The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:993] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Henry Watt (of Burntisland) / Regarding: Mr Henry Watt (of Burntisland) (Patient) / 23 July 1780 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mr Watt', who 'must take precautions against the winter season'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 993 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/13/48 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 23 July 1780 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Mr Watt', who 'must take precautions against the winter season'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:474] |
Case of Henry Watt who initially reports a bad cough and 'tumours' on his ribs; he is subsequently treated for swollen joints and severe rheumatic pains. |
13 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:792] | Addressee | Mr Henry Watt (of Burntisland) |
| [PERS ID:792] | Patient | Mr Henry Watt (of Burntisland) |
| [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 |
| Destination of Letter | Burntisland | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mr Watt
Altho his complaints he had in the Spring are gone yet he
must take precautions against the winter season which &c.
Live in the country till November
Fresh air & exercise,
but his walking must be very gentle, never up hill or long at
a time; & never to heat him. It will be enough when at night
[Page 2]
he feels a slight weariness. But he should not only walk
but also go on horseback or in a Carriage but his late
trials of horseback shew that it will require great caution
at first for half an hour or an hour at a walking pace & if
he bear it well he may go farther but in case these attempts
have the same effects as riding formerly, he must give up
riding altogether. Get a single horse chaise, but
even using a carriage requires caution for travelling fast
in it or on rough roads may be as bad as riding on horseback.
This to be attended to now in his journey to the Country.
Diet need not be very particular.
At dinner any plain meat he likes, avoiding what
he knows by experience to be heavy or flatulent, all salted
meat; & be sparing in fish, eggs, cheese. Never make
a full meal or a meal entirely of animal food but make
up with broth &c. Of vegetables he may take freely
either in his broth or alone. He may take ripe fruit.
For drink, plain water, or with a little sherry in it
no malt liquour, no spirits; but in case of acescence or
flatulence from his vegetables, a little gin may be more
proper than wine. After dinner every day he may take
a glass or two of plain wine, white rather than red un¬
less in case of acescence or
flatulence when spirits
& water will be safer.
He may take from a gill to half a muchkin of
mares milk every morning. If this cannot be got but
goats milk can, still tolerably good & thin he may
take a muchkin of this but I fear the season of good
goat milk is past & if this to be brought to Mr W
from a distance of some miles I would not insist
[Page 3]
much on its use as I think he may recieve the same benefit
from cow milk whey fresh drawn from fresh milk & drunk
while warm. At other times of the day too he may take
a draught of cow milk whey but fresh drawn &c. -
Early in bed & pretty early up --- & after his draught
tho taken a bed he should rise immediately & if the weather
will allow him walk out a little. About two hours
after this draught take breakfast. This may be of
bohea tea with about a fourth of plain milk in it rather
than cream; or he may without tea take milk with an
equal part of thin water gruel &c With either the tea or
the milk he may take wheaten bread not the finest,
toasted or untoasted with or without a little ↑fresh↑ butter ---
If tea has ever hurt him, or milk render him Costive
he may take Cocoa with a little milk.
If milk can agree with him ↑&
do not make him Costive↑, I think it proper in
all other respects; & he should make his supper of it
with bread or any grain; boiling the grain seperately in
water & the milk warm poured on it.
Avoid Cold by thick shoes; avoiding wet ground, standing
or sitting; & never sit upon the ground; & shift shoes & stockings
in case they are at all damp.
Never lay aside accustomed cloathing & unless he is
very warmly cloathed already, he should add to it [against?]
September If wind blows must not sit in the air ----
Keep his belly regular to once a day & if in spite of
the Diet ordered he go two days without a stool he should
have recourse to a medicine. If his stomach will bear
the oil ordered below I prefer it to any other but if it do
not or if he tire of it, he may try the Powder orderedbelow.
I see no occasion for his carrying any other medicines
with him for they can only be adapted to peculiar cir¬
cumstances arising & for this Dr Wood at Perth &c.
[Page 4]
The passing of some sand & grit may sometimes
give him some uneasiness in making water. In
this case he must keep his belly duly open &
drink a little more plentifully than usual of water
with the softening powder dissolved in it;
as ordered below.
He should do the same in case of any appearance of
bloody urine after exercise.
Take four ounces of the best Castor Oil, an ounce of [Tincture of Essential? Compound?], Mix. Label: Laxative oil a tablespoonful in the mornings, shaking etc. etc.
Take two ounces of Crystal Tartar, three ounces of pulverised compound of Jallapa; Make into a powder. Mix. Label: Laxative powder, a teaspoonful to be mixed with a little syrup for a dose in the morning
Take four ounces of Powdered Gum Arabic --- two ounces of Salt Nitre. Mix. Label: Softening powder, a teaspoonful to be dissolved in half a muchkin of water & taken several times a day.
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Watt
Altho his complaints he had in the Spring are gone yet he
must take precautions against the winter season which &c.
Live in the country till Novr.
Fresh air & exercise,
but his walking must be very gentle, never up hill or long at
a time; & never to heat him. It will be enough when at night
[Page 2]
he feels a slight weariness. But he should not only walk
but also go on horseback or in a Carriage but his late
trials of horseback shew that it will require great caution
at first for half an hour or an hour at a walking pace & if
he bear it well he may go farther but in case these attempts
have the same effects as riding formerly, he must give up
riding altogether. Get a single horse chaise, but
even using a carriage requires caution for travelling fast
in it or on rough roads may be as bad as ridg on horseback.
This to be attended to now in his journey to the Country.
Diet need not be very particular.
At dinner any plain meat he likes, avoiding what
he knows by experience to be heavy or flatulent, all salted
meat; & be sparing in fish, eggs, cheese. Never make
a full meal or a meal entirely of animal food but make
up with broth &c. Of vegetables he may take freely
either in his broth or alone. He may take ripe fruit.
For drink, plain water, or with a little sherry in it
no malt liquour, no spirits; but in case of acescence or
flatulence from his vegetables, a little gin may be more
proper than wine. After dinner every day he may take
a glass or two of plain wine, white rather than red un¬
less in case of acescence or
flatulence when spirits
& water will be safer.
He may take from a gill to half a muchkin of
mares milk every morning. If this cannot be got but
goats milk can, still tolerably good & thin he may
take a muchkin of this but I fear the season of good
goat milk is past & if this to be brought to Mr W
from a distance of some miles I would not insist
[Page 3]
much on its use as I think he may recieve the same benefit
from cow milk whey fresh drawn from fresh milk & drunk
while warm. At other times of the day too he may take
a draught of cow milk whey but fresh drawn &c. -
Early in bed & pretty early up --- & after his draught
tho taken a bed he should rise immediately & if the weather
will allow him walk out a little. About two hours
after this draught take breakfast. This may be of
bohea tea with about a fourth of plain milk in it rather
than cream; or he may without tea take milk with an
equal part of thin water gruel &c With either the tea or
the milk he may take wheaten bread not the finest,
toasted or untoasted w or wout a little ↑fresh↑ butter ---
If tea has ever hurt him, or milk render him Costive
he may take Cocoa with a little milk.
If milk can agree with him ↑&
do not make him Costive↑, I think it proper in
all other respects; & he should make his supper of it
with bread or any grain; boiling the grain seperately in
water & the milk warm poured on it.
Avoid Cold by thick shoes; avoiding wet ground, stang
or sitting; & never sit upon the ground; & shift shoes & stockgs
in case they are at all damp.
Never lay aside accustomed cloathing & unless he is
very warmly cloathed already, he should add to it [against?]
Septr. If wind blows must not sit in the air ----
Keep his belly regular to once a day & if in spite of
the Diet ordered he go two days without a stool he should
have recourse to a medicine. If his stomach will bear
the oil ordered below I prefer it to any other but if it do
not or if he tire of it, he may try the Powder ordd.below.
I see no occasion for his carrying any other medicines
with him for they can only be adapted to peculiar cir¬
cumstances arising & for this Dr Wood at Perth &c.
[Page 4]
The passing of some sand & grit may sometimes
give him some uneasiness in making water. In
this case he must keep his belly duly open &
drink a little more plentifully than usual of water
with the softening powder dissolved in it;
as ord. below.
He should do the same in case of any appearance of
bloody urine after exercise.
℞ Ol. ricin. opt. ℥iv [Tinct. esen. comp.?] ℥i ℳ.
S. Lax. oil a tablespoonful in the morng. shakg &ccc.
℞ Cryst. tart. ℥ij Pulv. e jal. comp. Ʒiij ℳ.
f. pulv. S. Lax. powd. a teaspoonful to be mixed
with a little syrup for a dose in the morning.
℞ Pulv. gumm. Arab. ℥iv --- sal. nitr. ℥ji
ℳ. S. Softening powder, a teaspoonful to be dissolved
in half a muchkin of water & taken several times
a day.
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