The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:737] From: Dr Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Captain John Gairdner (Patient) / 13 October 1756 / (Incoming)
Letter from the distinguished naturalist Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti in Florence, regarding chronic ailments of Captain John Gairdner, resident in Florence. Tozzetti's english usage is not perfect, but since his meaning is clear his idiosyncratic spelling and expression has not been annotated.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 737 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/5 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 13 October 1756 |
| 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 the distinguished naturalist Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti in Florence, regarding chronic ailments of Captain John Gairdner, resident in Florence. Tozzetti's english usage is not perfect, but since his meaning is clear his idiosyncratic spelling and expression has not been annotated. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:78] |
Case of Captain John Gairdner, resident in Florence, who has suffered feverish symptoms for over five years. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:284] | Author | Dr Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:285] | Patient | Captain John Gairdner |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:284] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Florence (Firenze) | Italy | Italy | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Campagna Romana | Italy | Europe | certain | ||
| Mentioned / Other | Florence (Firenze) | Italy | Italy | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Leghorn (Livorno) | Italy | Italy | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
We the underwritten having made Serious Reflexions on the feavourish Effervescence
which these five years in the night time incomodes Captain John Gairdner, we are not
a little astonished at the new & odd Nature of said Ailment, & much more so at the
obstinate Resistance, with which he has resisted the force of so many different &
efficatious Remedies, & the Action of so many changes of Age, Seasons & different
climes. Yet we do not flatter ourselves to be more fortunate than so many able
Physicians that have hitherto cured said Captain, in unravelling & bringing
to light the nature of his Malady, which may be called a rarity, & not described
or [named?] in any medicinal Books to our knowledge - Said Illness seems to
be the Traces of the bad Impression made on the liquid parts of of the Captains
Body by the malign Vapours of the Summer air of the Campagna Romana; 1
but every day we see even in Florence ↑people↑ offended by said Air; who undergo
Illnesses nothing like that which afflicts the Captain, in whose Bowels we
do not find the least Appearance of any obstruction. We have found his
habit of body very good, & we are persuaded he does egregiously & with pleasure
all the functions that a healthfull man can do, & even it is some time that
his blood his excellent, & very comfortably nourishes all his parts. Notwithstanding
that Latet Anguis in herba 2 there is had in his Umours an unknown [feaverish?]
ferment, which enlivens daily & puts itself in motion constantly & only
after a few Hours sleep. This such ferment or Venom seems to us, ought to
be supposed a sort of an acrimonious Lentor swimming on the Linfatick
Sierous Liquid parts of the Captain's Body, & that may at certain times circulate
with impunity with said Liquids like the gouty Epileptick Incentives & but
at certain other times, that is in the hours of Sleep, when the Circulation is
stirred up in a certain determined Manner, it is sensible & offensive. Now
{illeg} [the feaverish?] Effervescence is of a short duration, but yet it does not
forbear disturbing & drawing up the membranious & nervous Fibres [causing?]
that daily Inquietude for which the Captain asks us a Remedy.
We therefore being willing to the utmost of our abilities to satisfye the Just
Request of said Gentleman we have founded our observations on the Consideration
of the things which in the quinquinnial Course of his Illness have been the
most beneficial, to take our measures for the Physical In{illeg}tion, we are
therefore assured that the Captain has found the greatest & [most essential?] Relief
to his Disease from the Sun's Course & that is from the Relapse
[Page 2]
Copious discharge of slammy & purulent Matter, which for two Summers consecutively
he has had from natural Ulcers of an Erpetical Nature opened in the Calf of his left
Leg. Since these diurnal Tricklings of waterish & purulent Matter the Captain's Illness
is considerably diminished in quantity & Vehemence, & has established itself on a
very discreet footing on which it maintains itself without encreasing. Now
we shoud think if the Captain Could procure a third such Relief this next Summer,
that the morbous ferment of which there still remains a small portion hid in
his Body, wou'd be entirly annihilated. But as the Summer is far off & we cant
be sure that the force of nature will promote such a necessary Relief as in
reality was the Case last Summer, so we propose to the Captain to [procure?]
himself without Delay some artificial Relief succedanious of the natural
which is not in our Power to chuse. Such as an Issue to be made as soon
& where it may not hinder the Motion & Use of the thigh itself. This Issue
we wou'd have to be kept open & very running for some time, at least for
a Year, which we shou'd think woud be sufficient to expel from his Body,
that unknown hidden Venom. We hope also that said Cautery may make
efficacious [diversion?] to draw off a small portion of purulent Matter which
we have perceived to drip from the Windings of both the Captains Ears, in said
ears the daily feaverish Effervescence is more molested by the Tinkling & Whizing
it occasions in the Ear. & very probably by the daily Impression, [it is?] Long time,
it has produced small exulcerations from whence the abovesaid matter distills.
We hope the running of the Issue will help the Trickling of the Ears, for
which reason we council the Captain to make frequent Squirtings in the
Windings with a Lukewarm Scalding, composed of the Tops of St. John's Wort,
Rose Buds, & a small piece of the head of a Poppy to facilitate the
Cicatrization. - With Regard to universal Medicines the Captain [has] {illeg}
tryed so many that we have not Courage to propose him any new Ones; at
most we can only recommend the Use of thin Milk, we mean Whey of Cowes
Milk purifyed, & also of some Sweet & Diaforetical Tisan. This next Spring
perhaps wou'd be beneficial the Use of a Decoction, or Syrrop of good
pulpey Salsapariglia, continued in the usual Rules for 24 Days at
least. Now so soon as he is returned to Leghorn we recommend to him
the Use of the acidulated Waters of Asciano, of which he may take the
[Page 3]
first morning lb 1. the Second lb 17 the third lb 2. continuing so for ten Mornings
the 14th let him turn to lb 17 on the 16th. to lb 1. & so finish, as the Season is
not very favourable for such a Medicament. If in the acidulated Waters
he has a mind to put a little Cowes' Milk, he may do it with profit,
at the Rate of Two Ounces per pound of Water. This what we have
thought proper to council said Captain Gairdner to do, Whom we heartily
wish a perfect Cure.
Diplomatic Text
We the underwritten having made Serious Reflexions on the feavourish Effervescence
which these five years in the night time incomodes Cap. John Gairdner, we are not
a little astonished at the new & odd Nature of said Ailment, & much more so at the
obstinate Resistance, with which he has resisted the force of so many different &
efficatious Remedies, & the Action of so many changes of Age, Seasons & different
climes. Yet we do not flatter ourselves to be more fortunate than so many able
Physicians that have hitherto cured said Captain, in unravelling & bringing
to light the nature of his Malady, which may be called a rarity, & not described
or [named?] in any medicinal Books to our knowledge - Said Illness seems to
be the Traces of the bad Impression made on the liquid parts of of the Captains
Body by the malign Vapours of the Summer air of the Campagna Romana; 1
but every day we see even in Florence ↑people↑ offended by said Air; who undergo
Illnesses nothing like that which afflicts the Captain, in whose Bowels we
do not find the least Appearance of any obstruction. We have found his
habit of body very good, & we are persuaded he does egregiously & with pleasure
all the functions that a healthfull man can do, & even it is some time that
his blood his excellent, & very comfortably nourishes all his parts. Notwithstandg.
that Latet Anguis in herba 2 there is had in his Umours an unknown [feaverish?]
ferment, which enlivens daily & puts itself in motion constantly & only
after a few Hours sleep. This such ferment or Venom seems to us, ought to
be supposed a sort of an acrimonious Lentor swimming on the Linfatick
Sierous Liquid parts of the Captain's Body, & that may at certain times circulate
with impunity with said Liquids like the gouty Epileptick Incentives & but
at certain other times, that is in the hours of Sleep, when the Circulation is
stirred up in a certain determined Manner, it is sensible & offensive. Now
{illeg} [the feaverish?] Effervescence is of a short duration, but yet it does not
forbear disturbing & drawing up the membranious & nervous Fibres [causing?]
that daily Inquietude for which the Captain asks us a Remedy.
We therefore being willing to the utmost of our abilities to satisfye the Just
Request of said Gentleman we have founded our observations on the Consideration
of the things which in the quinquinnial Course of his Illness have been the
most beneficial, to take our measures for the Physical In{illeg}tion, we are
therefore assured that the Captain has found the greatest & [most essential?] Relief
to his Disease from the Sun's Course & that is from the Relapse
[Page 2]
Copious discharge of slammy & purulent Matter, which for two Summers consecutively
he has had from natural Ulcers of an Erpetical Nature opened in the Calf of his left
Leg. Since these diurnal Tricklings of waterish & purulent Matter the Captain's Illness
is considerably diminished in quantity & Vehemence, & has established itself on a
very discreet footing on which it maintains itself without encreasing. Now
we shoud think if the Captain Could procure a third such Relief this next Summer,
that the morbous ferment of which there still remains a small portion hid in
his Body, wou'd be entirly annihilated. But as the Summer is far off & we cant
be sure that the force of nature will promote such a necessary Relief as in
reality was the Case last Summer, so we propose to the Captain to [procure?]
himself without Delay some artificial Relief succedanious of the natural
which is not in our Power to chuse. Such as an Issue to be made as soon
& where it may not hinder the Motion & Use of the thigh itself. This Issue
we wou'd have to be kept open & very running for some time, at least for
a Year, which we shou'd think woud be sufficient to expel from his Body,
that unknown hidden Venom. We hope also that said Cautery may make
efficacious [diversion?] to draw off a small portion of purulent Matter which
we have perceived to drip from the Windings of both the Captains Ears, in said
ears the daily feaverish Effervescence is more molested by the Tinkling & Whizing
it occasions in the Ear. & very probably by the daily Impression, [it is?] Long time,
it has produced small exulcerations from whence the abovesaid matter distills.
We hope the running of the Issue will help the Trickling of the Ears, for
which reason we council the Captain to make frequent Squirtings in the
Windings with a Lukewarm Scalding, composed of the Tops of St. John's Wort,
Rose Buds, & a small piece of the head of a Poppy to facilitate the
Cicatrization. - With Regard to universal Medicines the Captain [has] {illeg}
tryed so many that we have not Courage to propose him any new Ones; at
most we can only recommend the Use of thin Milk, we mean Whey of Cowes
Milk purifyed, & also of some Sweet & Diaforetical Tisan. This next Spring
perhaps wou'd be beneficial the Use of a Decoction, or Syrrop of good
pulpey Salsapariglia, continued in the usual Rules for 24 Days at
least. Now so soon as he is returned to Leghorn we recommend to him
the Use of the acidulated Waters of Asciano, of which he may take the
[Page 3]
first morning lb 1. the Second lb 17 the third lb 2. continuing so for ten Mornings
the 14th let him turn to lb 17 on the 16th. to lb 1. & so finish, as the Season is
not very favourable for such a Medicament. If in the acidulated Waters
he has a mind to put a little Cowes' Milk, he may do it with profit,
at the Rate of Two Ounces p pound of Water. This what we have
thought proper to council said Cap. Gairdner to do, Whom we heartily
wish a perfect Cure.
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