The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:688] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr William Drennan / Regarding: Mrs Mattear (Drennan) (Mattaire, Mullaire ) (Patient) / 23 December 1782 / (Outgoing)
reply to Dr Drennan regarding the case of 'the agreeable Mrs Mattaire [Mattear]'. Cullen suggests that the best remedy is the use of opium to 'break the force' of fits when they occur, and to use tonics to enable her to resist their occurrence. The surname of the sister is not clear and the variant spellings used throughout the letter have been added this to the notes on her database entry.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 688 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/15/175 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 23 December 1782 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | reply to Dr Drennan regarding the case of 'the agreeable Mrs Mattaire [Mattear]'. Cullen suggests that the best remedy is the use of opium to 'break the force' of fits when they occur, and to use tonics to enable her to resist their occurrence. The surname of the sister is not clear and the variant spellings used throughout the letter have been added this to the notes on her database entry. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1294] |
Case of the sister of Dr William Drennan who suffers from persistent, severe headaches accompanied by startings, feverishness and disturbed dreams. |
6 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:202] | Addressee | Dr William Drennan |
| [PERS ID:1193] | Patient | Mrs Mattear (Mattaire, Mullaire ) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:202] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Dr William Drennan |
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 | Belfast | North Ireland | Ireland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Dr Drennan Concerning Mrs Mattaire
Dear Sir,
Yours of the 2d did not come to me
in course but it has however from my great hurry of late
been longer in my hands than I wished.
I am heartily concerned for the agreeable Mrs Mattaire
that She does not get the better of her ailments, but the long con¬
tinuance of them in a delicate constitution must now render
them more obstinate and in spite if her Spirits it is possible
that some accidents may have occurred to renew them.
However all that may be I am still of opinion that the
most probable means of relief are to break the force of fits when they occur and by the use of opiates to
enable her to resist their recurrence. The effects of Lau¬
danum for three ↑nights↑ together were considerable and I suspect you
did wrong in taking it away on the fourth for habitual diseases
require commonly a long perseverance in the remedies required to
break the force of habit and the opium does not always induce
sleep it induces a tranquility of the Nervous System nearly of equal
benefit with Sleep. It therefore upon the recurrence of violent
[Page 2]
attacks you shall think proper as I think you may again
try the power of Laudanum and find it successfull in appea¬
sing the headach I would in this case advise you to persist
longer in the use of it.
In such a constitution as Mrs Mattears I own that [steel?]
is an ambiguous remedy but remember that its tonic and
astringent powers have been as often taken notice of as its ape¬
rient and in a lax System I think it is more likely to be sedative
than stimulant. When therefore you find Mrs Mattear free from
fever you may use the chalybeate pretty freely. I am more
Scrupulous in admitting warm bathing but as I would not
willingly deprive her of any means of relief I would not forbid
her to bath her feet and legs except at the times of approaching
menstruation. I am very well pleased with her thought
of cold bathing to her head but I would first have another trial
of the laudanum as proposed above and if that fails I shall
willingly admit of the trial of cold water poured upon her head.
For this purpose her hair must almost entirely be cut out and
her head shaven & from time to time shaving repeated.
[Page 3]
After the head has been shaven, you may in a day or two you
may begin to pour water on the crown of the head held
over a bason. The water should at first consist of one part
boiling water and three or four parts of spring water or
what is at fifty degrees of Farenheit. This mixed water
may be used for a day or two but after that let an eight
part of the boiling water be with drawn every second day and
thus by degrees reduced to quite cold. Pray operate by exact
measure and you will operate safely
Let me know when I can be of further service
and you shall always find me very sincerely
Dear Dr
Your most obedient servant
Edinburgh 23d December
1782.
Diplomatic Text
Dr Drennan C Mrs Mattaire
Dear Sir,
Yours of the 2d did not come to me
in course but it has however from my great hurry of late
been longer in my hands than I wished.
I am heartily concerned for the agreeable Mrs Mattaire
that She does not get the better of her ailments, but the long con¬
tinuance of them in a delicate constitution must now render
them more obstinate and in spite if her Spirits it is possible
that some accidents may have occurred to renew them.
However all that may be I am still of opinion that the
most probable means of relief are to break the force of fits when they occur and by the use of opiates to
enable her to resist their recurrence. The effects of Lau¬
danum for three ↑nights↑ together were considerable and I suspect you
did wrong in taking it away on the fourth for habitual diseases
require commonly a long perseverance in the remedies required to
break the force of habit and the opium does not always induce
sleep it induces a tranquility of the Nervous System nearly of equal
benefit with Sleep. It therefore upon the recurrence of violent
[Page 2]
attacks you shall think proper as I think you may again
try the power of Laudanum and find it successfull in appea¬
sing the headach I would in this case advise you to persist
longer in the use of it.
In such a constitution as Mrs Mattears I own that [steel?]
is an ambiguous remedy but remember that its tonic and
astringent powers have been as often taken notice of as its ape¬
rient and in a lax System I think it is more likely to be sedative
than stimulant. When therefore you find Mrs Mattear free from
fever you may use the chalybeate pretty freely. I am more
Scrupulous in admitting warm bathing but as I would not
willingly deprive her of any means of relief I would not forbid
her to bath her feet and legs except at the times of approaching
menstruation. I am very well pleased with her thought
of cold bathing to her head but I would first have another trial
of the laudanum as proposed above and if that fails I shall
willingly admit of the trial of cold water poured upon her head.
For this purpose her hair must almost entirely be cut out and
her head shaven & from time to time shaving repeated.
[Page 3]
After the head has been shaven, you may in a day or two you
may begin to pour water on the crown of the head held
over a bason. The water should at first consist of one part
boiling water and three or four parts of spring water or
what is at fifty degrees of Farenheit. This mixed water
may be used for a day or two but after that let an eight
part of the boiling water be with drawn every second day and
thus by degrees reduced to quite cold. Pray operate by exact
measure and you will operate safely
Let me know when I can be of further service
and you shall always find me very sincerely
Dear Dr
Your most obedient servant
Edinr 23d Decer
1782.
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