The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1233] From: Captain W R Wilson / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Captain W R Wilson (Patient) / 22 January 1776 / (Incoming)
Letter from W. R. Wilson describing his own case, 'which was laid before you by Mr Bruce and to which I have received your very satisfactory Opinion' (see document ID:1232 and Cullen's reply at document ID:378). Wilson informs Cullen of a number of circumstances left out of Bruce's earlier report, including his continued weak digestion and asks various questions concerning medicines, bleedings and regimen.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1233 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/333 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 22 January 1776 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from W. R. Wilson describing his own case, 'which was laid before you by Mr Bruce and to which I have received your very satisfactory Opinion' (see document ID:1232 and Cullen's reply at document ID:378). Wilson informs Cullen of a number of circumstances left out of Bruce's earlier report, including his continued weak digestion and asks various questions concerning medicines, bleedings and regimen. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:57] |
Case of Captain W. R. Wilson whose 'seizures' Cullen attributes to 'nervous weakness'. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:500] | Author | Captain W R Wilson |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:500] | Patient | Captain W R Wilson |
| [PERS ID:501] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Bruce |
| [PERS ID:502] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Ash |
| [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 | Solihull | Midlands | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Birmingham | Midlands | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
In my Case, which was laid before you by Mr
Bruce (and to which I have received your very satisfactory Opinion)
I believe I omitted to inform you, thro' hurry, of two or three
Circumstances, which it was essential for you to be acquainted
with. – One is, that my Digestion is very weak, in consequence of
which I am very subject to flatulencies: and tho' I always feel
agreeably ↑just↑ after haveing eaten /which I always do with an appetite/
yet in about an hour or two after my Stomach becomes uneasy,
and continues so for two or three hours. – Another Circumstance which
I omitted was the state of my Blood; which, tho good in other respects,
has not a due proportion of serum. I am not certain, if I inform'd
you that I am of a bilious habit, and went last year to Bath
for that complaint; and I think reap'd some benefitt from the Waters
and a few times bathing.
As soon as I was seized by the Fitts Doctr: Ash of Birmingham
was sent for, who after bleeding & vomiting order'd a Blister
between my Shoulders, which was kept on for near three Weeks;
during the first ten days after the Attack, he order'd me light
food; but after, he allow'd me to eat moderately of animal
[Page 2]
Food, well season'd with spices; forbid all vegetables, but of the
warm, aromatic sorts; allow'd the lighter kinds of pudding; and
desired I would drink ↑weak↑ Brandy & Water with my Meals, and two or
three Glasses of Wine after them. For Breakfast he recommended
thin Broth, free from Fatt, with some Pepper-Corns boil'd in it.
As to medicines, he directed me to take a desert spoonfull of
Mustard seed, early in the Morning; to take a tea spoonfull of
Hiera picra immediately before I sat down to dinner; and three
pills at bed Time, composed of asa fœtida and the specia aroma¬
tica – This Regimen I have pursued, and these medicines I have
taken with great benefitt to my self; but there still remains
some slight Pains in my head, with now and then a little noise
and giddiness; and at times a sinking, with wind in the Stomach
and Bowels - tho' the hot Regimen has made ↑me↑ evacuate ↑a↑ quanti¬
ty of wind. - You may recollect that I was always thin, and I am
fallen away since the Fitts; for which Reason Dr: Ash stopt
the Blister: tho' I was not sensible that it weaken'd me. - He
recommended bathing as soon as the Season would permit.
It may not be improper to inform you, that my Constitution
has for two or three years past been affected very much about
the same time of the year as these Fitts came on, vizt: December
[Page 3]
would you recommend a change of Climate, or any other
Precautions at that season? –– I at present never eat of but
one thing at dinner, and generally eat a small quantity of
some light ↑flesh↑ meat at supper; not having yet tasted Butter
or Milk, since my Illness: nor do I eat any fruit raw, or in
Pies. – May I now & then eat moderately of fish, and might
I not substitute Honey in the place of Butter at Breakfast?
I feel myself particularly obliged to you, sir, for the care
with [which?] it is evident you have considered my [Case?]
your favoring me with an Answer to this very prolix {illeg}
will add much to that Obligation. – The unaccountable delays
occasion'd by the late snow, prevented my having your prescrip¬
tion long enough in my possession to have made use of it; but I
intend beginning on it immediately; and shall strictly observe all
your other directions, except as to Regimen, which I shall not
change till I have the pleasure of hearing from you again.
I am
Sir
your much obliged
and most obedient servant
I believe I told you in my Case, that
my Circulation has always been languid.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
✍
Capt Wilson
Jan 22 1776
Vol. IV. p. 125
p 109 ––
Diplomatic Text
In my Case, which was laid before you by Mr
Bruce (and to which I have received your very satisfactory Opinion)
I believe I omitted to inform you, thro' hurry, of two or three
Circumstances, which it was essential for you to be acquainted
with. – One is, that my Digestion is very weak, in consequence of
which I am very subject to flatulencies: and tho' I always feel
agreeably ↑just↑ after haveing eaten /which I always do with an appetite/
yet in about an hour or two after my Stomach becomes uneasy,
and continues so for two or three hours. – Another Circumstance whh.
I omitted was the state of my Blood; which, tho good in other respects,
has not a due proportion of serum. I am not certain, if I inform'd
you that I am of a bilious habit, and went last year to Bath
for that complaint; and I think reap'd some benefitt from the Waters
and a few times bathing.
As soon as I was seized by the Fitts Doctr: Ash of Birm:
was sent for, who after bleeding & vomiting order'd a Blister
between my Shoulders, which was kept on for near three Weeks;
during the first ten days after the Attack, he order'd me light
food; but after, he allow'd me to eat moderately of animal
[Page 2]
Food, well season'd with spices; forbid all vegetables, but of the
warm, aromatic sorts; allow'd the lighter kinds of pudding; and
desired I would drink ↑weak↑ Brandy & Water with my Meals, and two or
three Glasses of Wine after them. For Breakfast he recommended
thin Broth, free from Fatt, with some Pepper-Corns boil'd in it.
As to medicines, he directed me to take a desert spoonfull of
Mustard seed, early in the Morning; to take a tea spoonfull of
Hiera picra immediately before I sat down to dinner; and three
pills at bed Time, composed of asa fœtida and the specia aroma¬
tica – This Regimen I have pursued, and these medicines I have
taken with great benefitt to my self; but there still remains
some slight Pains in my head, with now and then a little noise
and giddiness; and at times a sinking, with wind in the Stomach
and Bowels - tho' the hot Regimen has made ↑me↑ evacuate ↑a↑ quanti¬
ty of wind. - You may recollect that I was always thin, and I am
fallen away since the Fitts; for which Reason Dr: Ash stopt
the Blister: tho' I was not sensible that it weaken'd me. - He
recommended bathing as soon as the Season would permit.
It may not be improper to inform you, that my Constitution
has for two or three years past been affected very much about
the same time of the year as these Fitts came on, vizt: Decr:
[Page 3]
would you recommend a change of Climate, or any other
Precautions at that season? –– I at present never eat of but
one thing at dinner, and generally eat a small quantity of
some light ↑flesh↑ meat at supper; not having yet tasted Butter
or Milk, since my Illness: nor do I eat any fruit raw, or in
Pies. – May I now & then eat moderately of fish, and might
I not substitute Honey in the place of Butter at Breakfast?
I feel myself particularly obliged to you, sir, for the care
with [which?] it is evident you have considered my [Case?]
your favoring me with an Answer to this very prolix {illeg}
will add much to that Obligation. – The unaccountable delays
occasion'd by the late snow, prevented my having your prescrip¬
tion long enough in my possession to have made use of it; but I
intend beginning on it immediately; and shall strictly observe all
your other directions, except as to Regimen, which I shall not
change till I have the pleasure of hearing from you again.
I am
Sir
your much obliged
and most obedient servant
I believe I told you in my Case, that
my Circulation has always been languid.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
✍
Capt Wilson
Jan 22 1776
Vol. IV. p. 125
p 109 ––
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