The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:809] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Russel (Patient) / 12 July 1770 / (Outgoing)
Loose reply, 'For Mr Russell'. This is a draft of [DOC ID:99].
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 7 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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[Page 7]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 809 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/78 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 12 July 1770 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Loose reply, 'For Mr Russell'. This is a draft of [DOC ID:99]. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
This is the draft of:
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:74] |
Case of Mr Russell suffering from a 'Spasmodic Asthma'. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:60] | Patient | Mr Russel |
| [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 |
Normalized Text
For Mr Russel.
The Disease here is sufficiently evident
& is what we call a spasmodic Asthma but it is
to be observed that as Mr Russel grows older it will
be attended with more humour to be spit from his
breast.
Mr Russel has now had so much experience
of his disease that he is already acquainted with the
most part of the management that is necessary.
He knows well that nothing is more necessary
than guarding against Cold & Moisture; that it is
proper at the same time to avoid all confined and
warm air & especially rooms heated by company or
light; that a light & cool diet is necessary & all
kind of strong drink to the quantity that may be
in the least heating is very hurtful & that it is par¬
ticularly necessary to keep his belly regular & easy.
[Page 2]
I suppose that he knows also that any close appli¬
cation to business or any emotion of mind is liable to
bring on fits of his disease. In attention to all
these particulars is the substance of ↑the↑ Regimen necessary
& a strict observance of them is chiefly to be depended
on for giving Mr Russel as much Ease as the nature
of his case admits of. Few medicines can be
of much service to him, but I shall here give some
remarks on the several remedies that may be thought of.
Bleeding will give relief in severe fits but as
it disposes to the fullness & weakens his Nerves it
ought to be employed as seldom as possible. The time
when most allowable is when his fits are more mani¬
festly depending upon a fresh Cold.
Vomiting is a more usefull remedy & whenever
loss of appetite, fœtid belchings or bad at stomach
[Page 3]
shews this to be oppressed with phlegm a vomit is necessary.
But it should be always gentle, and if Camomile tea will
answer it is better than any stronger, but the Camomile
tea may be strengthened a little by a little Mustard
a little Spirit of Hartshorn or an Infusion of Horse Radish.
It is necessary to keep his belly free & easy &
so long as his diet will answer this purpose it is
well but from his being lately attacked with Piles
I suspect his belly is not so easy as it ought & as
I expect no benefit from the Piles I would advise the
Use of the Laxative Electuary prescribed below.
It is to be taken in the morning by a teaspoonful
at a time & repeated after half an hour or an hour
once or twice as upon trial may be found necessary.
It should make him easy without purging. ~
If he find that taking small beer to his Victuals
does more service to his belly than hurt to his stomach
I agree to his continuing the use of it. But as
[Page 4]
drinking water is useful in keeping down the puffing
of his stomach, it must also be continued & as he
finds it useful to make that water acid by Lemon
or Vinegar I would advise him to employ frequently
the Spirit of Vitriol in the quantity that will
make his Water agreeably acid.
As his fits will always be relieved by any
thing that brings wind off his stomach so he very
properly employs spirit of Hartshorn for that pur¬
pose but as medicines of that kind are liable to
lose their effect by frequent repetition so I would
have him sometimes try Eau de Luce or Compound
Tincture of Castor or Volatile Tincture of Valerian
These changed with one another will have more effect
than if any one was constantly employed.
Blistering in my opinion can be of little service
[Page 5]
Issues might be of more Service but I don't expect
that the benefit would be equal to the trouble, only
if the defluxion should encrease much in the breast
a pea issue in the arm may be useful; but I forgot
to say above that in the same case of defluxion if
it is at the same time difficult to bring up vomits will
be the best pectorals & I must here farther observe
that the most part of the Medicines called pectorals
do more ill than good
I can advise no kind of bathing to Mr Russel
as either kind would be uncertain & precarious
but at any time he may bath his feet & dip his
whole legs in tepid Water taking care that↑it↑ is never
very warm.
As his health depends very much on a free
perspiration I would earnestly recommend a
flannel shirt to be put next to his skin to be worn
[Page 6]
night & day summer & winter but changed pretty
often taking care that the clean one to be put on
is very thoroughly dry.
Bodily exercise of the slightest kind
is to be carefully avoided but being much in the
free Air carried gently on horseback or in a Carriage
will always be of service & once or twice a year
at a temperate season a Journey of two or three
hundred miles might do much good. I know of
no Mineral Waters that can be of any use to him.
Edinburgh 12th. July
1770.
[Page 7]
For Mr Russel
Take one ounce each of finely powdered crystal tartar, flowers of sulphur, and juice of French prunes, two drachms of shavings of nutmeg, and a sufficient quantity of syrup of balsam, and make a soft electuary. Label: Laxative Electuary.
12th July
1770
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Russel.
The Disease here is sufficiently evident
& is what we call a spasmodic Asthma but it is
to be observed that as Mr Russel grows older it will
be attended with more humour to be spit from his
breast.
Mr Russel has now had so much experience
of his disease that he is already acquainted with the
most part of the management that is necessary.
He knows well that nothing is more necessary
than guarding against Cold & Moisture; that it is
proper at the same time to avoid all confined and
warm air & especially rooms heated by company or
light; that a light & cool diet is necessary & all
kind of strong drink to the quantity that may be
in the least heating is very hurtful & that it is par¬
ticularly necessary to keep his belly regular & easy.
[Page 2]
I suppose that he knows also that any close appli¬
cation to business or any emotion of mind is liable to
bring on fits of his disease. In attention to all
these particulars is the substance of ↑the↑ Regimen necessary
& a strict observance of them is chiefly to be depended
on for giving Mr Russel as much Ease as the nature
of his case admits of. Few medicines can be
of much service to him, but I shall here give some
remarks on the several remedies that may be thought of.
Bleeding will give relief in severe fits but as
it disposes to the fullness & weakens his Nerves it
ought to be employed as seldom as possible. The time
when most allowable is when his fits are more mani¬
festly depending upon a fresh Cold.
Vomiting is a more usefull remedy & whenever
loss of appetite, fœtid belchings or bad at stomach
[Page 3]
shews this to be oppressed with phlegm a vomit is necessary.
But it should be always gentle, and if Camomile tea will
answer it is better than any stronger, but the Camomile
tea may be strengthened a little by a little Mustard
a little Spirit of Hartshorn or an Infusion of Horse Radish.
It is necessary to keep his belly free & easy &
so long as his diet will answer this purpose it is
well but from his being lately attacked with Piles
I suspect his belly is not so easy as it ought & as
I expect no benefit from the Piles I would advise the
Use of the Laxative Electuary prescribed below.
It is to be taken in the morning by a teaspoonful
at a time & repeated after half an hour or an hour
once or twice as upon trial may be found necessary.
It should make him easy without purging. ~
If he find that taking small beer to his Victuals
does more service to his belly than hurt to his stomach
I agree to his continuing the use of it. But as
[Page 4]
drinking water is useful in keeping down the puffing
of his stomach, it must also be continued & as he
finds it useful to make that water acid by Lemon
or Vinegar I would advise him to employ frequently
the Spirit of Vitriol in the quantity that will
make his Water agreeably acid.
As his fits will always be relieved by any
thing that brings wind off his stomach so he very
properly employs spirit of Hartshorn for that pur¬
pose but as medicines of that kind are liable to
lose their effect by frequent repetition so I would
have him sometimes try Eau de Luce or Compound
Tincture of Castor or Volatile Tincture of Valerian
These changed with one another will have more effect
than if any one was constantly employed.
Blistering in my opinion can be of little service
[Page 5]
Issues might be of more Service but I don't expect
that the benefit would be equal to the trouble, only
if the defluxion should encrease much in the breast
a pea issue in the arm may be useful; but I forgot
to say above that in the same case of defluxion if
it is at the same time difficult to bring up vomits will
be the best pectorals & I must here farther observe
that the most part of the Medicines called pectorals
do more ill than good
I can advise no kind of bathing to Mr Russel
as either kind would be uncertain & precarious
but at any time he may bath his feet & dip his
whole legs in tepid Water taking care that↑it↑ is never
very warm.
As his health depends very much on a free
perspiration I would earnestly recommend a
flannel shirt to be put next to his skin to be worn
[Page 6]
night & day summer & winter but changed pretty
often taking care that the clean one to be put on
is very thoroughly dry.
Bodily exercise of the slightest kind
is to be carefully avoided but being much in the
free Air carried gently on horseback or in a Carriage
will always be of service & once or twice a year
at a temperate season a Journey of two or three
hundred miles might do much good. I know of
no Mineral Waters that can be of any use to him.
Edinr. 12th. July
1770.
[Page 7]
For Mr Russel
℞ Crystall. Tartar. pulv. subtil
Flor. Sulphur.
Pulp. prun. Gallic @ ℥j
Nuc. Moschat. ras. ʒij
Syr. Balsam. q. s. ut f. Electuarium molle
Signa Laxative Electuary
12th July
1770
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