giving you my opinion and best advice upon the Case.
I am sorry {illeg} say that I think it a very bad one
and doubt much if your Patient shall be alive when
this comes to hand; but I must at the same time say
that you do not seem in the least to be in blame
[Page 2]
for this; but very much Mr Graham himself
whose wilfulness has certainly pushed his evacua¬
tions a great deal too far. Tho it is very probable
that the redundancy of Bile had a great share
in the first part of the Disease and that from the
Evacuation both upwards and downwards was
proper, I am certain that it can be now pushed
no further, as it is now a great debility and perhaps
some pulvescency is come on; and the only chance
of averting the consequences seems to me to be in
supporting his strength by Bark and Wine, and
[correcting?] the most urgent Symptoms by Musk [as?]
an Antispasmodic and especially by Opium
as a Tonic Cordial and Anodyne. All or many of
these remedies I must leave to your discretion
as Symptoms shall require and circumstances
[Page 3]
shall admit. You know very well, that at this
instance, there can be only a general plan given
and I am very well satisfied that you will
execute it very properly. The Delirium that is
now come on, is certainly a very bad symptom
but I know Mr Grahams temper is well, that
it is the only circumstance, that will
allow you to take the measures you
think most proper. Wishing you
most heartily success, and with my
best Compliments to all at Wedderburn.
I am Sir
your most obedient Servant
Edinr April 13.
1782.
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