The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4249] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Thomas Fetherstonhaugh / Regarding: Mrs Smallwood (Patient) / May 1778 / (Outgoing)
Reply to 'Anthony Fetherstonhaugh Esqr', concerning Mrs Smallwood who has a cancerous breast. Cullen also writes on behalf of his academic colleague Dr Alexander Munro with whom he has discussed the case.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4249 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/10/106 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | May 1778 |
| 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 to 'Anthony Fetherstonhaugh Esqr', concerning Mrs Smallwood who has a cancerous breast. Cullen also writes on behalf of his academic colleague Dr Alexander Munro with whom he has discussed the case. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:982] |
Case of Mrs Smallwood who has a breast tumour. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2331] | Addressee | Thomas Fetherstonhaugh |
| [PERS ID:2332] | Patient | Mrs Smallwood |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:89] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Professor Alexander Monro (secundus; Munro ) |
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 | Kirkoswald | North-West | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Anthony Fetherstonhaugh Esq.r
your favour of the 31.st past I received only yesterday and
have communicated it to Dr Monro. We are both exceedingly
concerned to hear of Mrs Smallwoods distress and shall be happy
to give her any relief.
As She is liable to a purging we think the Soluble Tartar
which we advised to be taken once a week may be laid aside and
as any purging seems to releive and weaken her, if loose stools
spontaneously occur we think that such a remedy as we have
prescribed below may be employed to moderate the purging but
at the same time care must be taken that She does not become
bound as that on the other hand would also hurt her.
We are surprised to find that the lotion we advised gave her so
much pain but as that has been the case we would not insist
upon the use of it but we have below prescribed a lotion of a
different kind which we expect will be of service in moderating
the swelling of both breasts, and obviating the pains which might
arise in them. It is to be used gently warmed and in the way of lotion
only without leaving a wet cloth to lie upon the breast as former¬
ly advised but when the breast has been washed all over once or twice
it is to be well dried and covered with the fur and this washing is
to be done twice a day.
We think if the Issue had been put into the left Arm (↓Arm↓)
[Page 2]
Arm it might have prevented some part of the uneasiness which
has of late arisen but as that arm seems now to be more affected
we would not desire the Issue to be put there but was we still think
an Issue any where may be of service we would still advise it to
be put into the right arm.
As you mention nothing of the pills which we advised disagree¬
ing with her we think they should still be continued, and we hope
they may be of service to her.
We are still of the same opinion we were before that there
would be no propriety in attempting an extirpation.
We are
with great respect and earnest wishes for Mrs Smallwoods relief
Sir
your most obedient humble Servant
For Mrs Smallwood
Take two drachms of Japanese Earth, a drachm of Cinnamon bark, half an ounce of Gum Arabic, eight ounces of boiling water. Leave in stirring for three hours, and strain with paper or a thick cloth, then add cinnamon Water, Spirit of tincture of Japanese earth, Syrup of diacodium, of each one ounce; eighty drops of Thebaic tincture. Label Strengthening Infusion two table Spoonfulls to be taken at bedtime and a Single Spoonfull at some other time a day when purging is troublesome. -
Take a pound of Spirit Mindereri according to the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia, 1 eights ounces of French brandy. Mix and label Lotion for the breasts
Notes:
1: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p. 116.
Diplomatic Text
Anthony Fetherstonhaugh Esq.r
your favour of the 31.st past I received only yesterday and
have communicated it to Dr Monro. We are both exceedingly
concerned to hear of Mrs Smallwoods distress and shall be happy
to give her any relief.
As She is liable to a purging we think the Soluble Tartar
which we advised to be taken once a week may be laid aside and
as any purging seems to releive and weaken her, if loose stools
spontaneously occur we think that such a remedy as we have
prescribed below may be employed to moderate the purging but
at the same time care must be taken that She does not become
bound as that on the other hand would also hurt her.
We are surprised to find that the lotion we advised gave her so
much pain but as that has been the case we would not insist
upon the use of it but we have below prescribed a lotion of a
different kind which we expect will be of service in moderating
the swelling of both breasts, and obviating the pains which might
arise in them. It is to be used gently warmed and in the way of lotion
only without leaving a wet cloth to lie upon the breast as former¬
ly advised but when the breast has been washed all over once or twice
it is to be well dried and covered with the fur and this washing is
to be done twice a day.
We think if the Issue had been put into the left Arm (↓Arm↓)
[Page 2]
Arm it might have prevented some part of the uneasiness which
has of late arisen but as that arm seems now to be more affected
we would not desire the Issue to be put there but was we still think
an Issue any where may be of service we would still advise it to
be put into the right arm.
As you mention nothing of the pills which we advised disagree¬
ing with her we think they should still be continued, and we hope
they may be of service to her.
We are still of the same opinion we were before that there
would be no propriety in attempting an extirpation.
We are
with great respect and earnest wishes for Mrs Smallwoods relief
Sir
your most obed.t humble Servant
For Mrs Smallwood
℞ Terr. Japon. pulv. Ʒij Cinnam. cort. Ʒj Gum. Arab. ℥ſs Aq. bull. ℥viij
Degere subinde agitans horas tres et chola per chartam vel pannum densum dein
adde Aq. cinnam. Spir. Tinct. e terr. Japon. Syr. diacod. @ ℥j T. Thebaic. gtt LXXX.
Sign. Strengthening Infusion two table Spoonfulls to be taken at bedtime and a
Single Spoonfull at some other time a day when purging is troublesome. -
℞ Spir. Minder. Ph, Ed. ℔j Sp. vin. gallic. ℥viij ℳ Sig. Lotion for
the breasts
Notes:
1: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p. 116.
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