The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1474] From: Dr Robert Marshall / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr David Dundas (of Newhalls & Duddingston?) (Patient) / 22 January 1778 / (Incoming)
Letter from Robert Marshall, giving the case of David Dundas at the request of Miss Hamilton of Westburn. He has had some sort of epileptic seizure.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1474 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/568 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 22 January 1778 |
| 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 from Robert Marshall, giving the case of David Dundas at the request of Miss Hamilton of Westburn. He has had some sort of epileptic seizure. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:989] |
Case of David Dundas who has had a severe epileptic fit. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1829] | Author | Dr Robert Marshall |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2345] | Patient | Mr David Dundas (of Newhalls & Duddingston?) |
| [PERS ID:2347] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr James Swan |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2346] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Davidson |
| [PERS ID:3368] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Agnes Hamilton (Anne; of Westburn & Duddingston) |
| [PERS ID:281] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Miss Margaret Hamilton |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Dumbarton | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Kirkpatrick | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Westburn (Cambuslang) | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I am desired by Miss Hamilton
of Westburn to consult you about Mr David Dundas
who has been staying there for a great while past
and upon the whole he has been very well till lately.
During the last Christenmass holidays he has been
living very full, a good deal more so that ordinary
but was seemingly very well till the 3d current
when, the Family and he along with them having
made a visit to Mr Davidson's at Kirkpatrick
he complained that day in the morning of a pain
in his back. He got up however and dress'd and
was ready to go to to breakfast when he was taken
with a severe epileptic fit. The Shriek that
he gave and the great noise of the fall alarmed
the family who with much difficulty could get in
to the room as he had fallen just behind the door
He was much convulsed, his respiration very labo¬
rious, his face very turgid, his eyes
rolling very much and foaming at the mouth. When
he came out of it he was put to bed, and Mr
Swan the Surgeon in Dumbarton sent for
who gave him some draughts with Musk in
them, blooded him on the 4th and likewise on the
5th, and gave him some anodynes. Upon
[Page 2]
his getting better he was brought home and I visited
him for the first time on Sunday the 10th. By that
time he was got pretty well; the thing that then dis¬
tress'd him most was a hardness and rigidity of all
the muscles of the neck particularly on the right side
attended with very much pain upon every motion.
He was troubled likewise with what he called cramps
pretty generally all over the muscles, but particularly
in the legs; the pulse was perfectly good and na¬
tural, the belly easy and regular, and the appetite
good; rather indeed too good. Finding things in
this situation, I contented myself with observing some
{illeg} things to him with regard to his living, and
the propriety of lessening it, and told him I should
defer any other prescriptions for him till I should see
him again. Accordingly I visited him yesterday and
found him much better, more distinct and a more
natural appearance in every thing. He had very
strictly adhered to the restrictions of his eating and
drinking, tho he is not quite reconciled to it, and
hopes it will be but for a short time.
It was yesterday that Miss Hamilton said
that for a variety of reasons she wished I would write
you about Mr Dundas, and I was very happy she
did it so soon. She says her Mother who I believe
is in Edinburgh just now or in the neighbourhood
will see you and give you a more particular
account of him. His manner of living has not
been the best calculated for preserving his health
[Page 3]
This affair was the greatest surprise to them as
they never had suspected such a thing. When his ser¬
vant was examined about him, tho he was not
willing to be very communicative, yet he said that
he had had several such fits but not for a long time
past; he thinks it is near 4 years since he had one
I will be very glad to hear from you as soon as
you can, and
am
Dear Sir
your most obedient humble Servant
Glasgow 22 January
1778
[Page 4]
To
Doctor Cullen Physician
& Professor of Medicine
in the University
Edinburgh
January 22. 1778
Diplomatic Text
I am desired by Miss Hamilton
of Westburn to consult you about Mr David Dundas
who has been staying there for a great while past
and upon the whole he has been very well till lately.
During the last Christenmass holidays he has been
living very full, a good deal more so that ordinary
but was seemingly very well till the 3d current
when, the Family and he along with them having
made a visit to Mr Davidson's at Kirkpatrick
he complained that day in the morning of a pain
in his back. He got up however and dress'd and
was ready to go to to breakfast when he was taken
with a severe epileptic fit. The Shriek that
he gave and the great noise of the fall alarmed
the family who with much difficulty could get in
to the room as he had fallen just behind the door
He was much convulsed, his respiration very labo¬
rious, his face very turgid, his eyes
rolling very much and foaming at the mouth. When
he came out of it he was put to bed, and Mr
Swan the Surgeon in Dumbarton sent for
who gave him some draughts with Musk in
them, blooded him on the 4th and likewise on the
5th, and gave him some anodynes. Upon
[Page 2]
his getting better he was brought home and I visited
him for the first time on Sunday the 10th. By that
time he was got pretty well; the thing that then dis¬
tress'd him most was a hardness and rigidity of all
the muscles of the neck particularly on the right side
attended with very much pain upon every motion.
He was troubled likewise with what he called cramps
pretty generally all over the muscles, but particularly
in the legs; the pulse was perfectly good and na¬
tural, the belly easy and regular, and the appetite
good; rather indeed too good. Finding things in
this situation, I contented myself with observing some
{illeg} things to him with regard to his living, and
the propriety of lessening it, and told him I should
defer any other prescriptions for him till I should see
him again. Accordingly I visited him yesterday and
found him much better, more distinct and a more
natural appearance in every thing. He had very
strictly adhered to the restrictions of his eating and
drinking, tho he is not quite reconciled to it, and
hopes it will be but for a short time.
It was yesterday that Miss Hamilton said
that for a variety of reasons she wished I would write
you about Mr Dundas, and I was very happy she
did it so soon. She says her Mother who I believe
is in Edinburgh just now or in the neighbourhood
will see you and give you a more particular
account of him. His manner of living has not
been the best calculated for preserving his health
[Page 3]
This affair was the greatest surprise to them as
they never had suspected such a thing. When his ser¬
vant was examined about him, tho he was not
willing to be very communicative, yet he said that
he had had several such fits but not for a long time
past; he thinks it is near 4 years since he had one
I will be very glad to hear from you as soon as
you can, and
am
Dr Sir
your most obedt hum Servt
Glasgow 22 Janry
1778
[Page 4]
To
Doctor Cullen Physician
& Professor of Medicine
in the University
Edinburgh
Jany 22. 1778
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