The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:915] From: Dr Hugh Marshall / To: Mr Thomas Hay / Regarding: James McAlester (Jamie McAlaster, Mcallester) (Patient) / 5 October 1774 / (Incoming)
Letter from Hugh Marshall in Rothesay, addressed to Thomas Hay. Relates the case of a young boy 'who has been deaf ever since a fever he had last Summer'.
- 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 | 915 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/178 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 5 October 1774 |
| 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 Hugh Marshall in Rothesay, addressed to Thomas Hay. Relates the case of a young boy 'who has been deaf ever since a fever he had last Summer'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:328] |
Case of John McAlester, a boy who has recovered enough to walk, but who is still deaf. See also the later case from 1785. |
7 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:432] | Author | Dr Hugh Marshall |
| [PERS ID:434] | Addressee | Mr Thomas Hay |
| [PERS ID:1456] | Patient | James McAlester (Jamie McAlaster, Mcallester) |
| [PERS ID:1655] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:432] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Hugh Marshall |
| [PERS ID:1650] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr John McAlaster (McAlester, Maccalester, Mccallester) |
| [PERS ID:1654] | Other | |
| [PERS ID:1656] | Other | Samuel |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Rothesay | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Carrubber's Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Mentioned / Other | Argyllshire | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Last Sunday I was sent for by one Mr. John Mc.Alaster a
Gentleman in Argyleshire to see a boy a son of his who has been deaf ever
since a fever he had last summer – There was a surgeon attended him
during the fever and frequently since, but as he lives at some little distance
from Mr. Mc.Alaster I could not see him; however he had by Mr. Mc.Alaster’s
desire drawn out a state of the boy’s case that he might show to me, and
which I have just now before me, so shall give you it Verbatim ---
“James Mc.Alaster a boy of four years of age, had in July last an eruptive
or Scarlet fever, attended with an Inflammation of his throat – That from the
beginning of his fever there was a constant discharge of matter from his
ears of a greenish colour, and very ill smelled – On the first appearance
of a decrease of the fever he lost the power of speaking; ten days there after
he recovered his speach but was observed to be perfectly deaf, attended with
a Giddiness of the head which renders him unable to walk by himself. ---
He had been blooded, blister’d, and all care taken of him thro’ the course of
his fever, and at the close of it a lenient purgative given him – There was
nothing done with regards to the Ulcer of his Ears, only syringed with warm
water and honey, and took for sometime the Infusion of the bark - He
had been a Child from the beginning of his teething very much subject to
fevers and Inflammations of his throat” ---
This, tho but an Imperfect sketch is all the Intelligence I could get about
him – I asked if they thought him any deafer since the fever – They said he
was much more so than at the Crisis, and for a few days after, but ever since
he has been perfectly deaf – They only alteration they could observe about him
[Page 2]
was that the matter had not so bad a smell as formerly – I felt and
pressed round his ears without his seeming to feel the least pain - He
just now by that Surgeon’s directions gets his ears syringed twice a day
with lime water, stuffing them afterwards with Cotton, and is still using
the decoction of the bark – I stayed there one night and in the morning
upon examining his ears found them both full of matter and a little
absorbed into the Cotton – They then washed them in their usual way with
the lime water, after which I examined them again placing him in such a
way as that the sun shone directly into them, but could observe no
appearance of ulcers or anything unnatural about them – He is a
thriving strong child, and has not the smallest complaint otherwise, only
he seems to have a violent Giddiness in his head as he stammers greatly
in his walking, and when he stoops upon his getting up again his head
goes from side to side like a drunk person’s ---
I advised Mr. M.cAlaster as the case seemed a little uncommon to me
to write Dr. Cullen about it and consult him, which he very readily
agreed to – I beg therefore youl be so obliging to me as lay this before
the Doctor, and desire him to write me his opinion concerning the boy
with the method he thinks most proper to be taken for his recovery & ca
Mr. Mc.Alaster gave me two guineas to send to Dr. Cullen but
rather than trust it in a letter and as Samuel is coming to October soon
I thought it better to send it by him – He has this day Received yours of the
29th. last –
Sir
your most Obedient humble servant
By a letter from my Sister I understand she
won’t be home this season, as the vessel saild
four days after her delivery --
[Page 3]
To
M.r Thomas Hay Surgeon
Carrubber’s Closs
Edinburgh
1774
Diplomatic Text
Last Sunday I was sent for by one Mr. John Mc.Alaster a
Gentleman in Argyleshire to see a boy a son of his who has been deaf ever
since a fever he had last summer – There was a surgeon attended him
during the fever and frequently since, but as he lives at some little distance
from Mr. Mc.Alaster I could not see him; however he had by Mr. Mc.Alaster’s
desire drawn out a state of the boy’s case that he might show to me, and
which I have just now before me, so shall give you it Verbatim ---
“James Mc.Alaster a boy of four years of age, had in July last an eruptive
or Scarlet fever, attended with an Inflammation of his throat – That from the
beginning of his fever there was a constant discharge of matter from his
ears of a greenish colour, and very ill smelled – On the first appearance
of a decrease of the fever he lost the power of speaking; ten days there after
he recovered his speach but was observed to be perfectly deaf, attended with
a Giddiness of the head which renders him unable to walk by himself. ---
He had been blooded, blister’d, and all care taken of him thro’ the course of
his fever, and at the close of it a lenient purgative given him – There was
nothing done with regards to the Ulcer of his Ears, only syringed with warm
water and honey, and took for sometime the Infusion of the bark - He
had been a Child from the beginning of his teething very much subject to
fevers and Inflammations of his throat” ---
This, tho but an Imperfect sketch is all the Intelligence I could get about
him – I asked if they thought him any deafer since the fever – They said he
was much more so than at the Crisis, and for a few days after, but ever since
he has been perfectly deaf – They only alteration they could observe about him
[Page 2]
was that the matter had not so bad a smell as formerly – I felt and
pressed round his ears without his seeming to feel the least pain - He
just now by that Surgeon’s directions gets his ears syringed twice a day
with lime water, stuffing them afterwards with Cotton, and is still using
the decoction of the bark – I stayed there one night and in the morning
upon examining his ears found them both full of matter and a little
absorbed into the Cotton – They then washed them in their usual way with
the lime water, after which I examined them again placing him in such a
way as that the sun shone directly into them, but could observe no
appearance of ulcers or anything unnatural about them – He is a
thriving strong child, and has not the smallest complaint otherwise, only
he seems to have a violent Giddiness in his head as he stammers greatly
in his walking, and when he stoops upon his getting up again his head
goes from side to side like a drunk person’s ---
I advised Mr. M.cAlaster as the case seemed a little uncommon to me
to write Dr. Cullen about it and consult him, which he very readily
agreed to – I beg therefore youl be so obliging to me as lay this before
the Doctor, and desire him to write me his opinion concerning the boy
with the method he thinks most proper to be taken for his recovery & ca
Mr. Mc.Alaster gave me two guineas to send to Dr. Cullen but
rather than trust it in a letter and as Samuel is coming to Edinr. soon
I thought it better to send it by him – He has this day Rec.d yours of the
29th. last –
Sir
your most Obedt. hume. Sert.
By a letter from my Sister I understand she
won’t be home this season, as the vessel saild
four days after her delivery --
[Page 3]
To
M.r Thomas Hay Surgeon
Carrubber’s Closs
Edin
1774
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:915]
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...
