Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:1053] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Ralph Paterson (Patterson) / Regarding: Mr Rigby (Patient) / 28 November 1780 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'For Mr Rigby' whose case Cullen believes is 'a tendency to Epilepsy'.

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[Page 1]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 1053
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/13/107
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date28 November 1780
Annotation None
TypeScribal 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 Rigby' whose case Cullen believes is 'a tendency to Epilepsy'.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1234]
Case of Mr Rigby who has 'a tendency to Epilepsy'.
4


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:129]AddresseeDr Ralph Paterson (Patterson)
[PERS ID:1194]PatientMr Rigby
[PERS ID:129]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Ralph Paterson (Patterson)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr 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 Berwick-upon-Tweed (Berwick) North-East England Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Rigby.


A tendency to Epilepsy: which, I doubt not, depends
upon the interruption of the bleeding at the Nose.You
have therefore managed him properly by pretty large bleed¬
ings
but as these are in danger of bringing back the pleth¬
oric state
, we must obviate this by other means. The
keeping of his belly open will do this in part but the
other part of your advice is still more necessary: viz: dim¬
inishing both the quantity & quality of his Diet. To live
some time without animal food may prove the most certain
remedy.


The Cream of tartar would be the the most eligible to keep
his belly regular.


I have but one medicine to prescribe & it may possibly
supersede any other Laxative.


Exercise & even bodily exercise will be of service
but it must not heat him & he must upon all occasions
avoid much stooping.


His getting up early will do no harm ; but much
sleep might. The steam of fermenting backs 1 I
have known hurtful to people of his business 2
& he should therfore shun it.

Take ten grains each of powdered nitrous Salt and Magnesia alba. Mix and make a powder and make a dose of twelve in an emergency. Label: Cooling powders, one to be taken three times a day in a little water washing them down with two table spoonfuls of the following.

Take four ounces of Rose Water, one ounce of each of distilled Acetate and Syrup of cloves and one drachm of nitrous Salts. Mix. Cooling mixture two spoonfuls to be taken with every dose of the Powders.

W.C.
Edinburgh 28 th November 1780

Notes:

1: 'A large shallow vessel (chiefly for liquids); a tub, trough, vat, cistern; esp. applied to those used by brewers, dyers, and picklers' (OED).

2: Rigby is a brewer at Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Rigby.


A tendency to Epilepsy: which, I doubt not, depends
upon the interruption of the bleeding at the Nose.You
have therefore managed him properly by pretty large bleed¬
ings
but as these are in danger of bringing back the pleth¬
oric state
, we must obviate this by other means. The
keeping of his belly open will do this in part but the
other part of your advice is still more necessary: viz: dim¬
inishing both the quantity & quality of his Diet. To live
some time without animal food may prove the most certain
remedy.


The Cream of tartar would be the the most eligible to keep
his belly regular.


I have but one medicine to prescribe & it may possibly
supersede any other Laxative.


Exercise & even bodily exercise will be of service
but it must not heat him & he must upon all occasions
avoid much stooping.


His getting up early will do no harm ; but much
sleep might. The steam of fermenting backs 1 I
have known hurtful to people of his business 2
& he should therfore shun it.


Sal. nitr. pulv. Magnes. alb. @ gr. X ℳ. f. pulv.
& f. h: m. dos. № XII Signa Cooling powders, one to be
taken three times a day in a little water washing them
down with two table spoonfuls of the following.


Aq. rosar. ℥iv Acet. destillt. Syr. carophyll. @ ℥j
Sal. nitr. ʒj ℳ. Cooling mixture two table spoonf¬
uls to be taken with every dose of the Powders.

W.C.
Edinr 28 th Novr 1780

Notes:

1: 'A large shallow vessel (chiefly for liquids); a tub, trough, vat, cistern; esp. applied to those used by brewers, dyers, and picklers' (OED).

2: Rigby is a brewer at Berwick-upon-Tweed.

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