The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5989] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr / Regarding: Mr Dougald Campbell (Patient) / 8 March 1776 / (Outgoing)
Reply with direction for Mr Dougald Campbell, who has phthisis. Advice on diet, exercise and treatments, especially if another vomica is forming on his lung, and if he undertakes a sea voyage to the South, which Cullen recommends.
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- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
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Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 5989 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/6/99 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 8 March 1776 |
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 with direction for Mr Dougald Campbell, who has phthisis. Advice on diet, exercise and treatments, especially if another vomica is forming on his lung, and if he undertakes a sea voyage to the South, which Cullen recommends. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:705] |
Case of Mr Dougald Campbell who has a lung disorder. |
2 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:1716] | Addressee | Dr |
[PERS ID:1620] | Patient | Mr Dougald Campbell |
[PERS ID:1716] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr |
[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 | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr Dougald Campbell
From the accounts I have, I think there can be no doubt of there having
been an imposthume of his Lungs. That however seems now to be healed up, but
as his pulse continues frequent, as he is not yet absolutely free from all sweating and as he
continues much emaciated, I am persuaded that another Vomica is forming or rather already
formed & will probably soon discover itself by a purulent & perhaps bloody spitting
However as this disease was owing to accident, as there is no mention made of
any Pthisical or Scrophulous disposition in his family or about himself & as the
first suppuration has healed up so well, I hope that a 2d may be ever without
danger & that the disease may be at length entirely cured as I have know happen
in several instances. – For this we advise the following
Diet. No animal food – but milk farinacea & fruits
Drink Watery liquors only. --
Must carefully avoid cold & not to go abroad till the Season is advanced
When the Vomica is broken & he has an open ulcer, fresh air & Exercise may be
of great service to him – but at this season & in his present state he should
keep at home – his chamber not to be very warm – not to sit near the fire nor
use many bedcloaths – wear flannel next his skin &c.
When the Season advanced his best exercise will be in a Carriage - but
when the heat of the Summer Season is confirmed he should go on horseback, provided
the motion be smooth & gentle ----
[Page 2]
Whether on horseback or in a carriage little [outings?] will be of
little benefit – he must enter upon a regular journey for some weeks
& travel thirty or forty miles a day
But if he does not decline a Sea Voyage, it is greatly to be
preferred - & has this advantage of that it may be sooner entered
upon than any land journey – If he is to enter upon a Voyage
soon it should be to the South but if he delays going till
May, it be either North or South provided he does not go
very far in the first course – If it is to the South, it must
not be to a very warm climate & more especialy he must
stay for a very short time in such a Climate
He must continue at sea his vegetable diet & he may apply
himself with sufficient variety for his voyage & he may take
every day a little fresh broth & for this purpose he should
take portable soup with him.
The above I would depend upon almost entirely for Mr
Campbells recovery – if not attended to medicines useless – if observed
↑few↑
Medicines need less – The only one I can recommend is either a Seton in
his side or pea Issue in his arm --
If pains in his breast or sides at any time become violent, blisters must
be again applied to the part. I hope that bleedings will not be
necessary & I would wish to be sparing of them but if the pain of his side
or breast should be at any time so violent as to affect his
breathing it may be proper to take a little blood from
his arm & if the pains recur, small bleedings may be used
with safety ----
It is not common in such cases for Costiveness to be trouble¬
some & there frequently arises a disposition to Diarrhœa
[Page 3]
I hold purging therefore very improper for in all Phthisical
complaints, but if costiveness should happen as it sometimes
does, it must be removed with as little purging as possible --
This must be left to the discretion of the Gentlemen on the
Spot – but I must say I am against Aloetics & would recommend
the Oleum Ricini
The reputed Pectorals are mostly insignificant or hurtfull
& therefore I can recommend none of them, but if any
tickling cough should return upon him, it may be a little relie¬
ved by some of the Mucilaginous or oily Demulcents
In such cases Opiates would be more effectual but they are
of nice use. If before any vomica break a frequent cough should
com on Opiates may be employed to quiet it during the night
season with tolerably safety, but when an open ulcer is
formed, I dont employ opiates till the symptom of confirmed
Hectic lead me to conclude the case desperate -- &c. ----
Diplomatic Text
Mr Dougald Campbell
From the accounts I have, I think there can be no doubt of there having
been an imposthume of his Lungs. That however seems now to be healed up, but
as his pulse conts freqt, as he is not yet absolutely free from all sweating and as he
conts much emaciated, I am persuaded that another Vomica is forming or rather already
formed & will probably soon discover itself by a purulent & perhaps bloody spitting
However as this disease was owing to accident, as there is no mention made of
any Pthisical or Scrophulous disposition in his family or about himself & as the
first suppuration has healed up so well, I hope that a 2d may be ever without
danger & that the disease may be at length entirely cured as I have know happen
in several instances. – For this we advise the following
Diet. No animal food – but milk farinacea & fruits
Drink Watery liquors only. --
Must carefully avoid cold & not to go abroad till the Season is advanced
When the Vomica is broken & he has an open ulcer, fresh air & Exercise may be
of great service to him – but at this season & in his present state he should
keep at home – his chamber not to be very warm – not to sit near the fire nor
use many bedcloaths – wear flannel next his skin &c.
When the Season advanced his best exercise will be in a Carriage - but
when the heat of the Summer Season is confirmed he should go on h.back, provided
the motion be smooth & gentle ----
[Page 2]
Whether on h.back or in a carriage little [outings?] will be of
little benefit – he must enter upon a regr journey for some weeks
& travel thirty or forty miles a day
But if he does not decline a Sea Voyage, it is greatly to be
preferred - & has this advantage of that it may be sooner entered
upon than any land journey – If he is to enter upon a Voyage
soon it should be to the South but if he delays going till
May, it be either North or South provided he does not go
very far in the first course – If it is to the South, it must
not be to a very warm climate & more especialy he must
stay for a very short time in such a Climate
He must continue at sea his vegble diet & he may apply
himself with sufficient variety for his voyage & he may take
every day a little fresh broth & for this purpose he should
take portable soup with him.
The above I would depend upon almost entirely for Mr
Campbells recovery – if not attended to meds useless – if observed
↑few↑
Meds need less – The only one I can recommend is either a Seton in
his side or pea Issue in his arm --
If pains in his breast or sides at any time become violent, blisters must
be again applied to the part. I hope that bleedings will not be
necessary & I would wish to be sparing of them but if the pain of his side
or breast should be at any time so violent as to affect his
breathing it may be proper to take a little blood from
his arm & if the pains recur, small bleedings may be used
with safety ----
It is not common in such cases for Costiveness to be trouble¬
some & there frequently arises a disposition to Diarrhœa
[Page 3]
I hold purging therefore very improper for in all Phthisical
complaints, but if costiveness should happen as it sometimes
does, it must be removed with as little purging as possible --
This must be left to the discretion of the Gentlemen on the
Spot – but I must say I am against Aloetics & would recommend
the Oleum Ricini
The reputed Pectorals are mostly insignificant or hurtfull
& therefore I can recommend none of them, but if any
tickling cough should return upon him, it may be a little relie¬
ved by some of the Mucilaginous or oily Demulcents
In such cases Opiates would be more effectual but they are
of nice use. If before any vomica break a frequent cough should
com on Opiates may be employed to quiet it during the night
season with tolerably safety, but when an open ulcer is
formed, I dont employ opiates till the symp.t of confirmed
Hectic lead me to conclude the case desperate -- &c. ----
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