The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4536] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr John Walker / Regarding: Miss Mitchell (Patient) / 14 November 1779 / (Outgoing)
Reply to John Walker 'For Miss Mitchell'. In response to Doc ID:1755, Cullen is sorry to find her case 'so desperate', and advises Walker to treat her with mercury or mezereon, for the use of which he gives directions.
- 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 | 4536 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/12/103 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 14 November 1779 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply to John Walker 'For Miss Mitchell'. In response to Doc ID:1755, Cullen is sorry to find her case 'so desperate', and advises Walker to treat her with mercury or mezereon, for the use of which he gives directions. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1148] |
Case of Miss Mitchell whose health was undermined in the West Indies from where she returned two years previously; she has rheumatic pains and a long-standing throat condition which is described variously as a tumour or quinsy. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:838] | Addressee | Mr John Walker |
| [PERS ID:3119] | Patient | Miss Mitchell |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:838] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Walker |
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 | Kirkcudbright | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Miss Mitchell.
I am sorry to find it so desperate & especially because it
does not admit of the exhibition of medicines. Altho I
will determine what is the disease I am persuaded it can
be cured only by Mercury or Mezereon; but this last can be
only used in Decoction & by the mouth. I never knew it tried
by injection & am doubtful how it would do for it is an
acrid medicine that cannot be given in large doses at once
& therefore might require a greater frequency of injections
than can be conveniently practised. but you may try proceeding
with caution: giving no more at first of the Decoction than
what contains ten grains of the bark of the root. I have
had great benefit from the use of the Mezereon but
[Page 2]
in this case, I think there is more reason to trust to
Mercury. You should try it by unction & proceeding slowly
in bringing on only a tainted breath or the slightest spitting
& therefore intermitting a day or two as soon as the mouth is
in any way affected. I advise this method both on account
of the pain she felt from a greater salivation & of the
inflammation on her Tonsil. In either way the Mer¬
cury may be troublesome but the case is otherwise
so desperate as to encourage running risk & cc.
Diplomatic Text
For Miss Mitchell.
I am sorry to find it so desperate & especially because it
does not admit of the exhibition of medicines. Altho I
will determine what is the disease I am persuaded it can
be cured only by Mercury or Mezereon; but this last can be
only used in Decoction & by the mouth. I never knew it tried
by injection & am doubtful how it would do for it is an
acrid medicine that cannot be given in large doses at once
& therefore might require a greater frequency of injections
than can be conveniently practised. but you may try proceedg
with caution: giving no more at first of the Decoction than
what contains ten grains of the bark of the root. I have
had great benefit from the use of the Mezereon but
[Page 2]
in this case, I think there is more reason to trust to
Mercury. You should try it by unction & proceeding slowly
in bringing on only a tainted breath or the slightest spitting
& therefore intermitting a day or two as soon as the mouth is
in any way affected. I advise this method both on account
of the pain she felt from a greater salivation & of the
inflammation on her Tonsil. In either way the Mer¬
cury may be troublesome but the case is otherwise
so desperate as to encourage running risk & cc.
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