The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5134] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Charles Keith / Regarding: Mr Benjamin Woodman (Patient) / 25 August 1785 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Dr Keith C[oncerning] Mr Woodman'; mentions also the case of Mr Riddell.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5134 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/18/116 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 25 August 1785 |
| 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, 'Dr Keith C[oncerning] Mr Woodman'; mentions also the case of Mr Riddell. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1799] |
Case of Mr Woodman who has a swollen testicle. |
3 |
| [Case ID:1975] |
Case of Mr Riddell at or near Hexham, whose complaints include pains in his hands and salivating excessively, all symptoms Cullen attributes to a 'gouty' disposition. |
16 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3387] | Addressee | Dr Charles Keith |
| [PERS ID:3787] | Patient | Mr Benjamin Woodman |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3387] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Charles Keith |
| [PERS ID:3790] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr Askew |
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 | Morpeth | North-East | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Dr. Keith Concerning Mr. Woodman
Dear Dr.
I had yours yesterday but no Post going out
I could not answer you till today.
I am fully persuaded that Mr. Woodman
has no disease, but both because it may be difficult
to persuade him of this, and because I cannot be
sufficiently confident in a Negative I think you
have hinted the prudent measure and therefore
tho' you give him as both your own and my
opinion that his having an ailment is very
doubtful; yet for his absolute Security we
think it proper to give him a medicine that
may do good and can do no harm and of the me¬
dicines you hint I am clear in preferring the
Cicuta and would advise a moderate course of
this for some weeks.
With respect to Mr. Riddell. tho' he should
give me no fee I shall be satisfied if he gives you
[Page 2]
one and upon your account I shall give him the best
advice I can.
All his Symptoms certainly depend upon the
Gout and neither this nor its consequences can be
eradicated, but both may be alleviated be good
management and your general plan of moderate
diet, much exercise and a regular belly is I think
the best that can be offered to him. With respect
to the first I would advise a better breakfast to
prevent if possible an immoderate dinner. For
a Laxative your Stomachic pill may do very well
but it is no better and perhaps not so good as
the common Aloetic pill especially if you add
to this a fifth part of Gamboge. With several
persons I have found the Oleum Ricini with
a fourth part of the Edinburgh Tincture of Senna an¬
swer very well even in small quantity when
taken daily. I am of your opinion that blood¬
letting is not to be freely used in Gouty persons
[Page 3]
but a congestion in the brain the common cause
of Vertigo may sometimes require a little blood to
be drawn but it will be done more safely by
Leeches or cupping on the temples than by opening
a Vein. With respect to Blistering it might upon
occasion be useful but it can give a temporary relief
only and I should expect more benefit from issues
I would change the place of the present issues
as when fresh put in they will discharge
better. Upon the same supposition of
Vertigo depending upon a congestion in
the head Dr. Askews Medicine may
have been of Service and I think you have done
prudently as well as properly in repeating it and
when you do it again I would prefer the compound
powder of Jalap with a little Calomel to any thing
else and particularly to any Aloetic. I have thus I
think {illeg} every particular in your letter except that
question at the end of it. I think the Gout {illeg}
Scruphulous habits but I believe it has sometimes happened
Wishing you all happiness I am with good regard Dear Sir
yours &c.
William Cullen
Edinburgh 25th. August 1785
Diplomatic Text
Dr. Keith C. Mr. Woodman
Dear Dr.
I had yours yesterday but no Post going out
I could not answer you till today.
I am fully persuaded that Mr. Woodman
has no disease, but both because it may be difficult
to persuade him of this, and because I cannot be
sufficiently confident in a Negative I think you
have hinted the prudent measure and therefore
tho' you give him as both your own and my
opinion that his having an ailment is very
doubtful; yet for his absolute Security we
think it proper to give him a medicine that
may do good and can do no harm and of the me¬
dicines you hint I am clear in preferring the
Cicuta and would advise a moderate course of
this for some weeks.
With respect to Mr. Riddell. tho' he should
give me no fee I shall be satisfied if he gives you
[Page 2]
one and upon your account I shall give him the best
advice I can.
All his Symptoms certainly depend upon the
Gout and neither this nor its consequences can be
eradicated, but both may be alleviated be good
management and your general plan of moderate
diet, much exercise and a regular belly is I think
the best that can be offered to him. With respect
to the first I would advise a better breakfast to
prevent if possible an immoderate dinner. For
a Laxative your Stomachic pill may do very well
but it is no better and perhaps not so good as
the common Aloetic pill especially if you add
to this a fifth part of Gamboge. With several
persons I have found the Oleum Ricini with
a fourth part of the Edinr. Tincture of Senna an¬
swer very well even in small quantity when
taken daily. I am of your opinion that blood¬
letting is not to be freely used in Gouty persons
[Page 3]
but a congestion in the brain the common cause
of Vertigo may sometimes require a little blood to
be drawn but it will be done more safely by
Leeches or cupping on the temples than by opening
a Vein. With respect to Blistering it might upon
occasion be useful but it can give a temporary relief
only and I should expect more benefit from issues
I would change the place of the present issues
as when fresh put in they will discharge
better. Upon the same supposition of
Vertigo depending upon a congestion in
the head Dr. Askews Medicine may
have been of Service and I think you have done
prudently as well as properly in repeating it and
when you do it again I would prefer the compound
powder of Jalap with a little Calomel to any thing
else and particularly to any Aloetic. I have thus I
think {illeg} every particular in your letter except that
question at the end of it. I think the Gout {illeg}
Scruphulous habits but I believe it has sometimes happened
Wishing you all happiness I am with good regard Dear Sir
yours &c.
William Cullen
Edinr. 25th. Aug.t. 1785
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:5134]
Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...
