The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4907] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Colonel George Clerk (Clarke, Clark) / Regarding: Colonel George Clerk (Clarke, Clark) (Patient) / 6 September 1784 / (Outgoing)
Reply, for 'Col. Clarke'. This letter concerns the case of Colonel Clerk and was written after his nephew, Colonel Maxwell, had visited Cullen with an account of his progress. Cullen gives advice on diet and exercise.
- 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 | 4907 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/17/102 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 6 September 1784 |
| 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 'Col. Clarke'. This letter concerns the case of Colonel Clerk and was written after his nephew, Colonel Maxwell, had visited Cullen with an account of his progress. Cullen gives advice on diet and exercise. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1473] |
Case of Colonel George Clerk [Clark, Clarke, Clerke] who becomes excessively weak and feeble from chronic costiveness, breathlessness, and other chronic complaints. In New York he has a perpetual fever and stomach complaint and mentions consulting Cullen before but no firm evidence traced unless he is the same patient as Case 283 in 1768. |
24 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2507] | Addressee | Colonel George Clerk (Clarke, Clark) |
| [PERS ID:2507] | Patient | Colonel George Clerk (Clarke, Clark) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3190] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Colonel William Maxwell (General Sir William Maxwell of Calderwood, 7th Bt (after 1829)) |
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 | Rooks Nest | Godstone | London and South-East | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Col. Clarke
Some days ago your nephew Col. Maxwell called
upon me to g and gave me some account of your present
situation. I believe he gave me them (↑it↑) very fully
and I soon perceived that he was anxious to do so ––
and found that he took all the pains he could
to impress me with a sense of your distress. I
must however tell you that though I believe that
your distress is considerable and your infirmities
very many yet upon cross questioning the Colonel
I think your condition at present is b appears
to me better than ever I knew it ↑to be↑ before and tho'
I do not think you so well as I would wish yet
I really hope you may go on as well as can be
expected with such a Constitution as you have una¬
voidably got into. You must give a great deal
of attention to every part of your manner of life
and that I hope you are reconciled to and resolved
[Page 2]
upon. I am happy to learn that you frequently go around
in the Chaise and sometimes even on horseback and I hope
you will miss no opportunity that the weather affords
of going in the Chaise and I prefer it to going on horsebac[k]
because I think you should avoid almost every thing of
bodily exercise and therefore it is that though your
infirmity is not so great as it has been yet I apprehen[d]
that every bodily exertion is in danger of hurting you.
Although you can I would hardly ever have you go up
a pair of stairs upon your own strength alone.
In recommending Exercise I have at the same time
in view that you will take great care in avoiding cold
by warm Cloathing, by avoiding damp and wet weather
and particularly by avoiding Evening air even in the
finest weather and in the same fine weather avoiding
the being near to open doors or windows.
In diet I dare say your own experience has
given you sufficient instruction, a low diet is neither
necessary nor proper for you and a very full one would
[Page 3]
be very hurtful but I believe you are in no danger of the
latter and you have only to guard against Occasional folly
from too heavy and heating things which I hope your own
feelings and discretion will teach you to avoid. I have
no objections to the Cookery that renders every thing more
tender and tasteful providing it does not employ heavy
and heating Sauces nor tempts to take a larger quantity
than one should and it is only in the latter respect
that I think a little variety is hurtful.
In drinking I think a little wine in your water
makes a safer drink to a Costive habit is better than
plain water and in the same sort of habits I think
good Porter with two parts of water does well for
ordinary drink. I think a few glasses of plain wine
may be very proper for you but take care that they
are never so many as to prove in the least heating
and take care also to avoid such weak bodied wines
as are ready to prove sour on your stomach.
I hold no part of your Regimen more
[Page 4]
necessary than that of keeping a regular belly and upon that
subject I hope I have formerly given you sufficient in¬
struction and may now leave the matter to your own
experience and discretion.
As from Col. Maxwells account I can find no
particular ailment to combat and merely the general
faults of your Constitution to be mended I prescribe no
medicines or remedies to you and think it enough to
touch some particulars of regimen ↑as I have↑ already done above.
I do not find from Col. Maxwell that you had any
occasion to follow any part of my last advice but I
would have it to lie still before you to be employed
if occasion should require. With regard to tepid bathing
I am a little puzzled. You formerly gave me reason to
believe that it had been of service but that it is so now
you seem to doubt. I must own that I have a high opinion
of it under proper management but I urge nothing against
particular experience.
happiness I have the honour to be your most obedient
humble Servant
Edinburgh 6th. September
1784
Diplomatic Text
Col. Clarke
Some days ago your nephew Col. Maxwell called
upon me to g and gave me some account of your present
situation. I believe he gave me them (↑it↑) very fully
and I soon perceived that he was anxious to do so ––
and found that he took all the pains he could
to impress me with a sense of your distress. I
must however tell you that though I believe that
your distress is considerable and your infirmities
very many yet upon cross questioning the Colonel
I think your condition at present is b appears
to me better than ever I knew it ↑to be↑ before and tho'
I do not think you so well as I would wish yet
I really hope you may go on as well as can be
expected with such a Constitution as you have una¬
voidably got into. You must give a great deal
of attention to every part of your manner of life
and that I hope you are reconciled to and resolved
[Page 2]
upon. I am happy to learn that you frequently go around
in the Chaise and sometimes even on horseback and I hope
you will miss no opportunity that the weather affords
of going in the Chaise and I prefer it to going on horsebac[k]
because I think you should avoid almost every thing of
bodily exercise and therefore it is that though your
infirmity is not so great as it has been yet I apprehen[d]
that every bodily exertion is in danger of hurting you.
Although you can I would hardly ever have you go up
a pair of stairs upon your own strength alone.
In recommending Exercise I have at the same time
in view that you will take great care in avoiding cold
by warm Cloathing, by avoiding damp and wet weather
and particularly by avoiding Evening air even in the
finest weather and in the same fine weather avoiding
the being near to open doors or windows.
In diet I dare say your own experience has
given you sufficient instruction, a low diet is neither
necessary nor proper for you and a very full one would
[Page 3]
be very hurtful but I believe you are in no danger of the
latter and you have only to guard against Occasional folly
from too heavy and heating things which I hope your own
feelings and discretion will teach you to avoid. I have
no objections to the Cookery that renders every thing more
tender and tasteful providing it does not employ heavy
and heating Sauces nor tempts to take a larger quantity
than one should and it is only in the latter respect
that I think a little variety is hurtful.
In drinking I think a little wine in your water
makes a safer drink to a Costive habit is better than
plain water and in the same sort of habits I think
good Porter with two parts of water does well for
ordinary drink. I think a few glasses of plain wine
may be very proper for you but take care that they
are never so many as to prove in the least heating
and take care also to avoid such weak bodied wines
as are ready to prove sour on your stomach.
I hold no part of your Regimen more
[Page 4]
necessary than that of keeping a regular belly and upon that
subject I hope I have formerly given you sufficient in¬
struction and may now leave the matter to your own
experience and discretion.
As from Col. Maxwells account I can find no
particular ailment to combat and merely the general
faults of your Constitution to be mended I prescribe no
medicines or remedies to you and think it enough to
touch some particulars of regimen ↑as I have↑ already done above.
I do not find from Col. Maxwell that you had any
occasion to follow any part of my last advice but I
would have it to lie still before you to be employed
if occasion should require. With regard to tepid bathing
I am a little puzzled. You formerly gave me reason to
believe that it had been of service but that it is so now
you seem to doubt. I must own that I have a high opinion
of it under proper management but I urge nothing against
particular experience.
happiness I have the honour to be your most obedient
humble Servant
Edinr. 6th. Septr.
1784
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