Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:547] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Robert Menzies (of Dura ) / Regarding: Mr David Bethune (of Kilconquhar; of Balfour) (Patient) / 15 May 1782 / (Outgoing)

Reply 'For David Bethune Esqr.', from Cullen and also on behalf of Joseph Black, concerning the patient's ongoing 'violent pains', which Cullen believes are 'of the flatulent kind', caused by intestinal obstruction resulting from costiveness. They have also looked at the reports from the surgeon, John Goodsir. Cullen asks Dr Menzies to ask Goodsir to make his reports more detailed, including details of the patient's stools.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 547
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/15/32
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date15 May 1782
Annotation None
TypeMachine scribal copy
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply 'For David Bethune Esqr.', from Cullen and also on behalf of Joseph Black, concerning the patient's ongoing 'violent pains', which Cullen believes are 'of the flatulent kind', caused by intestinal obstruction resulting from costiveness. They have also looked at the reports from the surgeon, John Goodsir. Cullen asks Dr Menzies to ask Goodsir to make his reports more detailed, including details of the patient's stools.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:260]
Case of Mr David Bethune of Balfour who consulted Cullen previously over stomach complaints (See Case 34). Now also has an eye problem, head-pains, abdominal pains and increasing weakness.
20


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:830]AddresseeDr Robert Menzies (of Dura )
[PERS ID:11]PatientMr David Bethune (of Kilconquhar; of Balfour)
[PERS ID:830]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Robert Menzies (of Dura )
[PERS ID:1003]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Joseph Black
[PERS ID:1301]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr John Goodsir
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1003]Supplemental AuthorDr Joseph Black

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 Kilconquhar Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe inferred
Mentioned / Other Balfour House / Milton of Balgonie Glenrothes Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For David Bethune Esqr.


Dr. Black and I have considered Mr. Goodsirs letter
but before we should say any thing upon it we wished
for his report upon the trial he was to make of the Epsom Salts. As however you have given us no
notice of this we suppose that you have not heard
from him and we shall no longer delay offering our
best advice. From all we can observe we are persua¬
ded that the violent pains Mr. Bethune has of
late complained of are of the flatulent kind and
depend upon some obstruction of his intestines pro¬
bably from some hardened fæces in the colon &
we are particularly confirmed in this from Mr.
Goodsirs postscript telling you that he had been
greatly relieved by the Castor Oil, Daffys Elixir
& Laudanum. This leads us and we think
should lead Mr. Goodsir to find some purgative
that will both sit on his stomach and certainly
go through him & when that is done he may



[Page 2]

be [certain?] that Laudanum will certainly relieve the pains.


As to the purgative if Mr Goodsir has found that
the Epsom Salts has answered the purpose we have no
objection to it; only observe that operation of Daffys Elixir
or as we name it the Tinct. Senn. comp.
joined with the
Salt will make it both sit better & go better through


If the Epsom Salts in the shape he has tried it
or in the shape we have just now mentioned does not
answer let him try the following

Take a drachm of Senna leaves, a scruple of crushed Coriander seeds, 2 drachms of Brown Sugar, a ½ ounce of Glauber's Salts and 4 ounces of boiling water. Steep for [6?] hours, and, after straining, add a ½ ounce of Daffy's Elixir. Mix. Label: Laxative potion to be taken at two draughts the second half an hour after the first, in the morning.


If this shall prove weak he may in the next
trial add a ½ ounce of Daffy's Elixir



[Page 3]

This may [possibly?] purge him as [those?] {illeg} & we
are not {illeg} [be so doing &?] for ever as {illeg} or a full dose
of Laudanum
will always entirely compose him. We
have only to say farther that his Costiveness which [seems?]
be allowed to go on for [almost?] two days without either
Glyster or laxative medicine and if among others the
castor oil
with the Daffy's Elixir sits well on
his stomach it will probably be a very effectual &
at same time a moderate laxative.


We suppose that you will transmitt this letter to
Mr. Goodsir & you will please at the same time desire
him to be a little more full & exact in his reports. He
should have told what stools Mr. Bethune had and
of what kind they were, with every other particular
that occurs. We are extremely anxious to relieve
the very worth Gentleman. I am for Dr. Black &
myself

Dear Doctor entirely yours
Edinburgh 25th. May
1782 –

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For David Bethune Esqr.


Dr. Black and I have considered Mr. Goodsirs letter
but before we should say any thing upon it we wished
for his report upon the trial he was to make of the Sal
Catharticus amarus
. As however you have given us no
notice of this we suppose that you have not heard
from him and we shall no longer delay offering our
best advice. From all we can observe we are persua¬
ded that the violent pains Mr. Bethune has of
late complained of are of the flatulent kind and
depend upon some obstruction of his intestines pro¬
bably from some hardened fæces in the colon &
we are particularly confirmed in this from Mr.
Goodsirs postscript telling you that he had been
greatly relieved by the Castor Oil, Daffys Elixir
& Laudanum. This leads us and we think
should lead Mr. Goodsir to find some purgative
that will both sit on his stomach and certainly
go through him & when that is done he may



[Page 2]

be [certain?] that Laudanum will certainly relieve the pains.


As to the purgative if Mr Goodsir has found that
the Sal catharticus has answered the purpose we have no
objection to it; only observe that operation of Daffys Elixir
or as we name it the Tinct. Senn. comp.
joined with the
Salt will make it both sit better & go better through


If the Sal catharticus in the shape he has tried it
or in the shape we have just now mentioned does not
answer let him try the following


fol. Senn. ʒj
Sem. coriandr. cont. ℈j
Sacchar. rubr. ʒij
Sal. Glauber ℥ſs
Aq. bullient. ℥IV
Digere horas [sex?] et colato adde
Tinct. Senn. comp. ℥ſs
ℳ. Sig. Laxative potion to be taken at two draughts
the second half an hour after the first, in the morning.


If this shall prove weak he may in the next
trial add Tinct. Senn. comp. ℥ſs.



[Page 3]

This may [possibly?] purge him as [those?] {illeg} & we
are not {illeg} [be so doing &?] for ever as {illeg} or a full dose
of Laudanum
will always entirely compose him. We
have only to say farther that his Costiveness which [seems?]
be allowed to go on for [almost?] two days without either
Glyster or laxative medicine and if among others the
castor oil
with the Tinct. Senn. comp. sits well on
his stomach it will probably be a very effectual &
at same time a moderate laxative.


We suppose that you will transmitt this letter to
Mr. Goodsir & you will please at the same time desire
him to be a little more full & exact in his reports. He
should have told what stools Mr. Bethune had and
of what kind they were, with every other particular
that occurs. We are extremely anxious to relieve
the very worth Gentleman. I am for Dr. Black &
myself

Dear Dr. entirely yours
Edinr. 25th. May
1782 –

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