The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:200] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Lord (Lord Justice Clerk) (Patient) / 25 September 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply giving Directions for the Lord Justice Clerk, for 'guarding against Cold & Moisture',.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 5 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
[Page 5]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 200 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/86 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 25 September 1781 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply giving Directions for the Lord Justice Clerk, for 'guarding against Cold & Moisture',. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1423] |
Case of Lord Justice Clerk who has to guard against cold and moisture. See also Case:256. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:172] | Patient | Lord (Lord Justice Clerk) |
| [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 | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For The Lord Justice Clerk
His Lordships Ailments were sometime ago of an
Ambiguous kind and not without Suspicion of a dangerous
tendency but that Suspicion is now entirely removed
and we are clearly of Opinion that the Ailment has been
and so far as it remains is purely of the Catarrhal
kind, that is, a little more Phlegm thrown up in the breast
to be brought up by Coughing. It is hoped that this
Ailment may be removed entirely but tho' it should not
it may remain in some degree for a long time without
any danger but while it remains in any degree it
is necessary & Prudent to take every measure to
Prevent its being occasionally aggravated.
In the case of the Lord Justice Clerk all the
Precautions that seem to be necessary are guarding
against Cold & Moisture, taking Proper Exercise and
using a proper diet and upon each of these particulars
we shall here Offer some directions.
[Page 2]
In guarding against Cold the chief means to be used
is Warm Cloathing which is to be employed in all Weathers
with this attention that no Weather is to allow of a Change
to a thinner Cloathing than what a Person has been
before Accustomed to. That warm Cloathing may be
made lighter a flannell Shirt next the Skin should
be constantly worn. The Parts especially to be defended
are the Neck, breast, legs, & feet. It is further to
be observed that no Cloathing will be a Security unless
at the same time Moisture even lodging in Outer
Garments is not carefully [avoided?].
In Exercise much Walking is to be [avoided?]
as it is very hurtful in all Ailments of the breast
and as it is very liable to Prove heating & thereby
render a Person ready to be affected by Cold.
The only Exercise Proper for the Justice
Clerk is Riding on horseback & going in a Carriage
especially the former and it is only in the case of
very cold weather or in view of a long Journey
[Page 3]
that the latter is to be preferred. We hope there is
still Season remaining to Allow his Lordship to go
on horse back twice a day, that is, for two hours before
breakfast & as long before dinner for at no time it
will be proper to either Riding or Waking to be
abroad after dinner.
In very wet Weather Exercise may and
perhaps should be Omitted and towards the end of
October if a train of wet weather should seem to
Set in we think the West Country should be entirely
deserted.
With respect to Exercise we have only this
further direction to offer that while you are abroad
you should be constantly more or less in motion
hardly ever standing still in one Place & especially
when a brisk wind is blowing upon you.
The other Precautions to be taken relate
to Diet. As all fullness is hurtful to the [Lungs?]
so moderation in Eating & Drinking is very necessary
[Page 4]
No Animal food is to be taken at Supper. At Din[ner]
some Animal food is very proper but the lighter kin[ds]
are to be preferred & all Meats whether in their qu[a¬]
lity or in their Cookery of a heavy kind are to be
entirely avoided. A full Meal of animal food of a[ny]
kind will be very improper & a great Part of the
Meal should always be made up with Broth
Pudding & Vegetables. Of the latter kind Ripe
fruit is particularly proper.
If Milk is found to be easily digested and
does not induce Costiveness it is very Proper for my
Lord Justice Clerk taken either at breakfast or
Supper and the latter Meal may be very constantly
of this kind. At breakfast a weak Tea with a good
deal of Milk may be taken and with this some
dry Toast with a moderate Portion of Butter may
be safely used but Butter toast is totally inad¬
missible and even any kind of warm bread and
Butter is not proper.
In Drinking for ordinary draft at Meals
[Page 5]
Wine & Water is to be Preferred to Plain water and
if even Wine & water is found to favour Costiveness a
good Small beer or rather a good Porter with two
parts of water may be employed. Porter alone is
by no means fit for an ordinary draft.
A few glasses of Wine of the kind his Lordship
likes best either at Dinner or after it are allowable
and it is not necessary to Say to him that Excess
in any degree must be very hurtful.
In the Present state of his Lordships
health we are clearly of opinion that no medicines
are necessary and that even some seemingly inno¬
cent should be laid aside. In the case of Costiveness
a medicine may be occasionally necessary but
we need say no more as his Lordship is sufficiently
acquainted with the use of the Solution formerly
Prescribed to him.
Edinburgh 25th. September
1781
Diplomatic Text
For The Lord Justice Clerk
His Lordships Ailments were sometime ago of an
Ambiguous kind and not without Suspicion of a dangerous
tendency but that Suspicion is now entirely removed
and we are clearly of Opinion that the Ailment has been
and so far as it remains is purely of the Catarrhal
kind, that is, a little more Phlegm thrown up in the breast
to be brought up by Coughing. It is hoped that this
Ailment may be removed entirely but tho' it should not
it may remain in some degree for a long time without
any danger but while it remains in any degree it
is necessary & Prudent to take every measure to
Prevent its being occasionally aggravated.
In the case of the Lord Justice Clerk all the
Precautions that seem to be necessary are guarding
against Cold & Moisture, taking Proper Exercise and
using a proper diet and upon each of these particulars
we shall here Offer some directions.
[Page 2]
In guarding against Cold the chief means to be used
is Warm Cloathing which is to be employed in all Weathers
with this attention that no Weather is to allow of a Change
to a thinner Cloathing than what a Person has been
before Accustomed to. That warm Cloathing may be
made lighter a flannell Shirt next the Skin should
be constantly worn. The Parts especially to be defended
are the Neck, breast, legs, & feet. It is further to
be observed that no Cloathing will be a Security unless
at the same time Moisture even lodging in Outer
Garments is not carefully [avoided?].
In Exercise much Walking is to be [avoided?]
as it is very hurtful in all Ailments of the breast
and as it is very liable to Prove heating & thereby
render a Person ready to be affected by Cold.
The only Exercise Proper for the Justice
Clerk is Riding on horseback & going in a Carriage
especially the former and it is only in the case of
very cold weather or in view of a long Journey
[Page 3]
that the latter is to be preferred. We hope there is
still Season remaining to Allow his Lordship to go
on horse back twice a day, that is, for two hours before
breakfast & as long before dinner for at no time it
will be proper to either Riding or Waking to be
abroad after dinner.
In very wet Weather Exercise may and
perhaps should be Omitted and towards the end of
October if a train of wet weather should seem to
Set in we think the West Country should be entirely
deserted.
With respect to Exercise we have only this
further direction to offer that while you are abroad
you should be constantly more or less in motion
hardly ever standing still in one Place & especially
when a brisk wind is blowing upon you.
The other Precautions to be taken relate
to Diet. As all fullness is hurtful to the [Lungs?]
so moderation in Eating & Drinking is very necessary
[Page 4]
No Animal food is to be taken at Supper. At Din[ner]
some Animal food is very proper but the lighter kin[ds]
are to be preferred & all Meats whether in their qu[a¬]
lity or in their Cookery of a heavy kind are to be
entirely avoided. A full Meal of animal food of a[ny]
kind will be very improper & a great Part of the
Meal should always be made up with Broth
Pudding & Vegetables. Of the latter kind Ripe
fruit is particularly proper.
If Milk is found to be easily digested and
does not induce Costiveness it is very Proper for my
Lord Justice Clerk taken either at breakfast or
Supper and the latter Meal may be very constantly
of this kind. At breakfast a weak Tea with a good
deal of Milk may be taken and with this some
dry Toast with a moderate Portion of Butter may
be safely used but Butter toast is totally inad¬
missible and even any kind of warm bread and
Butter is not proper.
In Drinking for ordinary draft at Meals
[Page 5]
Wine & Water is to be Preferred to Plain water and
if even Wine & water is found to favour Costiveness a
good Small beer or rather a good Porter with two
parts of water may be employed. Porter alone is
by no means fit for an ordinary draft.
A few glasses of Wine of the kind his Lordship
likes best either at Dinner or after it are allowable
and it is not necessary to Say to him that Excess
in any degree must be very hurtful.
In the Present state of his Lordships
health we are clearly of opinion that no medicines
are necessary and that even some seemingly inno¬
cent should be laid aside. In the case of Costiveness
a medicine may be occasionally necessary but
we need say no more as his Lordship is sufficiently
acquainted with the use of the Solution formerly
Prescribed to him.
Edinr. 25th. Septr.
1781
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:200]
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...
