Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:206] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr William Leslie (Leslye) (Patient) / 14 October 1781 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'For Mr Leslie of D---'. Directions for Mr Leslie concerning his toothache.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 206
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/14/94
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date14 October 1781
Annotation None
TypeMachine copy
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, 'For Mr Leslie of D---'. Directions for Mr Leslie concerning his toothache.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:302]
Case of Mr William Leslie who has had a locked jaw and pain in his left cheek. As he remarks, Leslie consulted Cullen for rheumatism back in 1774-5 (See Case:466).
3


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:177]PatientMr William Leslie (Leslye)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:2652]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Abernethy
[PERS ID:2653]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr Borthwick

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
Destination of Letter Banff (Bamf) East Highlands Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Leslie of D{illeg}


From the [accounts?] of Mr Leslie's present complaint
which Mr Borthwick has been pleased to give me from
Mr Leslie's own letters; I have no doubt with respect to the
Nature of his ailment. In persons having carious teeth
and liable to toothach, and exposure to cold readily brings on
swelling and pain which I consider as Rheumatic and think
it is to be treated as such. I don't doubt but Dr Abernethy
has treated the ailment very properly but as I have no in¬
formation with respect ↑to↑ that I shall say here what I think
might have been, or may still be, done for Mr Leslie's relief.


Upon the first coming on of the swelling and stiffness
of the Jaw some leeches might have been applied to the part
with advantage and on saturday sennight when the swelling
after some remission had recurred again the same measure might
have been employed; and still if the stiffness of the muscles
with any degree of inflammation or even any tension of the
ligaments continues some blood drawn by leeches may be



[Page 2]

of service and can hardly do harm.


If leeches are still to be applied let them be set pretty
much forward upon the cheek at least so far that they may not
occupy the place ↑of the remedy↑ that I would next depending upon that is
blistering upon the part. If this has been already done
and the part again healed I would upon continuance of the
ailment repeat the blistering making the plaister as large
as the space under the ear and of the adjoining neck will
allow. Let it be observed that turning a part of the blisterd
place into an Issue will not be nearly so usefull as fresh
blistering.


If bleeding and blistering have been practised without
the success desired I would try fomentation with a decoction
of Camomile and
Elderflowers. Let flannel Cloths four
fold be wrung out of ↑the↑ Decoction boiling hot by throwing them
into a strong towel and twisting on the two ends of that let them
be wrung as dry as possible which will allow them to be applied
very warm and by changing cloths as they begin to cool let the
fomenting be continued for {illeg} hours at one time and this at



[Page 3]

least twice a day. I need hardly say that when a fomentation is
employed great care is to be taken to guard against cold by covering
↑the↑ part very well with dry flannel and otherwise avoiding cold air
and cold drink.


While these remedies are applied to the part if there is at
same time the smallest degrees of fever an antiphlogistic regimen
is to be strictly observed and a dose of cooling Salts given now &
then as occasion may seem to require.


As soon as Mr Leslie can get his mouth tolerably well
opened I earnestly recommend it to him to get quit of all his
carious teeth as the only sure measure for preventing the like
accidents in time coming.


It is very possible that the whole of the above advice may
be superfluous but I could not refuse Mr Borthwicks desire
and I was willing to shew the particular regard I have for an
old and much esteemed patient.

William Cullen

Edinburgh 14th October
1781

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mr Leslie of D{illeg}


From the [accounts?] of Mr Leslie's present complaint
which Mr Borthwick has been pleased to give me from
Mr Leslie's own letters; I have no doubt with respect to the
Nature of his ailment. In persons having carious teeth
and liable to toothach, and exposure to cold readily brings on
swelling and pain which I consider as Rheumatic and think
it is to be treated as such. I don't doubt but Dr Abernethy
has treated the ailment very properly but as I have no in¬
formation with respect ↑to↑ that I shall say here what I think
might have been, or may still be, done for Mr Leslie's relief.


Upon the first coming on of the swelling and stiffness
of the Jaw some leeches might have been applied to the part
with advantage and on saturday sennight when the swelling
after some remission had recurred again the same measure might
have been employed; and still if the stiffness of the muscles
with any degree of inflammation or even any tension of the
ligaments continues some blood drawn by leeches may be



[Page 2]

of service and can hardly do harm.


If leeches are still to be applied let them be set pretty
much forward upon the cheek at least so far that they may not
occupy the place ↑of the remedy↑ that I would next depending upon that is
blistering upon the part. If this has been already done
and the part again healed I would upon continuance of the
ailment repeat the blistering making the plaister as large
as the space under the ear and of the adjoining neck will
allow. Let it be observed that turning a part of the blisterd
place into an Issue will not be nearly so usefull as fresh
blistering.


If bleeding and blistering have been practised without
the success desired I would try fomentation with a decoction
of Camomile and
Elderflowers. Let flannel Cloths four
fold be wrung out of ↑the↑ Decoction boiling hot by throwing them
into a strong towel and twisting on the two ends of that let them
be wrung as dry as possible which will allow them to be app
very warm and by changing cloths as they begin to cool let the
fomenting be continued for {illeg} hours at one time and this at



[Page 3]

least twice a day. I need hardly say that when a fomentation is
employed great care is to be taken to guard against cold by covering
↑the↑ part very well with dry flannel and otherwise avoiding cold air
and cold drink.


While these remedies are applied to the part if there is at
same time the smallest degrees of fever an antiphlogistic regimen
is to be strictly observed and a dose of cooling Salts given now &
then as occasion may seem to require.


As soon as Mr Leslie can get his mouth tolerably well
opened I earnestly recommend it to him to get quit of all his
carious teeth as the only sure measure for preventing the like
accidents in time coming.


It is very possible that the whole of the above advice may
be superfluous but I could not refuse Mr Borthwicks desire
and I was willing to shew the particular regard I have for an
old and much esteemed patient.

William Cullen

Edinr. 14th Octor,
1781

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