The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:2004] From: Mrs Kennedy / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: ('Mrs Kennedy's friend') (Patient) / 26 April 1781 / (Incoming)
Letter, in the form of a case note entitled ' the case of a woman on under a bad state of health' form an unnamed practitioner(?) concerning the case of Mrs Kennedy's friend. Unsigned but Cullen replies as if this was 'communicated by Mrs Kennedy'. Dated in annotation.
- 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 | 2004 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1081 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 26 April 1781 |
| 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, in the form of a case note entitled ' the case of a woman on under a bad state of health' form an unnamed practitioner(?) concerning the case of Mrs Kennedy's friend. Unsigned but Cullen replies as if this was 'communicated by Mrs Kennedy'. Dated in annotation. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1430] |
Case of a mature female associate of Mrs Kennedy who suffers from various 'nervous' symptoms including giddiness and melancholia. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:4132] | Author | Mrs Kennedy |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:85] | Patient | ('Mrs Kennedy's friend') |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4132] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Kennedy |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Loch Scalloch / Shalloch Well | Barhill | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
the case of a woman long under a bad state of health
the first Breach of this womans health was a violent flux of the
the Disorder commonly called the Whites: which begun on her about
eighteen years ago: although the Discharge was very great for
several years: and the Distressing circumstances attending that
Discharge very severe: yet still the woman encreasd in what had
the appearance of fatness in this situation she continued for
seven years: at the end of these years her ↑size↑ begun and gradualy
Diminished without any visible cause her health also grew
better tho many or indeed all her complaints still remained
with her altho greatly moderated - the first or rather the original
complaint brought on a number of other complaints such as
violent head achs: internal heat wind in the stomach and bowels
want of Sleep sickliness &c During this period of time severa↑l↑
things was administred in order to recover her health:such as the
Bark in Different ways the sea Bath and several seasons at
the shalloch well all of which she agreed preety well with
although they Did not prove so Effectual as to remove her Complaint
altogether yet she Did grow better -- but when it came on to what
is called the change of life in women her complaints appeared
such as swelling in the feet and leggs suddent flashes of heat
which was instantly attended with a great proffussion of sweat
over all her body this always went of again in a few minuets
[Page 2]
but the returns was very frequent in Day and night cold or hot
weather the complaints is still the same this complaint has been
upon her for these seven years last past and still continues as
bad as ever: the wind in her Bowels
she was all her life of a very Costive constitution ---
about three years ago she was seized with a complaint
in her head entirely new to her this affection in the head
so far as the woman is able to Describe it: consists of giddiness
a kind of oppression and feeling as if her head was ↑a↑ pressing
or hard bound about and like a weight pulling it Down some
times backward but mostly inclining forward she never had a
head ach since this complaint seized her only a kind ↑of↑ confussied
sensation of pain some times through her whole head she is never
free from this complaint but some time a little easier than others
this complaint also greatly affects her spirits she complains of
Depression and a most Distressing anxiety of mind much inclining
to melancholy and great floods of tears - she gets no sleep but
what is procured by Laudinum and that medcine is now
beging (↑ing↑) to Loss its Effect upon her she has was long and frequen↑tly↑
blisterd on the head which run Excessivly at first but now it Does
not but gives her much pain and Distresses her greatly her to no purp↑ose↑
if any thing could be thought of that would but give her some
relief although it should not prove a cure it would be Esteemd
a great Blessing any thing that ↑would↑ but Cool and quiet her at in
the night time and give her some releif from that feverish heat
and restlessness that is over her whole body but particularly a
[Page 3]
a burning ↑heat↑ in the soles of her feet she is very weak but still
continues fat at least as fat as the generality of healthy women
at her age the swelling in her leggs seldome appears now
she was often bled with Leeches about the neck and temples
befor her head was Blisterd the patients age is exactly ↓fifty six↓
[Page 4]
Docter Cullen
Mrs Kennedys
friend
26 April 1781
XIII. p.21
Diplomatic Text
the case of a woman long under a bad state of health
the first Breach of this womans health was a violent flux of the
the Disorder commonly called the Whites: which begun on her about
eighteen years ago: although the Discharge was very great for
several years: and the Distressing circumstances attending that
Discharge very severe: yet still the woman encreasd in what had
the appearance of fatness in this situation she continued for
seven years: at the end of these years her ↑size↑ begun and gradualy
Diminished without any visible cause her health also grew
better tho many or indeed all her complaints still remained
wt her altho greatly moderated - the first or rather the original
complaint brought on a number of other complaints such as
violent head achs: internal heat wind in the stomach and bowels
want of Sleep sickliness &c During this period of time severa↑l↑
things was administred in order to recover her health:such as the
Bark in Different ways the sea Bath and several seasons at
the shalloch well all of which she agreed preety well with
although they Did not prove so Effectual as to remove her Complaint
altogether yet she Did grow better -- but when it came on to what
is called the change of life in women her complaints appeared
such as swelling in the feet and leggs suddent flashes of heat
which was instantly attended with a great proffussion of sweat
over all her body this always went of again in a few minuets
[Page 2]
but the returns was very frequent in Day and night cold or hot
weather the complaints is still the same this complaint has been
upon her for these seven years last past and still continues as
bad as ever: the wind in her Bowels
she was all her life of a very Costive constitution ---
about three years ago she was seized with a complaint
in her head entirely new to her this affection in the head
so far as the woman is able to Describe it: consists of giddiness
a kind of oppression and feeling as if her head was ↑a↑ pressing
or hard bound about and like a weight pulling it Down some
times backward but mostly inclining forward she never had a
head ach since this complaint seized her only a kind ↑of↑ confussied
sensation of pain some times through her whole head she is never
free from this complaint but some time a little easier than others
this complaint also greatly affects her spirits she complains of
Depression and a most Distressing anxiety of mind much inclining
to melancholy and great floods of tears - she gets no sleep but
what is procured by Laudinum and that medcine is now
beging (↑ing↑) to Loss its Effect upon her she has was long and frequen↑tly↑
blisterd on the head which run Excessivly at first but now it Does
not but gives her much pain and Distresses her greatly her to no purp↑ose↑
if any thing could be thought of that would but give her some
relief although it should not prove a cure it would be Esteemd
a great Blessing any thing that ↑would↑ but Cool and quiet her at in
the night time and give her some releif from that feverish heat
and restlessness that is over her whole body but particularly a
[Page 3]
a burning ↑heat↑ in the soles of her feet she is very weak but still
continues fat at least as fat as the generality of healthy women
at her age the swelling in her leggs seldome appears now
she was often bled with Leeches about the neck and temples
befor her head was Blisterd the patients age is exactly ↓fifty six↓
[Page 4]
Docter Cullen
Mrs Kennedys
friend
26 April 1781
XIII. p.21
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