The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5945] From: Mr William MacAlpine / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr William MacAlpine (Patient) / 20 February 1786 / (Incoming)
Letter from William McAlpine concerning his own case.
- 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 | 5945 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1806 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 20 February 1786 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from William McAlpine concerning his own case. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:749] |
Case of William Macalpine who has swellings or 'boils' in his groins which he is hoping are not venereal. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:5571] | Author | Mr William MacAlpine |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5571] | Patient | Mr William MacAlpine |
| [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 | Cromwell Park | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Cromwell Park - by Perth
February 20th 1786 -
Since I had the Honor of seeing you in
Edinburgh - I have been rather uneasy - to Observe the Swelling
in my Groin - rather to increase -- for 8 or 10 Days after
I saw you - it shifted considerably - sometimes - decreasing on
the Right Side - & increasing a little on the left - and
Vice Versa -- & sometimes I thought decreasing in both
Sides - However within these 8 Days - it has continued
in the Right Side much about what you saw it - but
it has increas'd considerably in Size in the left Side - & is now
in the form of a longish Ridge - is thus ---- & red or inflam'd
like on the Top - But there is this remarkable Circumstance
Viz - that when You saw it - it gave me considerable Pain
(altho' then - much smaller than now) when touch'd - on both
Sides - or when I went to Stool -- Whereas now - it is quite
a dead hard kind of Lump & not sore to the Touch on either
Side - except when press'd very hard -- The Little Pimple
on the Edge of the Foreskin which you saw - is almost
intirely gone - but for 2 or 3 Days I rub'd a little Mercureal
Ointment on it - but none this fourtnight - I never
apply'd my Ointment to the Groin - nor us'd any thing
[Page 2]
whatever - for about a Week or 10 Days - I had been
rather convivial Still with my Friends in Perth
in dancing & Jollity - but no Connexion whatever ↑with any Woman↑ - I however
caught a sharp Cold - which by a little Care & a doze
of Salts - I have now got quit of --
As it is extremely disagreeable to live in the apprehension
of Disease being lurking about one - I have avail'd myself
of the Liberty you gave me of writing you on the
Subject - & to beg your Opinion of these Appearances
and that you would give me your but Advice - whether
in case a small Degree of Infection - May not spread
to something more serious in Time - & whether I should
not subject myself to a little Medicine just now - when
[perk?] ups little might be effectuall - than let the Matter
increase in Strength - when a serious & tedious Course of
Medicine may be indispensibly necessary - or whether
If the Infection is slight - & as the Swellings are dead
to the Touch on both Sides - it is likely - that the
Infection may dye away of itself --
Your Answer as soon as convenient will much oblige me
I have the Honor to be with perfect Respect -
Sir
Your Most Obedient and
very humble Servant -
William MacAlpine
[Page 3]
NB. I sleep almost always on my left Side -
The Swelling on the Right Side is not the least
red or inflam'd like ---
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
Mr. Macalpine
February 1786
V. XVIII. P. 37.
Diplomatic Text
Cromwell Park - by Perth
February 20th 1786 -
Since I had the Honor of seeing you in
Edinburgh - I have been rather uneasy - to Observe the Swelling
in my Groin - rather to increase -- for 8 or 10 Days after
I saw you - it shifted considerably - sometimes - decreasing on
the Right Side - & increasing a little on the left - and
Vice Versa -- & sometimes I thought decreasing in both
Sides - However within these 8 Days - it has continued
in the Right Side much about what you saw it - but
it has increas'd considerably in Size in the left Side - & is now
in the form of a longish Ridge - is thus ---- & red or inflam'd
like on the Top - But there is this remarkable Circumstance
Viz - that when You saw it - it gave me considerable Pain
(altho' then - much smaller than now) when touch'd - on both
Sides - or when I went to Stool -- Whereas now - it is quite
a dead hard kind of Lump & not sore to the Touch on either
Side - except when press'd very hard -- The Little Pimple
on the Edge of the Foreskin which you saw - is almost
intirely gone - but for 2 or 3 Days I rub'd a little Mercureal
Ointment on it - but none this fourtnight - I never
apply'd my Ointment to the Groin - nor us'd any thing
[Page 2]
whatever - for about a Week or 10 Days - I had been
rather convivial Still with my Friends in Perth
in dancing & Jollity - but no Connexion whatever ↑with any Woman↑ - I however
caught a sharp Cold - which by a little Care & a doze
of Salts - I have now got quit of --
As it is extremely disagreeable to live in the apprehension
of Disease being lurking about one - I have avail'd myself
of the Liberty you gave me of writing you on the
Subject - & to beg your Opinion of these Appearances
and that you would give me your but Advice - whether
in case a small Degree of Infection - May not spread
to something more serious in Time - & whether I should
not subject myself to a little Medicine just now - when
[perk?] ups little might be effectuall - than let the Matter
increase in Strength - when a serious & tedious Course of
Medicine may be indispensibly necessary - or whether
If the Infection is slight - & as the Swellings are dead
to the Touch on both Sides - it is likely - that the
Infection may dye away of itself --
Your Answer as soon as convenient will much oblige me
I have the Honor to be with perfect Respect -
Sir
Your Most Obedient and
very humble Servant -
William MacAlpine
[Page 3]
NB. I sleep almost always on my left Side -
The Swelling on the Right Side is not the least
red or inflam'd like ---
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
Mr. Macalpine
Feby. 1786
V. XVIII. P. 37.
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