The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1568] From: Miss Philadelphia McMurdo / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Miss Jeanie McMurdo (Macmurdo) (Patient) / 2 October 1778 / (Incoming)
Letter from Philadelphia McMurdo, regarding the case of her sister Jeanie who has journeyed from Edinburgh to Dumfries by coach on a specially designed 'bed' (stretcher), lent by Cullen. She has very painful colic for which she takes an opiate.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1568 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/659 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 2 October 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 Philadelphia McMurdo, regarding the case of her sister Jeanie who has journeyed from Edinburgh to Dumfries by coach on a specially designed 'bed' (stretcher), lent by Cullen. She has very painful colic for which she takes an opiate. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:684] |
Case of Miss Jean ["Jeanie"] McMurdo [MacMurdo] who in 1775 has a fever, in 1778 has a bad chest condition with feverish symptoms, and then develops severe bouts of colic. |
9 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:2188] | Author | Miss Philadelphia McMurdo |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1403] | Patient | Miss Jeanie McMurdo (Macmurdo) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:115] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) |
| [PERS ID:2188] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Miss Philadelphia McMurdo |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Dumfries | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Dumfries | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
It was with regret I left Edinburgh
without having the pleasure of seeing Dr Cullen
once more - It would have been a gratification to
have repressed the warm gratitude I feel for all
his friendly attentions to my distressed sister -- but
perhaps I should not have been able to say one
word on the subject & you Sir I doubt not would
be perfectly satisfied without acknowledgements
as you will be kind enough to give me
credit for having a just sense of what I owe
to you - It is with pleasure I inform you that
your patient made out her Journ'y with
Greater care & expedition than I had any
reason to expect when I last saw you
thanks to your happy contrivance of the Bed 1
Indeed we could not have attempted traveling
in any other way as my poor Girl was not
able to sit up ten minutes the whole way
the first day we set out she got three hundred
drops of Laudanum & one hundred every day
after - we made out our Journie in five days
& most fortunately she escaped the Cholic & still
continues free from it - I would be happy
[Page 2]
be happy Indeed - could I believe that the late ex¬
traordinary circumstance mentioned to you
could occassion this change as motion for
many months before had always brought
on the Cholic I cannot help endulging hope
from it particularly as you thought it possible
that the [bone ↑or bomb tooth↑?] might be swallowed - I would
beg you to write to Dr Gilchrist if you
think it necessary & direct what you think
best - she has spit a great quantity of salt
Phelgm for some time past & she still continues
to do it. I think the all her other complaints have
been very moderate since she has been per¬
mited to rest - perhaps the Laudanum quiets
her still I hardly dare believe that her present
ease is independent of that medicine so productive
of Good & evil - She feels all its effects - It lessens
her pain but it overpowers her with sickness
& leaves her weak & low - She would have
liked much to ↑have↑ seen you that morning before we
left Edinburgh but as you had approved of her
trying the Coach & attempting the Journie - I
advised her to be satisfied as I was sure you
would be so, if we could pursue our way
to Dumfries which I hope has been done without
[Page 3]
danger to her - I return the Bed & mattress 2
with many thanks from my Sister & from
myself - &
with perfect respect & esteem Dr Sir
Your much obliged
& obedient Servant
October 2d. 1778
My Sister begs me to mention that feeling
of inward soreness which she has felt very
severe lately is there any healing thing
that could be of service as she is not able
to take food I would be glad if you would or¬
der some softening medicine perhaps she could
bear a spoonfull at a time ---------
[Page 4]
Dr Cullen
Edinburgh
[Start of margin text][End of margin text]Phila. McMurdo
&
Miss McMurdo.
October 1778.
Notes:
1: For Cullen's design for a stretcher to be used in coaches, see letter ID:253.
2: This presumably refers to Cullen's bespoke stretcher (see Letter ID:253). It is unclear if this was a commercial service he frequently arranged for bed-ridden patients needing to travel by coach or a unique personal favour.
Diplomatic Text
It was with regret I left Edinr
without having the pleasure of seeing Dr Cullen
once more - It would have been a gratification to
have repressed the warm gratitude I feel for all
his friendly attentions to my distressed sister -- but
perhaps I should not have been able to say one
word on the subject & you Sir I doubt not would
be perfectly satisfied without acknowledgements
as you will be kind enough to give me
credit for having a just sense of what I owe
to you - It is with pleasure I inform you that
your patient made out her Journ'y with
Greater care & expedition than I had any
reason to expect when I last saw you
thanks to your happy contrivance of the Bed 1
Indeed we could not have attempted traveling
in any other way as my poor Girl was not
able to sit up ten minutes the whole way
the first day we set out she got three hundred
drops of Laudanum & one hundred every day
after - we made out our Journie in five days
& most fortunately she escaped the Cholic & still
continues free from it - I would be happy
[Page 2]
be happy Indeed - could I believe that the late ex¬
traordinary circumstance mentioned to you
could occassion this change as motion for
many months before had always brought
on the Cholic I cannot help endulging hope
from it particularly as you thought it possible
that the [bone ↑or bomb tooth↑?] might be swallowed - I would
beg you to write to Dr Gilchrist if you
think it necessary & direct what you think
best - she has spit a great quantity of salt
Phelgm for some time past & she still continues
to do it. I think the all her other complaints have
been very moderate since she has been per¬
mited to rest - perhaps the Laudanum quiets
her still I hardly dare believe that her present
ease is independent of that medicine so productive
of Good & evil - She feels all its effects - It lessens
her pain but it overpowers her with sickness
& leaves her weak & low - She would have
liked much to ↑have↑ seen you that morning before we
left Edinr. but as you had approved of her
trying the Coach & attempting the Journie - I
advised her to be satisfied as I was sure you
would be so, if we could pursue our way
to Dumfries which I hope has been done without
[Page 3]
danger to her - I return the Bed & mattress 2
with many thanks from my Sister & from
myself - &
with perfect respect & esteem Dr Sir
Your much obliged
& obedt Servt
Octr 2d. 1778
My Sister begs me to mention that feeling
of inward soreness which she has felt very
severe lately is there any healing thing
that could be of service as she is not able
to take food I would be glad if you would or¬
der some softening medicine perhaps she could
bear a spoonfull at a time ---------
[Page 4]
Dr Cullen
Edinr
[Start of margin text][End of margin text]Phila. McMurdo
&
Miss McMurdo.
Octr. 1778.
Notes:
1: For Cullen's design for a stretcher to be used in coaches, see letter ID:253.
2: This presumably refers to Cullen's bespoke stretcher (see Letter ID:253). It is unclear if this was a commercial service he frequently arranged for bed-ridden patients needing to travel by coach or a unique personal favour.
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:1568]
Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...
