The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5590] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Baillie (of Dochfour) / Regarding: Mrs Baillie (of Dochfour) (Patient) / 27 December 1787 / (Outgoing)
Reply for 'Mrs. _____ from Mr. Baillie', to Mr. Baillie, who has sent Cullen a journal recording his wife's fits and her response to the medicines previously prescribed. Cullen advises him on her continuing medication, and on eating chicken: 'if the Lady is manifestly the worse for the want of it, I would consent to her having it, but in a Country where fowel [i.e. wildfowl] is in plenty I cannot think the weather will require it'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5590 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/20/209 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 27 December 1787 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply for 'Mrs. _____ from Mr. Baillie', to Mr. Baillie, who has sent Cullen a journal recording his wife's fits and her response to the medicines previously prescribed. Cullen advises him on her continuing medication, and on eating chicken: 'if the Lady is manifestly the worse for the want of it, I would consent to her having it, but in a Country where fowel [i.e. wildfowl] is in plenty I cannot think the weather will require it'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:2186] |
Case of Mrs Baillie of Dochfour, whose condition is 'very purely Epileptic'. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5479] | Addressee | Mr Baillie (of Dochfour) |
| [PERS ID:5480] | Patient | Mrs Baillie (of Dochfour) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5479] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Baillie (of Dochfour) |
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 | Dochfour House | Inverness | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mrs. [from?] Mr. Baillie
I am obliged to you for the Journal you have
sent me, and I have perused it with great attention.
You seem to have executed my scheme with
great exactness, by gradually increasing the doses of the
Vitriol. alb. Whether these doses have been of service
in preventing the recurrence of any strong fit, it is
not yet easy to determine, but certainly they have
not prevented the return of many slight ones, and
I do not perceive any such connexion between dance
and fits, as to give any suspicion that the former
have any share in bringing on the latter, but a
person upon the spot can judge of this better
and should study it. As I do not wish the Tonic
powders should be continued during menstruation
I suppose that this has now happened and
{illeg} of the powder, for at any
rate after the [trial?] of the powders has gone so far
[Page 2]
I would have them intermitted in entirely. When they
are to be begun again, it may be in a larger dose than
at first, nor so large as when they ceased last to be
given. For example after Eight or ten days intermissi[on]
let the dose be three grains, and given in the
morning only, but every day they may be increased
by one grain till the dose gives sickness and
squeamishness and at that dose whatever it is
let them be continued for Six or Seven days whe[n]
I expect that their occasioning sickness and
squeamishness will cease, and ↑when↑ then ↑Doses↑ may be
increased again be a grain per day, till they
again affect the stomach. But if it should
happen that the Vitriol gradually increased
from three grains onwards till the dose is ten
and then whatever may be its operation I wou[ld]
go no further, [but continue?] at that dose for
eight days, and then intermit it {illeg} [thoug[h]?]
as before you shall have given me another
[Page 3]
report.
It appears to me that the Anodyne draught
had almost always given good nights without in¬
ducing costiveness or other inconvenience, and
therefore I am clear that [this should?] be continued
every night, and probably some increase of the
dose may be required. Nay upon some occasion
when you are to intermit the Tonic powder I
would try an Anodyne draught in the morning
and if you find it manifestly useful in preven¬
ting slight fits for the day, you may try it again
either omitting the Evening dose of the night
before, or if that cannot be dispensed with I would
try a morning dose, though the Evening one was
not omitted. In short I wish much to know
how far Anodynes are compatible with this
Lady's ailments, and I [think?] you may by [certain?]
trials help me to determine it.
In the above I have answered your two
first questions, and to the third I can say that
[Page 4]
the only effect besides sickness and Squeamishness
to be expected, is, the ceasing of fits eithe whether strong
or slight. Purging is not expected, but it may
happen and is to be mended by abstaining from the
powders, if they are suspected to be the cause, or
by Opiates, if any other cause can be thought of.
With respect to your Chicken, if the Lady is
manifestly the worse for the want of it, I would
consent to her having it, but in a Country where
fowel is ↑in↑ plenty I cannot think the weather will
require it. I am
Sir
Your most Obedient Servant
Edinburgh 27th. December
1787
Diplomatic Text
Mrs. [from?] Mr. Baillie
I am obliged to you for the Journal you have
sent me, and I have perused it with great attention.
You seem to have executed my scheme with
great exactness, by gradually increasing the doses of the
Vitriol. alb. Whether these doses have been of service
in preventing the recurrence of any strong fit, it is
not yet easy to determine, but certainly they have
not prevented the return of many slight ones, and
I do not perceive any such connexion between dance
and fits, as to give any suspicion that the former
have any share in bringing on the latter, but a
person upon the spot can judge of this better
and should study it. As I do not wish the Tonic
powders should be continued during menstruation
I suppose that this has now happened and
{illeg} of the powder, for at any
rate after the [trial?] of the powders has gone so far
[Page 2]
I would have them intermitted in entirely. When they
are to be begun again, it may be in a larger dose than
at first, nor so large as when they ceased last to be
given. For example after Eight or ten days intermissi[on]
let the dose be three grains, and given in the
morning only, but every day they may be increased
by one grain till the dose gives sickness and
squeamishness and at that dose whatever it is
let them be continued for Six or Seven days whe[n]
I expect that their occasioning sickness and
squeamishness will cease, and ↑when↑ then ↑Doses↑ may be
increased again be a grain per day, till they
again affect the stomach. But if it should
happen that the Vitriol gradually increased
from three grains onwards till the dose is ten
and then whatever may be its operation I wou[ld]
go no further, [but continue?] at that dose for
eight days, and then intermit it {illeg} [thoug[h]?]
as before you shall have given me another
[Page 3]
report.
It appears to me that the Anodyne draught
had almost always given good nights without in¬
ducing costiveness or other inconvenience, and
therefore I am clear that [this should?] be continued
every night, and probably some increase of the
dose may be required. Nay upon some occasion
when you are to intermit the Tonic powder I
would try an Anodyne draught in the morning
and if you find it manifestly useful in preven¬
ting slight fits for the day, you may try it again
either omitting the Evening dose of the night
before, or if that cannot be dispensed with I would
try a morning dose, though the Evening one was
not omitted. In short I wish much to know
how far Anodynes are compatible with this
Lady's ailments, and I [think?] you may by [certain?]
trials help me to determine it.
In the above I have answered your two
first questions, and to the third I can say that
[Page 4]
the only effect besides sickness and Squeamishness
to be expected, is, the ceasing of fits eithe whether strong
or slight. Purging is not expected, but it may
happen and is to be mended by abstaining from the
powders, if they are suspected to be the cause, or
by Opiates, if any other cause can be thought of.
With respect to your Chicken, if the Lady is
manifestly the worse for the want of it, I would
consent to her having it, but in a Country where
fowel is ↑in↑ plenty I cannot think the weather will
require it. I am
Sir
Your most Obedient Servant
Edinr. 27th. Decr.
1787
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