Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:5023] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr James Wishart / Regarding: Miss Henrietta Ross (Henrieta, Henny) (Patient) / 5 April 1785 / (Outgoing)

Reply, for '[Miss] Henrietta Ross'. This letter is the product of a joint consultation between Cullen and Mr Wood. Cullen and Wood believe Miss Ross's ailment does not originate in her chest but rather in the bowels and states there are no grounds to suspect the presence of worms. They advise on appropriate treatments, medicines and diet. Also included is a recipe for an aperient solution.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 5023
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/18/8
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date5 April 1785
Annotation None
TypeMachine scribal copy
Enclosure(s) Enclosure(s) present
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, for '[Miss] Henrietta Ross'. This letter is the product of a joint consultation between Cullen and Mr Wood. Cullen and Wood believe Miss Ross's ailment does not originate in her chest but rather in the bowels and states there are no grounds to suspect the presence of worms. They advise on appropriate treatments, medicines and diet. Also included is a recipe for an aperient solution.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1778]
Case of Miss Henrietta Ross, aged thirteen, who 'became indolent and discovered an inclination to ly upon her Bed and afterwards began to complain of pain in the right side a little below the Breast' (includes some poor copies).
4


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:2841]AddresseeMr James Wishart
[PERS ID:2843]PatientMiss Henrietta Ross (Henrieta, Henny)
[PERS ID:2842]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr John McFarquhar (Farquharson)
[PERS ID:2846]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr Wood
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:2841]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr James Wishart
[PERS ID:2842]Supplemental AddresseeMr John McFarquhar (Farquharson)

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 Balnagown Kildary North Highlands Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

{illeg} Henrietta Ross


{illeg} this Case as {illeg}
{illeg} but we hope
it might be {illeg} dangerous {illeg}


The first appearance of it {illeg} the right side
ought have given some suspicion of an Ailment
in the Chest, but while the pulse is good and there
is no degree of Cough. There is little ground for
such suspicion and the pain having gone across
the belly to the left Side having even
appeared in the lower part of the belly we
are led to think that the disease consists in
an obstruction in some of the bowels there. It
appears from the medicines employed that the
Case has been suspected to depend upon Worms
but there is nothing in the account of the
Case that can lead us to be of the same opinion




[Page 2]


With respect to {illeg}
and Blistering were both repeatedly employed and
we are very clear that a perpetual Issue shoud
be made upon the place of the original pain on
the right side. We would wish to have had a
more particular account of the pulse and its
state at different times but taking it for
granted that it is quite natural and good we
do not think there is room for any more
bleeding. We cannot disapprove of the use of small
doses of Calomel and if they did give relief as
they seem to have done to the pains of the belly
we should have no objection to give two grains
of Calomel at bed time and a dose of Rhubarb
next morning and if the young Lady bears
this easily ↑and it {illeg} any relief↑ we would repeat it two or three
times after intervals of two or three days.
We



[Page 3]

We judge {illeg}
{illeg} and therefore if the {illeg}
should appear [we would?] have no objection to the
repetition of the [Tincture of Calomel?] but must at the same time
Say that we consider it in the present Course
as of very little Significance. After what grounds
the Directions {illeg} ({illeg}) is employed in this
Case we do not understand and think it would
be better to let it alone.


Besides the trial of the Calomel and Rhubarb
mentioned above the only medicine we have to pro¬
pose is the Soluble Tartar. If the Rochelle
Salt
is at hand that is the soluble tartar we
would wish to employ but if it is not at hand
as it is not yet common in the Country we would
employ the common Soluble tartar in such
a formula as here inclosed (↑on other page↑). This Solution
is not intended to purge and only to keep the



[Page 4]

belly regular and if at times rather {illeg}
than this tho a {illeg}
It is to be taken every [morning?] except on
those mornings in which {illeg} Rhubarb after
the dose of the Calomel is taken.


Besides this remedy we have to desire
that the belly be rubbed all over but very gently
every night and morning ↑with a piece of {illeg} flannel↑ and as often as the
weather will tolerably allow that the Young
Lady be carried abroad in a Carriage for one two
or three hours as She easily bears it in the
forenoon.


We are rather Surprised to find nothing said
about the Young Lady's diet and about what She
can either take or bear and therefore we are at
some loss to prescribe and can only say that it
should be neither heavy nor full but at the same
time See no reason for its being made very low.


If



[Page 5]

If {illeg}
it might be {illeg}
perhaps [by?] {illeg} grains {illeg} and
if She bears this {illeg} and {illeg}
if her appetite it may be {illeg} afterwards
as occasion may seem to require.


William Cullen

Edinburgh 5th. April
1785


If any Letters hereafter are Sent to us we
beg that Prescriptions be written more clearly
and accurately than that of the {illeg} which [R?] either
/of us can clearly understand {illeg} at the
bottom of the present Case.




[Page 6]

{illeg} Ross

{illeg} {illeg} {illeg} Spanish Sea-Salt two {illeg} Cinnamon water Simp. and four {illeg} ------ Gentian Dissolve and strain using a paper. Label as Aperient Solution; a tablespoon to be taken in a gill of spring water at two drafts in the morning.


5th. April
1785

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

{illeg} Henrietta Ross


{illeg} this Case as {illeg}
{illeg} but we hope
it might be {illeg} dangerous {illeg}


The first appearance of it {illeg} the right side
ought have given some suspicion of an Ailment
in the Chest, but while the pulse is good and there
is no degree of Cough. There is little ground for
such suspicion and the pain having gone across
the belly to the left Side having even
appeared in the lower part of the belly we
are led to think that the disease consists in
an obstruction in some of the bowels there. It
appears from the medicines employed that the
Case has been suspected to depend upon Worms
but there is nothing in the account of the
Case that can lead us to be of the same opinion




[Page 2]


With respect to {illeg}
and Blistering were both repeatedly employed and
we are very clear that a perpetual Issue shoud
be made upon the place of the original pain on
the right side. We would wish to have had a
more particular account of the pulse and its
state at different times but taking it for
granted that it is quite natural and good we
do not think there is room for any more
bleeding. We cannot disapprove of the use of small
doses of Calomel and if they did give relief as
they seem to have done to the pains of the belly
we should have no objection to give two grains
of Calomel at bed time and a dose of Rhubarb
next morning and if the young Lady bears
this easily ↑and it {illeg} any relief↑ we would repeat it two or three
times after intervals of two or three days.
We



[Page 3]

We judge {illeg}
{illeg} and therefore if the {illeg}
should appear [we would?] have no objection to the
repetition of the [Tin. Calom.?] but must at the same time
Say that we consider it in the present Course
as of very little Significance. After what grounds
the Directions {illeg} ({illeg}) is employed in this
Case we do not understand and think it would
be better to let it alone.


Besides the trial of the Calomel and Rhubarb
mentioned above the only medicine we have to pro¬
pose is the Soluble Tartar. If the Rochelle
Salt
is at hand that is the soluble tartar we
would wish to employ but if it is not at hand
as it is not yet common in the Country we would
employ the common Soluble tartar in such
a formula as here inclosed (↑on other page↑). This Solution
is not intended to purge and only to keep the



[Page 4]

belly regular and if at times rather {illeg}
than this tho a {illeg}
It is to be taken every [morning?] except on
those mornings in which {illeg} Rhubarb after
the dose of the Calomel is taken.


Besides this remedy we have to desire
that the belly be rubbed all over but very gently
every night and morning ↑with a piece of {illeg} flannel↑ and as often as the
weather will tolerably allow that the Young
Lady be carried abroad in a Carriage for one two
or three hours as She easily bears it in the
forenoon.


We are rather Surprised to find nothing said
about the Young Lady's diet and about what She
can either take or bear and therefore we are at
some loss to prescribe and can only say that it
should be neither heavy nor full but at the same
time See no reason for its being made very low.


If



[Page 5]

If {illeg}
it might be {illeg}
perhaps [by?] {illeg} grains {illeg} and
if She bears this {illeg} and {illeg}
if her appetite it may be {illeg} afterwards
as occasion may seem to require.


William Cullen

Edinr. 5th. April
1785


If any Letters hereafter are Sent to us we
beg that Prescriptions be written more clearly
and accurately than that of the {illeg} which [R?] either
/of us can clearly understand {illeg} at the
bottom of the present Case.




[Page 6]

{illeg} Ross


{illeg}
{illeg}
{illeg}
Sal Marin Hisp {illeg}
Aq. Cinnam - Simp. {illeg} ij
------ gent {illeg} IV
Solve et per chartam cola
Sig. Aperient Solution a table Spoonful
to be taken in a gill of Spring water at
two drafts in the morning


5th. April
1785

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