The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:345] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mrs Ann(e) Waldie (Ormston) (Ann Ormston) / Regarding: Mrs Ann(e) Waldie (Ormston) (Ann Ormston) (Patient) / 8 October 1775 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Miss Ann Ormston'. She has 'no formed disease' but a constitution rendered delicate by accidents, notably an 'ill cured' intermittent fever. She is advised to avoid cold Northumberland winters, and Madeira is suggested as a destination. Cullen recommends 'that firmness of mind and discretion which she naturally possesses' and that she avoids 'Physicians and Apothecaries who will give her drugs'. He refers to his advice in Letter 311, and gives a recipe only for one strengthener from the latest edition of the Edinburgh Pharmacopœia.
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- Diplomatic Text
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Facsimile
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[Page 1]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 345 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/6/44 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 8 October 1775 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Miss Ann Ormston'. She has 'no formed disease' but a constitution rendered delicate by accidents, notably an 'ill cured' intermittent fever. She is advised to avoid cold Northumberland winters, and Madeira is suggested as a destination. Cullen recommends 'that firmness of mind and discretion which she naturally possesses' and that she avoids 'Physicians and Apothecaries who will give her drugs'. He refers to his advice in Letter 311, and gives a recipe only for one strengthener from the latest edition of the Edinburgh Pharmacopœia. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:502] |
Case of Ann (Anne) Ormston who has had a long history of illhealth since suffering a 'scorbutic ulcer' when eighteen. |
6 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1451] | Addressee | Mrs Ann(e) Waldie (Ann Ormston) |
| [PERS ID:1451] | Patient | Mrs Ann(e) Waldie (Ann Ormston) |
| [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 |
| Destination of Letter | Newcastle upon Tyne | North-East | England | Europe | inferred | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Madeira | Spain | Europe | certain | ||
| Mentioned / Other | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Miss Anne Ormston
After being full acquainted with this young Ladies complaints
I am of that same opinion as before that she has truly no formed dis¬
ease, but that by various accidents and particularly an ill cured
Intermittent, her constitution is rendered delicate and unfit to bear
the smallest excess of heat or cold, exercise or rest or any fullness
of diet –––– In such a situation very little is to be done by medicine
and much harm may be done by their frequent use. The only mea¬
sures to be pursued is to avoid occasional causes, and that Miss Or¬
mston's experience must teach her to do better than I can. There
is only one measure that I must suggest which is that as cold is
what does her the greatest mischief, she cannot easily or almost possi¬
bly avoid that in Northumberland during the winter, and therefore
it would be of the greatest service to her to pass the winter in a
southern climate. Where that must be will depend upon various
family considerations, and I only say that the farther south the better
if not out of Europe except it be the Island of Madeira ––––
For the rest I must refer to the letter I formerly wrote to Miss Or¬
mston, and have only to add that if she can preserve some of that
firmness of mind and discretion which she naturally possesses, &
can avoid either being too anxiously cautious or too soon alarmed, she
may by her own conduct recover very good health –––– I would
have her avoid Physicians and Apothecaries who will give her
drugs, and I will advise only one strengthener which she can
carry into any part of the world. I have done it on a paper apart.
Take 2 ounces of Tincture of Mars according to the recipe in the latest edition of the Edinburgh Pharmacopœia. Label: strengthening tincture twenty drops to be taken in a glass of water two or three times a day.
Diplomatic Text
For Miss Anne Ormston
After being full acquainted with this young Ladies complaints
I am of that same opinion as before that she has truly no formed dis¬
ease, but that by various accidents and particularly an ill cured
Intermittent, her constitution is rendered delicate and unfit to bear
the smallest excess of heat or cold, exercise or rest or any fullness
of diet –––– In such a situation very little is to be done by medicine
and much harm may be done by their frequent use. The only mea¬
sures to be pursued is to avoid occasional causes, and that Miss Or¬
mston's experience must teach her to do better than I can. There
is only one measure that I must suggest which is that as cold is
what does her the greatest mischief, she cannot easily or almost possi¬
bly avoid that in Northumberland during the winter, and therefore
it would be of the greatest service to her to pass the winter in a
southern climate. Where that must be will depend upon various
family considerations, and I only say that the farther south the better
if not out of Europe except it be the Island of Madeira ––––
For the rest I must refer to the letter I formerly wrote to Miss Or¬
mston, and have only to add that if she can preserve some of that
firmness of mind and discretion which she naturally possesses, &
can avoid either being too anxiously cautious or too soon alarmed, she
may by her own conduct recover very good health –––– I would
have her avoid Physicians and Apothecaries who will give her
drugs, and I will advise only one strengthener which she can
carry into any part of the world. I have done it on a paper apart.
℞ Tinct. mart. ad normam Pharm. Edin. ult. ed. ℥ii. Sig.
strengthening tincture twenty drops to be taken in a glass of water
two or three times a day.
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