The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1679] From: Dr Alexander Taylor (Sanders) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Robert Neilson (Nielson, of Paisley) (Patient) / 24 May 1779 / (Incoming)
Letter from Alexander Taylor concerning the case of Mr Nielson.
- 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 | 1679 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/766 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 24 May 1779 |
| 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 Alexander Taylor concerning the case of Mr Nielson. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:316] |
Case of Mr Robert Neilson with a chronic, progressive illness, probably pulmonary (consumption) but possible cardiac. After a gap, in early January 1782, Cullen confirms that Neilson's condition is terminal. An autopsy soon follows. |
22 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:207] | Author | Dr Alexander Taylor (Sanders) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:206] | Patient | Mr Robert Neilson (Nielson, of Paisley) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:207] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Taylor (Sanders) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Paisley | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
From the time Mr. Nielson gave
you an account of his Complaints he continued better
till the last Monday; when having Catched Cold
he found the pains of his back and Shoulders worse
and his throat a little Sore and he was restless &
uneasy thro' the night - upon Tuesday he took as
much of Glauber's Salts as procured two free
Stools; after which he felt the pains relieved &
the soreness of throat gone off; but towards evening
the pains returned again; and betwixt one & two
o'Clock on Wednesday morning he was awakened
with a Violent pain upon the Short ribs of the right
Side in the middle betwixt the Sternum and
Vertebrae - this pain did not affect his breathing
but allowed of a full inspiration without being
increased by it - but it continued with great
Severity for upwards of an hour - it was first
eased by the Application of hot flannels; but
what conduced most to its removal was sitting
upright; but perhaps the Change of posture
[Page 2]
was of more service than the posture itself, for
he soon after lay down and fell asleep and past
the rest of the night pretty easily ---
During Wednesday, wednesday night, Thurs¬
day & Thursday night he continued better
and past these nights tolerably well; not
however without having returns of the old pains
of his back and Shoulders and a Slight re¬
mainder of the pain of his Side --- upon Fri¬
day morning he took XX grains of pulv. Doveri
but in less than a quarter of an hour afterwards
he Vomited and threw up part of it; nevertheless
he sweated pretty freely all day - on Saturday
he has since been much in the same way as
before he took the powder and what pains he
has now are Chiefly in his back and are especially
troublesome in the forepart of the night for
towards morning he always finds himself eased
and it is then he gest most his most Comfortable
Sleep - I find nothing else that has happened
worthy of notice excepting that on Saturday
evening he was suddenly seized with a palpi¬
tation and throbbing in his breast and without
any Observable Cause; for he was walking at
leisure in his room; this continued for a few
[Page 3]
minutes making him faintish and then wore
away - you will remember he took notice to
you of this Palpitation and that it always
comes on when he lies on his left side; and
on this account when in bed he is confined to
one position.
I did not see him on the wednesday morning
till the Violence of the pain was going off &
I then found his pulse beating 120 in the mi¬
nute and very Strong; but in a very little
time it Came down to 90 and has continued
betwixt 80 and 90 ever since - I have ↑never↑ Observed
any irregularity or intermission in it
but his pulse has always a degree of Smar{illeg}
in the Stroke - - his appetite is good and
he gets a Stool regularly every day - his Urine
is of a Straw Colour neither too high nor too Pale
and it does not depose any remarkable sediment -
Mr. Nielson begs to know what farther you
would advise and what diet you recommend
- of a severe pain return and prove fixed will
leeches or blistering be necessary?
I am
Sir
You most humble Servant
[Page 4]
To
Dr. William Cullen
Professor of Medicine
Edinburgh
Mr Taylor concerning
Mr Nielson 24th May 1779
Answered 26 May ----
Diplomatic Text
From the time Mr. Nielson gave
you an acct. of his Complaints he continued better
till the last Monday; when having Catched Cold
he found the pains of his back and Shoulders worse
and his throat a little Sore and he was restless &
uneasy thro' the night - upon Tuesday he took as
much of Glauber's Salts as procured two free
Stools; after which he felt the pains relieved &
the soreness of throat gone off; but towards evening
the pains returned again; and betwixt one & two
o'Clock on Wednesday morning he was awakened
with a Violent pain upon the Short ribs of the right
Side in the middle betwixt the Sternum and
Vertebrae - this pain did not affect his breathing
but allowed of a full inspiration without being
increased by it - but it continued with great
Severity for upwards of an hour - it was first
eased by the Application of hot flannels; but
what conduced most to its removal was sitting
upright; but perhaps the Change of posture
[Page 2]
was of more service than the posture itself, for
he soon after lay down and fell asleep and past
the rest of the night pretty easily ---
During Wednesday, wednesday night, Thurs¬
day & Thursday night he continued better
and past these nights tolerably well; not
however without having returns of the old pains
of his back and Shoulders and a Slight re¬
mainder of the pain of his Side --- upon Fri¬
day morning he took XX grains of pulv. Doveri
but in less than a quarter of an hour afterwards
he Vomited and threw up part of it; nevertheless
he sweated pretty freely all day - on Saturday
he has since been much in the same way as
before he took the powder and what pains he
has now are Chiefly in his back and are especially
troublesome in the forepart of the night for
towards morning he always finds himself eased
and it is then he gest most his most Comfortable
Sleep - I find nothing else that has happened
worthy of notice excepting that on Saturday
evening he was suddenly seized with a palpi¬
tation and throbbing in his breast and without
any Observable Cause; for he was walking at
leisure in his room; this continued for a few
[Page 3]
minutes making him faintish and then wore
away - you will remember he took notice to
you of this Palpitation and that it always
comes on when he lies on his left side; and
on this acct. when in bed he is confined to
one position.
I did not see him on the wednesday morning
till the Violence of the pain was going off &
I then found his pulse beating 120 in the mi¬
nute and very Strong; but in a very little
time it Came down to 90 and has continued
betwixt 80 and 90 ever since - I have ↑never↑ Observed
any irregularity or intermission in it
but his pulse has always a degree of Smar{illeg}
in the Stroke - - his appetite is good and
he gets a Stool regularly every day - his Urine
is of a Straw Colour neither too high nor too Pale
and it does not depose any remarkable sediment -
Mr. Nielson begs to know what farther you
would advise and what diet you recommend
- of a severe pain return and prove fixed will
leeches or blistering be necessary?
I am
Sir
You most humble Servt.
[Page 4]
To
Dr. William Cullen
Professor of Medicine
Edinr.
Mr Taylor concerning
Mr Nielson 24th May 1779
Answd. 26 May ----
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