The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1197] From: Anonymous / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Lord John Hamilton (4th Lord Belhaven [Bellhaven] and Seton ) (Patient) / 1757? / (Incoming)
Letter, or more specifically an unsigned document possibly sent as an enclosure, titled 'The Case of the Right Honble. The Lord Bellhaven' [John Hamilton]. Previously healthy, but he has 'for several years past [...] been often Valetudinary and under various Ailments', which the unnamed writer believes to arise from 'a gouty humour in his blood'. Dating is a guess based on an internal reference to Spring 1756, and up 'to the month of January this year', but it could well have been penned much later than 1757 (but not before 1764, when he died). No evidence of authorship or posting but categorised as an incoming document for purposes of database collation.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1197 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/297 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 1757? |
| 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, or more specifically an unsigned document possibly sent as an enclosure, titled 'The Case of the Right Honble. The Lord Bellhaven' [John Hamilton]. Previously healthy, but he has 'for several years past [...] been often Valetudinary and under various Ailments', which the unnamed writer believes to arise from 'a gouty humour in his blood'. Dating is a guess based on an internal reference to Spring 1756, and up 'to the month of January this year', but it could well have been penned much later than 1757 (but not before 1764, when he died). No evidence of authorship or posting but categorised as an incoming document for purposes of database collation. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:644] |
The case of Lord Bellhaven, who has 'for Several years past [...] been often Valetudinary and under various Ailments', which are thought to arise from 'a goutty humour in his blood'. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:4513] | Author | |
| [PERS ID:4512] | Addressee | |
| [PERS ID:1605] | Patient | Lord John Hamilton (4th Lord Belhaven [Bellhaven] and Seton ) |
Places linked to this document
No places linked to this Document.
Normalized Text
The Case of the Right Honourable The Lord Bellhaven
His Lordship is of a full corpulent and rather flaccid
habit had formerly pretty good health and a reasonable share of vigour
but for Several years past has been often Valetudinary and under
various Ailments. The foundation of most of them seems to be of a goutty
humour in his blood which is not thrown upon the extremities so
frequently or so fully as might be wished. In winter 1755-56 he
had a fit of the Gout which attacking Successively Several joints
confined him to the house for two months. and. After its leaving every
other joint a pain remained long in the left breast wrist and after
in Spring 1756 after his going to bath he had a return of it in the
Same part. He has had very little pain from that time to the
month of January this year when he was seized with a pretty
regular fit. The pain Inflammation and Swelling were not in any
part very acute or considerable but Successively attacked his feet
ancles knees and wrist and by turns going and returning to t My
Lord has laboured under the Gout for more than two months. As
before the pain particularly lingered long in the left wrist and he
has been long of recovering the use of his feet. These continuing to
feel as if bruised and Sore. During these fits his Lordships appetite
falls off very much and in coming out of the fits he does not re¬
cover it well. This leads to mention the Complaints My Lord
has had in the intervals of his gout that is for some years past.
His Appetite has been bad and his Digestion weak. ↑In the morning↑ After meals the
Stomach feels loaded the head drowsy the body torpid and
Sluggish and a little Sleep was the only means of dispelling
all that uneasiness. At other times too My Lord complained often
of ↑pain of the back,↑ a torpor and sluggishness and unfitness for application of any
kind and a want of relish for any amusement. ↑Fatigue [cured?] by sleep↑ His Lordship
also complained frequently of a feeling as of a Scalding humour
running thro' his arms. These last complaints were most
[Page 2]
frequent and seldom failed to attack in moist havzy
weather before a fall of Rain or Snow and at the first
Setting in of a frost while settled clear and dry weather
gave relief. When the complaints of the Stomack were
troublesome Vomits were given with advantage but generally
showed the Stomach had been loaded with a great deal of
viscid flame phlegm. Formerly My Lord was of a Costive
habit but of late his belly had been rather loose & slippery
In the beginning of last Winter My Lord had a
Nephritic fit. Moderate in its Symptoms and in a few
days relieved by the [Lxeration?] 1 of a Small quantity of sand.
Even before that time and more especially since his
Lordship has been troubled with a frequent desire to
make Water. So so urgent that it must immediately be
yielded to. The stimulus to go to Stool is commonly of
the same nature except Except in the beginning of a goutt[y?]
fit my Lord is pretty free from any degree of fever and his
pulse is always very good. He has been sometimes blooded
but the blood has hardly at any time shown any inflammatory
diathesis.
These Ailments have been Supposed to proceed in part
from a weakness of the Stomach in part from an imperfect
perspiration. To correct the first a proper Diet has been
prescribed
Notes:
1: Unclear, but appears to read 'Lxeration', which is not in OED, but probably a derivation of 'Lixiviate', since lye was employed as a detergent to dispel sand or calculus from the bladder by means of urination.
Diplomatic Text
The Case of the Right Honb.le. The Lord Bellhaven
His Lordship is of a full corpulent and rather flaccid
habit had formerly pretty good health and a reasonable share of vigour
but for Several years past has been often Valetudinary and under
various Ailments. The foundation of most of them seems to be of a goutty
humour in his blood which is not thrown upon the extremities so
frequently or so fully as might be wished. In winter 1755-56 he
had a fit of the Gout which attacking Successively Several joints
confined him to the house for two months. and. After its leaving every
other joint a pain remained long in the left breast wrist and after
in Spring 1756 after his going to bath he had a return of it in the
Same part. He has had very little pain from that time to the
month of January this year when he was seized with a pretty
regular fit. The pain Inflammation and Swelling were not in any
part very acute or considerable but Successively attacked his feet
ancles knees and wrist and by turns going and returning to t My
Lord has laboured under the Gout for more than two months. As
before the pain particularly lingered long in the left wrist and he
has been long of recovering the use of his feet. These continuing to
feel as if bruised and Sore. During these fits his Lordships appetite
falls off very much and in coming out of the fits he does not re¬
cover it well. This leads to mention the Complaints My Lord
has had in the intervals of his gout that is for some years past.
His Appetite has been bad and his Digestion weak. ↑In the morning↑ After meals the
Stomach feels loaded the head drowsy the body torpid and
Sluggish and a little Sleep was the only means of dispelling
all that uneasiness. At other times too My Lord complained often
of ↑pain of the back,↑ a torpor and sluggishness and unfitness for application of any
kind and a want of relish for any amusement. ↑Fatigue [cured?] by sleep↑ His Lordship
also complained frequently of a feeling as of a Scalding humour
running thro' his arms. These last complaints were most
[Page 2]
frequent and seldom failed to attack in moist havzy
weather before a fall of Rain or Snow and at the first
Setting in of a frost while settled clear and dry weather
gave relief. When the complaints of the Stomack were
troublesome Vomits were given with advantage but generally
showed the Stomach had been loaded with a great deal of
viscid flame phlegm. Formerly My Lord was of a Costive
habit but of late his belly had been rather loose & slippery
In the beginning of last Winter My Lord had a
Nephritic fit. Moderate in its Symptoms and in a few
days relieved by the [Lxeration?] 1 of a Small quantity of sand.
Even before that time and more especially since his
Lordship has been troubled with a frequent desire to
make Water. So so urgent that it must immediately be
yielded to. The stimulus to go to Stool is commonly of
the same nature except Except in the beginning of a goutt[y?]
fit my Lord is pretty free from any degree of fever and his
pulse is always very good. He has been sometimes blooded
but the blood has hardly at any time shown any inflammatory
diathesis.
These Ailments have been Supposed to proceed in part
from a weakness of the Stomach in part from an imperfect
perspiration. To correct the first a proper Diet has been
prescribed
Notes:
1: Unclear, but appears to read 'Lxeration', which is not in OED, but probably a derivation of 'Lixiviate', since lye was employed as a detergent to dispel sand or calculus from the bladder by means of urination.
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