
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5977] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Douglas (Sir Alexander Douglas of Glenbervie) / Regarding: Miss Agnes Augusta Dempster (Anny) (Patient) / 9 February 1776 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'To Sir Alexr. Douglass Baronet', concerning Miss Dempster
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 5977 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/6/87 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 9 February 1776 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | No |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Reply 'To Sir Alexr. Douglass Baronet', concerning Miss Dempster |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:146] |
Case of Miss 'Anny' Dempster who suffers from painful joints and menstrual problems. |
5 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:546] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Douglas (Sir Alexander Douglas of Glenbervie) |
[PERS ID:548] | Patient | Miss Agnes Augusta Dempster (Anny) |
[PERS ID:546] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Douglas (Sir Alexander Douglas of Glenbervie) |
[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 |
Normalized Text
To Sir Alexr. Douglass Baronet
Sorry to find Miss A. Dempster's ailments continue in one respect so very
obstinate. It is well that she is so free of her Rheumatic complaints &
perhaps she is more so, that the menstrual evacuation is so large. However
this if it continue must destroy her or break her constitution for life. In the
mean time I think you have done every thing that could properly & I shall
see nothing better than persisting in the same course. You have found
benefit & no inconvenience from the use of the Alum & therefore you
may push it still farther & especially by beginning a day or two, be¬
fore the period come on & continuing it for several days after it come
on. The cold bath should be also continued & every day during the period
she should wash her hands & face with cold water twice a day. The air
of her chamber should be kept constantly very cool. It is to me
probable that during last period, as the weather was extremely cold,
her chamber was kept too warm. I am persuaded that I mentioned
before or that your good judgement would suggest it that for some
days before the period is expected, she should stir as little as pos¬
sible & should keep pretty constantly in a horizontal posture & that
she should keep strictly to the same during the Evacuation. It is
by all these means that I hope it may be moderated. I have very
little trust in any internal astringent but the Alum & Elixir of
Vitriol. But this last may be continued with an infusion of Bark & I
find the infusion much better than the Decoction & particularly if
the powder of the bark be first triturated in a marble mortar with
water for half an hour or more & after 8 or 10 hours after the
infusion the liquor is filtrated you will find it both a better
impregnation & a more agreable medicine. This is all at
present ---
Diplomatic Text
To Sir Alexr. Douglass Baronet
Sorry to find Miss A. Dempster's ailmts. cont. in one respect so very
obstinate. It is well yt she is so free of her Rheumatic complaints &
perhaps she is more so, yt ye menstrual evacuation is so large. However
this if it cont. must destroy her or break her constitution for life. In ye
mean time I think you have done every thing yt could properly & I shall
see nothing better yn persisting in ye same course. You have found
benefit & no inconvenience from ye use of ye Alum & therefore you
may push it still farther & especially by beginning a day or two, be¬
fore ye period come on & continuing it for several days after it come
on. The cold bath should be also continued & every day during ye period
she should wash her hands & face w cold water twice a day. The air
of her chamber should be kept constantly very cool. It is to me
probable yt during last period, as ye weather was extremely cold,
her chamber was kept too warm. I am persuaded yt I mentioned
before or yt your good judgement would suggest it yt for some
days before ye period is expected, she should stir as little as pos¬
sible & should keep pretty constantly in a horizontal posture & yt
she should keep strictly to ye same during ye Evacuation. It is
by all these means yt I hope it may be moderated. I have very
little trust in any internal astringent but ye Alum & Elixir of
Vitriol. But ys last may be contd. w an infusion of Bark & I
find ye infusion much better yn ye Decoction & particularly if
ye powder of the bark be first triturated in a marble mortar w
water for half an hour or more & after 8 or 10 hours after ye
infusion ye liquor is filtrated you will find it both a better
impregnation & a more agreable medicine. This is all at
present ---
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