The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5321] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Antonio Giuseppe Testa / Regarding: Prince Abbondio Rezzonico (Patient) / 15 August 1786 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Prince Rezzonico', probably addressed to his physician, Dr Testa, and possibly given to the Prince when he consulted Cullen in person (as mentioned in Doc [ID:5439]). The prince may have the remains of a 'taint' in his blood from his younger years, but he does not seem to have gout. Cullen advises on cold bathing, recommending the shower bath, and the use of the flesh-brush for his swollen ankles. He also encloses prescriptions.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 5 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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[Page 5]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5321 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/19/132 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 15 August 1786 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'For Prince Rezzonico', probably addressed to his physician, Dr Testa, and possibly given to the Prince when he consulted Cullen in person (as mentioned in Doc [ID:5439]). The prince may have the remains of a 'taint' in his blood from his younger years, but he does not seem to have gout. Cullen advises on cold bathing, recommending the shower bath, and the use of the flesh-brush for his swollen ankles. He also encloses prescriptions. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1928] |
Case of Prince Abbondio Rezzonico who has no specific disease but who is advised on strengthening his 'relaxed habit' (i.e. a weak constitution which predisposes him to gout). |
9 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1812] | Addressee | Dr Antonio Giuseppe Testa |
| [PERS ID:1031] | Patient | Prince Abbondio Rezzonico |
| [PERS ID:1812] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Antonio Giuseppe Testa |
| [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 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Scotland | Europe | certain | |||
| Mentioned / Other | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Prince Rezzonico
Having with the utmost attention
considered the history of the Prince constitution
and the present state of his Symptoms I am
of opinion there are yet some remains of the
taint in his blood which was considerable
in his younger years, but it is hoped that
it can give him little trouble now, and will
wear out more and more as he advances
in years.
In the mean time it cannot be amiss
to take some precautions against its giving
him further trouble, and for that purpose
I would advise him as soon as he is settled
[in London?] to enter upon the use of Cold bathing
{illeg}the most convenient method of employ
[is probably?] what we call a Shower Bath
for the Construction of which any Medical
[Page 2]
person who has ever been in [Scotland?] can give
him directions.
I can find no objection to his passing the
winter in London, providing only that he take
some care to be little exposed to the fogs and
damp such as that frequently occurr there
In other respects I believe the coldness of
the British Climate in Winter may be of
service to his Constitution.
The soft swelling which at present is
ready to come upon his Ankles in the Evening
I do not consider as any Symptom of Gout
but merely as a symptom of some {illeg}ding
in his constitution, that is commonly {illeg}
combined with the other {illeg} and then
appears in it. With [regard to?] the Swelling
no other measure is more necessary than the
rubbing his feet and Ankles with [a flesh?]
[Page 3]
brush every morning. The rubbing may be
gentle and should be continued always for a
few minutes. It is not proper to repeat this
rubbing at night.
Unless some circumstances may occurr
which I do not foresee, I should not think it
necessary for Prince Rezzonico to take any
medicines till towards the Spring, that is
before the month of February next, and the
medicines that I would then advise are
here prescribed on a separate paper.
I expect that change of air, and the
exercise in Travelling will be of service to
the Prince's constitution, and when he shall
be arrived in London, to take care as well
as he can to avoid being very much within
doors, but that he goes abroad, and take as
much exercise the weather will easily
{illeg}
[Page 4]
Some attention is to be given to diet, but
much nicety is not required. It will only be
proper to be sparing of fish of any kind, and to
be moderate in Animal food, particularly at
Supper. Vegetable food of any kind he might take
pretty freely, but should be moderate in fruit
and such garden things as may prove acid
and flatulent upon his Stomach.
With respect to the use of the medicines
prescribed, he may in the month of February, as soon
as the weather is tolerably mild, begin to take the
Strengthening and Tonic medicines, and continue to
take them for a fortnight. After that he may begin the
Aperient powders, and take them every second night
for a month. If the dose of these powders prescribed
should prove laxative, it should be diminished.
William Cullen
Edinburgh 15th. August
1786
[Page 5]
For Prince Rezzonico
Take ten grains of prepared Rust, five grains of ground Cinnamon powde, and five grains of refined white Sugar. Mix to make a powder, and make in this way fourteen powders. Label: Strengthening powders; one to be taken in a little Currant Jelly every morning before breakfast.
Take half a drachm of ground Peruvian Bark and five grains of ground cinnamon. Mix to make a powder, and make in this way twenty-eight doses. Label: Tonic powders; two to be taken every day in a glass of water an hour before dinner and supper. N.B.: if his Stomach bears it well, the dose [prescribed may be increased to?] two scruples or one drachm.
Take ten grains of Guaiac Gum and one scruple of {illeg}. Rub together into a fine powder, and make in this way fifteen doses of powders. Label: Aperient powders; one to be taken every second night at [bed time?] {illeg}.
W.C.
15th. August 1786
Diplomatic Text
For Prince Rezzonico
Having with the utmost attention
considered the history of the Prince constitution
and the present state of his Symptoms I am
of opinion there are yet some remains of the
taint in his blood which was considerable
in his younger years, but it is hoped that
it can give him little trouble now, and will
wear out more and more as he advances
in years.
In the mean time it cannot be amiss
to take some precautions against its giving
him further trouble, and for that purpose
I would advise him as soon as he is settled
[in London?] to enter upon the use of Cold bathing
{illeg}the most convenient method of employ
[is probably?] what we call a Shower Bath
for the Construction of which any Medical
[Page 2]
person who has ever been in [Scotland?] can give
him directions.
I can find no objection to his passing the
winter in London, providing only that he take
some care to be little exposed to the fogs and
damp such as that frequently occurr there
In other respects I believe the coldness of
the British Climate in Winter may be of
service to his Constitution.
The soft swelling which at present is
ready to come upon his Ankles in the Evening
I do not consider as any Symptom of Gout
but merely as a symptom of some {illeg}ding
in his constitution, that is commonly {illeg}
combined with the other {illeg} and then
appears in it. With [regard to?] the Swelling
no other measure is more necessary than the
rubbing his feet and Ankles with [a flesh?]
[Page 3]
brush every morning. The rubbing may be
gentle and should be continued always for a
few minutes. It is not proper to repeat this
rubbing at night.
Unless some circumstances may occurr
which I do not foresee, I should not think it
necessary for Prince Rezzonico to take any
medicines till towards the Spring, that is
before the month of February next, and the
medicines that I would then advise are
here prescribed on a separate paper.
I expect that change of air, and the
exercise in Travelling will be of service to
the Prince's constitution, and when he shall
be arrived in London, to take care as well
as he can to avoid being very much within
doors, but that he goes abroad, and take as
much exercise the weather will easily
{illeg}
[Page 4]
Some attention is to be given to diet, but
much nicety is not required. It will only be
proper to be sparing of fish of any kind, and to
be moderate in Animal food, particularly at
Supper. Vegetable food of any kind he might take
pretty freely, but should be moderate in fruit
and such garden things as may prove acid
and flatulent upon his Stomach.
With respect to the use of the medicines
prescribed, he may in the month of February, as soon
as the weather is tolerably mild, begin to take the
Strengthening and Tonic medicines, and continue to
take them for a fortnight. After that he may begin the
Aperient powders, and take them every second night
for a month. If the dose of these powders prescribed
should prove laxative, it should be diminished.
William Cullen
Edinr. 15th. Augt.
1786
[Page 5]
For Prince Rezzonico
℞ Rubig. ferr. ↑præp.↑ gr. X
Pulv. cinnamon.
Sacchar. alb. puriss. @ gr. V
ℳ. f. pulvis ut f. h. m. pulveres № xiv
Sig. Strengthening powders one to be taken in a
little Currant Jelly every morning before breakf[ast.]
℞ Pulv. cort. Peruv. ʒſs
–– cinnamon. gr. V
ℳ. f. pulvis et f. h. m. dos. XXVIIJ
Sig. Tonic powders two to be taken every day
in a glass of water an hour before dinner and Supper
N.B. Si bene [ferret?] Ventriculus, sit dosis pro¬
scribenda {illeg} ℈ij vel ʒj
℞ Gum. guaiac gr. x
{illeg} ℈j
Terito in pulverem tenuem ut f. h. m. pulveris
№ XV. Sig. Aperient powders one to be taken every second
night at [bed time?] {illeg}
W.C.
15th. Augt. 1786
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