The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:782] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr John Duncanson (Duncason) / Regarding: Mrs Jean Campbell (Campble, of Silvercraigs) (Patient) / 10 May 1766 / (Outgoing)
Reply from Cullen - but largely in the hand of an assistant - addressed to John Duncanson in Inveraray regarding the case of Mrs Campbell, whose illness 'depends on a laxity & flaccidity of the Uterine system' in answer to Duncanson's enquiry. Cullen recommends bed rest in a cool chamber. A note in Cullen's had at the close reads: 'My hurry has obliged me to employ another hand to transcribe this letter which I hope you'll excuse', but the letter would seem to have been retained (perhaps because Cullen then found the time to write it out again himself?).
- 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 | 782 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/50 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 10 May 1766 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply from Cullen - but largely in the hand of an assistant - addressed to John Duncanson in Inveraray regarding the case of Mrs Campbell, whose illness 'depends on a laxity & flaccidity of the Uterine system' in answer to Duncanson's enquiry. Cullen recommends bed rest in a cool chamber. A note in Cullen's had at the close reads: 'My hurry has obliged me to employ another hand to transcribe this letter which I hope you'll excuse', but the letter would seem to have been retained (perhaps because Cullen then found the time to write it out again himself?). |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:121] |
Case of Mrs Campbell who has had several miscarriages and who is diagnosed as having a 'weak uterine system'. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:310] | Addressee | Dr John Duncanson (Duncason) |
| [PERS ID:303] | Patient | Mrs Jean Campbell (Campble, of Silvercraigs) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:310] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Duncanson (Duncason) |
| [PERS ID:1145] | Other | Mr John Graham |
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 | Inveraray | West Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I have considered very fully the Case you have
been pleased to communicate to me and tho not difficult to be
understood I am afraid may be difficult to Cure. It depends on a
laxity & flaccidity of the Uterine System of some standing. It may
have been original in the Constitution in spite of ↑the↑ General account
you give of it, & at any rate has been much increased by the fre¬
quent Sbortions that have happened. to restore to tone of the parts
will require much time & pains & the present circumstances will
not admitt of the measures that might be proper & at present all
that can be proposed is to prevent an abortion & these Evacuations
that both threaten this, & the death of the fœtus and at same time
↑increase↑ the weakness of the mother. for this purpose the prescrip¬
tions & advices you have given are very proper & ↑I↑ shall add
what occurs to me.
1 Nothing seems to be more necessary than that the Lady
should ly almost Constantly a bed not under the bedcloaths
but in the daytime above them ↑&↑ if she comes out of bed she should
stir very little & never be of the bed long at one time. She will
commonly observe some symptoms before the discharge come
on & it is then especially she should keep most closely abed.
2 Let her chamber be always kept cool & therfore avoid
much fire or much company. Anything that heats is impro¬
per & therefore many of bedcloaths. The plaister you have
ordered is a good strengthener but if it makes her warm
I would take it of & I have frequently found cloths wet with
cold water often renewed of service in preventing Abortions
[Page 2]
3. You have said nothing of the state of her belly, & I sup¬
pose it is regular but the contrary is more common & if so
the only Medicine to be safely employed is flos sulphuris.
4. To the diet you have ordered I have nothing to add only I
think the lighter & cooler it is the better tho the & the less
strong drink she takes the better tho the glass of Claret
you have proposed is the safest & best.
5. For Medecine I would propose this powder
Take ten grains of [Russian?] Alum, five grains of Terra Japonica and one scruple of white sugar. Mix and make a powder.
This powder may be taken in a little Gelly or Marma¬
lade or made with a little of these into a bolus & &
swallo↑w↑ed in a wafer. It is to be taken once or twice a
day as you find the stomach it bear it or the symtoms
seem to require Every dose is to be washed down with
two ounces of the Tinct. Rosarum & some small draughts
of the same are to be taken at several other times a day.
This This is all that occurs to me at present when
any new circumstances shall arise or when the
Lady shall be in a Condition to admit of measures
on a more general plan I shall be ready to give the
best advice I can. I never heard of your letter
to Mr Graham till this afternoon. All that depends
upon me you shall have by Monday post. I am
with great regard
Dear Sir
Your most obedient
servant
[Page 3]
✍
My hurry has obliged me to employ another
hand to transcribe this letter which I hope you'll
excuse
W. C.
[Page 4]
Dr John Duncanson
Inverary
1766
Diplomatic Text
I have considered very fully the Case you have
been pleased to communicate to me and tho not difficult to be
understood I am afraid may be difficult to Cure. It depends on a
laxity & flaccidity of the Uterine System of some standing. It may
have been original in the Constitution in spite of ↑the↑ General account
you give of it, & at any rate has been much increased by the fre¬
quent Sbortions that have happened. to restore to tone of the parts
will require much time & pains & the present circumstances will
not admitt of the measures that might be proper & at present all
that can be proposed is to prevent an abortion & these Evacuations
that both threaten this, & the death of the fœtus and at same time
↑increase↑ the weakness of the mother. for this purpose the prescrip¬
tions & advices you have given are very proper & ↑I↑ shall add
what occurs to me.
1 Nothing seems to be more necessary than that the Lady
should ly almost Constantly a bed not under the bedcloaths
but in the daytime above them ↑&↑ if she comes out of bed she should
stir very little & never be of the bed long at one time. She will
commonly observe some symptoms before the discharge come
on & it is then especially she should keep most closely abed.
2 Let her chamber be always kept cool & therfore avoid
much fire or much company. Anything that heats is impro¬
per & therefore many of bedcloaths. The plaister you have
ordered is a good strengthener but if it makes her warm
I would take it of & I have frequently found cloths wet with
cold water often renewed of service in preventing Abortions
[Page 2]
3. You have said nothing of the state of her belly, & I sup¬
pose it is regular but the contrary is more common & if so
the only Medicine to be safely employed is flos sulphuris.
4. To the diet you have ordered I have nothing to add only I
think the lighter & cooler it is the better tho the & the less
strong drink she takes the better tho the glass of Claret
you have proposed is the safest & best.
5. For Medecine I would propose this powder
℞ alumin
russ gr. x. Terr. Japon ↑gr.↑ v sacchar. alb ℈i ℳ f. pulvis
This powder may be taken in a little Gelly or Marma¬
lade or made with a little of these into a bolus & &
swallo↑w↑ed in a wafer. It is to be taken once or twice a
day as you find the stomach it bear it or the symtoms
seem to require Every dose is to be washed down with
two ounces of the Tinct. Rosarum & some small draughts
of the same are to be taken at several other times a day.
This This is all that occurs to me at present when
any new circumstances shall arise or when the
Lady shall be in a Condition to admit of measures
on a more general plan I shall be ready to give the
best advice I can. I never heard of your letter
to Mr Graham till this afternoon. All that depends
upon me you shall have by Monday post. I am
with great regard
Dr Sir
Your most obedient
servant
[Page 3]
✍
My hurry has obliged me to employ another
hand to transcribe this letter which I hope you'll
excuse
W. C.
[Page 4]
Dr John Duncanson
Inverary
1766
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:782]
Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...
