The Cullen Project | [Case ID:260]: Case of Mr David Bethune of Balfour who consulted Cullen previously over stomach complaints (See Case 34). Now also has an eye problem, head-pains, abdominal pains and increasing weakness.

[Case ID:260]: Case of Mr David Bethune of Balfour who consulted Cullen previously over stomach complaints (See Case 34). Now also has an eye problem, head-pains, abdominal pains and increasing weakness.

Documents in this case

20 document(s) found in this case.

DOC ID	Summary	Date
[DOC ID:5950]	Recipe 'For Mr Bethune of Balfour'.	15 February 1769

[DOC ID:863]	Letter from David Bethune relating his own case; he has suffered from 'Belching to a great degree sometimes, or so much that I am obliged to rise out of bed in the night time'.	1 January 1774

[DOC ID:3753]	Reply, 'For David Bethune of Balfour'.	5 January 1774

[DOC ID:1962]	Letter from John Goodsir, surgeon of Largo, concerning the case of Mr Bethune of Balfour, who is 'about 70, of a full habit, short neck & reather a large head'. He is suffering from sight and balance problems, and also long-continued stomach and bowel ailments, for which Cullen has treated him in the past. Goodsir asks Cullen to 'direct for me at Largo by Leven'.	6 January 1781

[DOC ID:1071]	Reply 'For Bethune of Balfour Esq', agreeing with his surgeon John Goodsir's assessment of his case. Cullen provides a stomachic recipe and advises the application of leeches to his temples and continuing the issue for his head complaints.	10 January 1781

[DOC ID:1972]	Letter from John Goodsir, concerning the case of Mr Bethune. The treatments for his stomach ailments are having little effect. The issue is working well, but he believes his vertigo is a result of his sight problems.	27 January 1781

[DOC ID:1080]	Reply, 'For Mr Bethune'. Cullen apologises to his surgeon (John Goodsir) for not replying immediately: he has been out of town. He ascribes David Bethune's sight problems to the blood being 'thrown too much upon his head', and advises using leeches again and continuing the issue. He also discusses diet and laxatives for his stomach ailments.	30 January 1781

[DOC ID:1986]	Letter from John Goodsir, concerning the case of Mr Bethune, who has now completed his course of medication, but to no sensible effect. He is again taking rhubarb, but has laid aside the mustard because it was too stimulating on his urinary tract.	11 March 1781

[DOC ID:1096]	Reply 'For Mr Bethune of Balfour', in which Cullen tells John Goodsir he will not despair '[a]ltho our remedies have done so little'. He recommends the continued use of laxatives and the issue.	14 March 1781

[DOC ID:115]	Reply, 'For Mr Bethune of Balfour'. Cullen suggests measures for Mr Bethune's dyspepsia; 'partly the use of medicine but more effectually by Air and Exercise'.	4 April 1781

[DOC ID:2139]	Letter from Robert Menzies, concerning the case of Mr Bethune, who is still suffering from wind and spasmodic pains in the stomach and bowels, despite taking Hartfell Water and other remedies. Menzies has examined his eyes, and found 'a white Opake spot' on each cornea. He wonders if 'Electricity done in the Gentlest way' may be able to treat this. The letter is to be delivered to Cullen by Henry Lindsay (the patient's nephew).	29 January 1782

[DOC ID:261]	Reply to Dr Menzies with directions for treatment of Mr David Bethune, whose ailment Cullen believes is due to a weakness of the stomach. Cullen discusses the use of Hartfell Water and Magnesia. He also mentions Mr Bethune's corneal problems, and says that while he has used electricity for eye inflammation, he has not used it for cases of this kind.	1 February 1782

[DOC ID:2173]	Letter from David Bethune, concerning his own case. He is still having problems with wind and intestinal pain: 'upon the whole I have been a good deal distrest this winter especily in the night time which deprives me of sleep and proves hurtfull to me'. The letter has been dictated, because of his sight problems, to his wife, whom he describes as 'his Clerk'.	15 March 1782

[DOC ID:292]	Reply, 'D. Bethune of Balfour'.	20 March 1782

[DOC ID:535]	reply with formal 'Directions for David Bethune', signed by Cullen and Joseph Black. They are of the clear opinion that costiveness is the source of the patient's complaints, and prescribe laxative medicines and enema recipes, along with dietary and exercise recommendations.	30 April 1782

[DOC ID:2206]	Letter from John Goodsir to Henry Lindsay for forwarding to Cullen, concerning the case of Mr Bethune. There is 'no change to the Better' in Bethune's case, and rather 'the symptoms of his Disease are daily growing worse'. The pains in his bowels and back 'have been so violent that he could not keep from Crying'.	9 May 1782

[DOC ID:547]	Reply 'For David Bethune Esqr.', from Cullen and also on behalf of Joseph Black, concerning the patient's ongoing 'violent pains', which Cullen believes are 'of the flatulent kind', caused by intestinal obstruction resulting from costiveness. They have also looked at the reports from the surgeon, John Goodsir. Cullen asks Dr Menzies to ask Goodsir to make his reports more detailed, including details of the patient's stools.	15 May 1782

[DOC ID:2214]	Letter from John Goodsir concerning the case of Mr Bethune, who has since been seen by Dr Black. Although there are no new symptoms, those existing 'have gradually become more violent & continued', with pains in the colon, a tenesmus, retching, and nephritic symptoms. He needs laudanum to sleep, and purgatives and injections to pass stools. Goodsir writes to both William and, by inference, Henry Cullen who had attended Bethune. The address page was subsequently been used to make some sums which may have no connection with the case.	23 May 1782

[DOC ID:566]	Letter for John Goodsir with advice and prescriptions for David Bethune of Balfour, whose health is deteriorating. Cullen now suspects 'some contraction or narrowing of some part of the Colon which laxatives or purgatives cannot remove'. Letter missing the copy of last page which has not been mounted in the volume, but the use of the second person plural suggests that it is co-written with Joseph Black whose involvement in Bethune's case is made evident in related letters.	3 June 1782

[DOC ID:2249]	Letter from John Goodsir, sent to Henry Lindsay for forwarding to Cullen, concerning the case of Mr [David] Bethune. He apologises for a delay in writing because there is an outbreak of influenza 'Raging here'. Bethune's condition continues to deteriorate, and death seems to be imminent.	8 June 1782

People involved in this case

9 found.

PERS ID	Full Name
[PERS ID: 11]	Mr David Bethune (of Kilconquhar; of Balfour)
[PERS ID: 1307]	Mrs Anne Bethune (of Balfour and Kilconquhar)
[PERS ID: 1003]	Dr Joseph Black
[PERS ID: 1]	Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID: 1301]	Mr John Goodsir
[PERS ID: 259]	Mr Gregg (Glegg)
[PERS ID: 817]	Miss Rachel Lindsay (Lindesay; Lindsay Bethune)
[PERS ID: 5375]	Mr Henry Lindsay (Harry; Lindsay Bethune; Lindsay of Wormiston; after 1789, Bethune of Kilconquhar and Balfour)
[PERS ID: 830]	Dr Robert Menzies (of Dura )

Unique Places linked to this Case

12 found.

Type	Specific Place	Village/Town/City (aka)	Region	Country	Continent	Confidence
Specific	Cullen's House / Mint Close	Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place		Kilconquhar	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Kilconquhar House	Kilconquhar	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place		Largo	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place		Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	George Square	Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place		Peterhead	East Highlands	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Fort Augustus	Fort William	North Highlands	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place		Colinsburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place		Leven	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Hartfell Spa	Moffat	Borders	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Balfour House / Milton of Balgonie	Glenrothes	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain

Places and role of place

16 found.

Type	Role	Specific Place	Village/Town/City (aka)	Region	Country	Continent	Confidence
Specific	Place of Writing	Cullen's House / Mint Close	Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Place of Writing		Kilconquhar	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Place of Writing	Kilconquhar House	Kilconquhar	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Place of Writing		Largo	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Destination of Letter		Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Destination of Letter		Kilconquhar	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	inferred
Specific	Destination of Letter	Kilconquhar House	Kilconquhar	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	inferred
Specific	Destination of Letter	George Square	Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Destination of Letter		Largo	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	inferred
Place	Therapeutic Recommendation		Peterhead	East Highlands	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Therapeutic Recommendation	Fort Augustus	Fort William	North Highlands	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Mentioned / Other		Colinsburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Mentioned / Other		Leven	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Mentioned / Other	Hartfell Spa	Moffat	Borders	Scotland	Europe	certain
Specific	Mentioned / Other	Balfour House / Milton of Balgonie	Glenrothes	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Place	Place of Handstamp		Colinsburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain