The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4721] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) / Regarding: Mr Robert Barclay (Patient) / 6 October 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mr Barclay'
- 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 | 4721 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/16/125 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 6 October 1783 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply 'For Mr Barclay' |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1402] |
Case of Robert Barclay who suffers from bad headaches, especially at night, and swollen ankles. |
8 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:563] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) |
| [PERS ID:3244] | Patient | Mr Robert Barclay |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:563] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Stevenson (Professor; of Dalgairn ) |
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 | Capelrig House | Crookfur | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | ||
| Mentioned / Other | Hampshire | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Mr. Barclay
I am of the same opinion as ever of Mr. Barclay's
ailments. He certainly had in his constitution a dispo¬
sition to the Gout and as this is perhaps never entirely
eradicated I have no doubt of his having the same
disposition still and I say all this that so far as my
opinion may go it may prevent any bodies advising
any thing to him that is inconsistent with such a
constitution.
At present however he is in tolerable health
and it is very doubtful if ever he will have any
regular fit of Gout and his business is to manage
his living so that he may do nothing to prevent it
nor any thing to force it.
For these purposes some length of Journey
will certainly be of service if it is conducted so as
never to expose him to either cold or fatigue.
[Page 2]
This Journey is to be directed to the South of Eng[land]
where he certainly should remain for the Winter as he
will have there both a warmer and a drier Climate
than he could have had at home but to make sure
of the latter circumstance he must not go further to
the West than Hampshire and to enjoy a mild winter
and Spring he should not be to the Eastward of the
same Country.
He should chose a place that in respect of
roads will allow him to take Exercise in a Carriage
as often as he pleases and the weather will allow,
for nothing will contribute more to preserve his
health than some daily exercise in that way. When
the weather allows of it his being much or often in
the open air will be of great service and therefore
moderate walking is very allowable but in the pre¬
sent state of his limbs it should be always very
gentle and what he easily bears for any fatigue
[Page 3]
in this way might be very hurtful.
In every situation he should give great atten¬
tion to the avoiding of cold and therefore particularly
to his Cloathing. He should have woolen every where
next his skin, he should be otherwise warmly
cloathed and should take particular care to keep
his feet and legs always warm and dry and with
respect to the whole of his Cloathing he should take
the utmost care never to make the smallest
change from what he has been accustomed to any
thinner. With all this he is to take care to avoid
moisture and therefore very moist weather evening
and night air and at all times either day or night
he is to avoid being in any narrow draught of air.
With respect to diet I think a few general direc¬
tions will be sufficient. He may take every kind
of ordinary fare and only should avoid either the
very heavy or the very light kinds of food, he
[Page 4]
should be always moderate in the proportion of
Animal food and as caoutious in the proportion of
Greens. Roots and fruit. Fresh fish he may take
frequently but not very often. Ham and all kind
of salted meats he should abstain from altogether.
These directions are for his Dinner. For his
breakfast and Supper are at present ordered
properly enough.
For his ordinary drink plain water will
be the best only in Winter it should not be very
cold. All kind of malt liquors I think improper.
At Dinner every day he may, nay should take
a few glasses of wine but they should be of the
stronger kinds as Madeira Red Port, or some
of the stronger kinds of Spanish or Portuguese
wines. Claret, Hock and all the French white
wines I hold to be very improper. He may possible
meet with Mead in Hampshire but I never saw it in
a condition to be safe. I forgot to say above that his safest drink
at night is Toddy.
William Cullen
Edinburgh 6th. October 1783
Diplomatic Text
For Mr. Barclay
I am of the same opinion as ever of Mr. Barclay's
ailments. He certainly had in his constitution a dispo¬
sition to the Gout and as this is perhaps never entirely
eradicated I have no doubt of his having the same
disposition still and I say all this that so far as my
opinion may go it may prevent any bodies advising
any thing to him that is inconsistent with such a
constitution.
At present however he is in tolerable health
and it is very doubtful if ever he will have any
regular fit of Gout and his business is to manage
his living so that he may do nothing to prevent it
nor any thing to force it.
For these purposes some length of Journey
will certainly be of service if it is conducted so as
never to expose him to either cold or fatigue.
[Page 2]
This Journey is to be directed to the South of Eng[land]
where he certainly should remain for the Winter as he
will have there both a warmer and a drier Climate
than he could have had at home but to make sure
of the latter circumstance he must not go further to
the West than Hampshire and to enjoy a mild winter
and Spring he should not be to the Eastward of the
same Country.
He should chose a place that in respect of
roads will allow him to take Exercise in a Carriage
as often as he pleases and the weather will allow,
for nothing will contribute more to preserve his
health than some daily exercise in that way. When
the weather allows of it his being much or often in
the open air will be of great service and therefore
moderate walking is very allowable but in the pre¬
sent state of his limbs it should be always very
gentle and what he easily bears for any fatigue
[Page 3]
in this way might be very hurtful.
In every situation he should give great atten¬
tion to the avoiding of cold and therefore particularly
to his Cloathing. He should have woolen every where
next his skin, he should be otherwise warmly
cloathed and should take particular care to keep
his feet and legs always warm and dry and with
respect to the whole of his Cloathing he should take
the utmost care never to make the smallest
change from what he has been accustomed to any
thinner. With all this he is to take care to avoid
moisture and therefore very moist weather evening
and night air and at all times either day or night
he is to avoid being in any narrow draught of air.
With respect to diet I think a few general direc¬
tions will be sufficient. He may take every kind
of ordinary fare and only should avoid either the
very heavy or the very light kinds of food, he
[Page 4]
should be always moderate in the proportion of
Animal food and as caoutious in the proportion of
Greens. Roots and fruit. Fresh fish he may take
frequently but not very often. Ham and all kind
of salted meats he should abstain from altogether.
These directions are for his Dinner. For his
breakfast and Supper are at present ordered
properly enough.
For his ordinary drink plain water will
be the best only in Winter it should not be very
cold. All kind of malt liquors I think improper.
At Dinner every day he may, nay should take
a few glasses of wine but they should be of the
stronger kinds as Madeira Red Port, or some
of the stronger kinds of Spanish or Portuguese
wines. Claret, Hock and all the French white
wines I hold to be very improper. He may possible
meet with Mead in Hampshire but I never saw it in
a condition to be safe. I forgot to say above that his safest drink
at night is Toddy.
William Cullen
Edinr. 6th. Octr. 1783
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