The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:754] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Duff (Patient) / August? 1762 / (Outgoing)
Reply, in the form of a retained incomplete draft in Cullen's own hand, giving directions for Mr Duff at Aberdeen encouraging him to take exercise and with directions on how to manage his piles. Month based upon the letter to which it would seem to respond, which is Letter ID:743.
- 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 | 754 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/22 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | August? 1762 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, in the form of a retained incomplete draft in Cullen's own hand, giving directions for Mr Duff at Aberdeen encouraging him to take exercise and with directions on how to manage his piles. Month based upon the letter to which it would seem to respond, which is Letter ID:743. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | Yes |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:13] |
Case of Mr Duff who has colic and has had piles. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:293] | Patient | Mr Duff |
| [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 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Destination of Letter | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Aberdeen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
this purpose an open Chaise that he drives him
self is in every respect better than a close one
& I should not expect he would be liable to much
Sickness or vomiting in an open machine.
With his Exercise on horseback or in a Chaise I
think walking as much as he easily bears would
be of Service to him. To a corpulent person &
to one weakened by ailments it cannot be easy
but if ↑he↑ will try it ever so little & be satisfyed to
lengthen out his walk by very slow degrees only
he may come to bear a great deal & be very much
the better for it.
It is certainly of consequence for Mr Duff to
attend to his diet but it is difficult in ↑the↑ present
weakness of his stomach to give positive or particular
directions. It must be light but should be nourishing
& made a little warm by Wine & Aromatics
[Page 2]
The Indian Tea's are certainly bad for him but if
he likes something in that shape he make take any
of the Aromatics of our own Gardens or fields.
But Panada, Sago or Salep with a little wine
& Cinnamon are certainly better for him.
As long as he can he should at dinner keep to
some animal food, by the choice of it or the cooking
made very tender & ↑without Shape↑ I think he will do better with
Beef Mutton & fowl than with the young [meats?]
Green & recent Vegetables he should take [cautiously?]
but grain of all kinds is extremely proper & these
joined boiled & mixed with Broths & Soups will
do better than in puddings or any how baked.
His present Supper is as proper as any.
Both at Dinner & Supper he should take
much Wine as he may without being heated by it.
As long as Claret answers in preserving the tone
[Page 3]
of his Stomach I would ↑not↑ propose any of the warmer
Wines but let it be observed what effect the Claret
has upon his Piles or let him recollect what
effects it had when he used more freedom with
it. I have known many people who in their
earlier days had the Piles brought on by Claret
had them as certainly stopt by it when their
vigour had declined.
[It may be thought I have hitherto?] {illeg}
the Indication which my opinion should especi¬
ally suggest but I have reserved it for this
place. Tho I think the want of the Piles
has occasioned his disease I know it is ex¬
treamly difficult to bring them back again
& that unless we can restore the tone of the Stomach
& [of that part?] (↑of the System in general↑) we shall only fatigue the patient
[Page 4]
with fruitless applications to the parts. Upon this
plan the above advice proceeds & I have only further
↑[to?]↑ add that it may be proper for Mr Duff almost as
often as he goes to stool to sit up (↑over↑) the steam of
warm water & When any considerable swelling of
the Piles recurrs without bleeding it may be proper
to set some Leeches upon the tumour & allow them
to bleed freely. At all times let him take care to
keep his feet warm & dry & if at any time they are
cold let them be well chafed with a warm flannel
till they have recovered their heat again.
When the physicians at Aberdeen & Mr
Duff himself have considered the above advice
I shall be very glad to have their remarks & shall
be ready to contribute what is further in my
power for Mr Duffs relief
Diplomatic Text
this purpose an open Chaise that he drives him
self is in every respect better than a close one
& I should not expect he would be liable to much
Sickness or vomiting in an open machine.
With his Exercise on horseback or in a Chaise I
think walking as much as he easily bears would
be of Service to him. To a corpulent person &
to one weakened by ailments it cannot be easy
but if ↑he↑ will try it ever so little & be satisfyed to
lengthen out his walk by very slow degrees only
he may come to bear a great deal & be very much
the better for it.
It is certainly of consequence for Mr Duff to
attend to his diet but it is difficult in ↑the↑ present
weakness of his stomach to give positive or particular
directions. It must be light but should be nourishing
& made a little warm by Wine & Aromatics
[Page 2]
The Indian Tea's are certainly bad for him but if
he likes something in that shape he make take any
of the Aromatics of our own Gardens or fields.
But Panada, Sago or Salep with a little wine
& Cinnamon are certainly better for him.
As long as he can he should at dinner keep to
some animal food, by the choice of it or the cooking
made very tender & ↑without Shape↑ I think he will do better with
Beef Mutton & fowl than with the young [meats?]
Green & recent Vegetables he should take [cautiously?]
but grain of all kinds is extremely proper & these
joined boiled & mixed with Broths & Soups will
do better than in puddings or any how baked.
His present Supper is as proper as any.
Both at Dinner & Supper he should take
much Wine as he may without being heated by it.
As long as Claret answers in preserving the tone
[Page 3]
of his Stomach I would ↑not↑ propose any of the warmer
Wines but let it be observed what effect the Claret
has upon his Piles or let him recollect what
effects it had when he used more freedom with
it. I have known many people who in their
earlier days had the Piles brought on by Claret
had them as certainly stopt by it when their
vigour had declined.
[It may be thought I have hitherto?] {illeg}
the Indication which my opinion should especi¬
ally suggest but I have reserved it for this
place. Tho I think the want of the Piles
has occasioned his disease I know it is ex¬
treamly difficult to bring them back again
& that unless we can restore the tone of the Stomach
& [of that part?] (↑of the System in general↑) we shall only fatigue the patient
[Page 4]
with fruitless applications to the parts. Upon this
plan the above advice proceeds & I have only further
↑[to?]↑ add that it may be proper for Mr Duff almost as
often as he goes to stool to sit up (↑over↑) the steam of
warm water & When any considerable swelling of
the Piles recurrs without bleeding it may be proper
to set some Leeches upon the tumour & allow them
to bleed freely. At all times let him take care to
keep his feet warm & dry & if at any time they are
cold let them be well chafed with a warm flannel
till they have recovered their heat again.
When the physicians at Aberdeen & Mr
Duff himself have considered the above advice
I shall be very glad to have their remarks & shall
be ready to contribute what is further in my
power for Mr Duffs relief
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