The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5145] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr James Currie / Regarding: Mrs Frances Johnstone (Colquitt) (Fann(e)y; Johnston, of Hawkhill) (Patient) / 16 September 1785 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'Dr Currie C[oncerning] Mrs. Johnston'. The patient's sister has called to see Cullen en route to visiting Hawkhill, and will also communicate news of her condition to her family in Liverpool. Cullen says that, 5 or 6 weeks previously, he had found Mrs Johnston 'in the state of violent insanity', which 'turned entirely upon Religion' and was accompanied by fainting and convulsions. He regards the case as hysteric.
- 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 | 5145 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/18/127 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 16 September 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 Currie C[oncerning] Mrs. Johnston'. The patient's sister has called to see Cullen en route to visiting Hawkhill, and will also communicate news of her condition to her family in Liverpool. Cullen says that, 5 or 6 weeks previously, he had found Mrs Johnston 'in the state of violent insanity', which 'turned entirely upon Religion' and was accompanied by fainting and convulsions. He regards the case as hysteric. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1692] |
Case of Mrs Johnston [Johnstone] of Hawkhill who has been reported as being insane. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:468] | Addressee | Dr James Currie |
| [PERS ID:1291] | Patient | Mrs Frances Johnstone (Fann(e)y; Johnston, of Hawkhill) |
| [PERS ID:5601] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:468] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr James Currie |
| [PERS ID:5600] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Miss Mary or Elizabeth Colquitt (Calcott) |
| [PERS ID:196] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Captain Gideon Johnstone (Johnston, Johnson; of Hawkhill) |
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 | Liverpool | North-West | England | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Liverpool | North-West | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Hawkhill House, Lochend Road | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Dr. Currie Concerning Mrs. Johnston
You may depend upon it that no request
from you will be denied by me when it is any ways
in my power to grant it.
I had a call yesterday from Miss Calcott on her
way to Hawkhill and told her every thing that I knew
of Mrs Johnston's situation and I dare say She will
immediately transmitt my accounts and a more exact
account still of Mrs. Johnsons present Situation to her
friends at Liverpool.
This might supersede my writing but nothing will
ever prevent my showing every possible attention to you
and therefore shall now tell you all I know of the [matter?]
About five or six weeks ago and particular
reason I cannot be more exact I was called to visit Mrs
Johnston and found her in the state of violent insanity
but was not told of its having taken place long before
about [Tuesday?] (↑it↑)
[Page 2]
which it turned entirely upon Religion and by its
being attended with faintings and at times consi¬
derable Convulsions I judged it to be very much
Hysteric and therefore hoped it might be
relieved. I attempted some remedies but
particular obstinacy in the Patient refusing
either meat or medicine prevented almost every
thing from being done. In the course of a few
days I visited her again two three times but
without any success in employing remedies. But
the disease admitting of some remission I hoped
that an opportunity might occurr to allow of
something being done in the way of medicine
and I left Capt. Johnstone with this; that
as at that time nothing could be done I should
not return unless he should particularly requir[e]
it and since that time, neither I nor the Apo¬
thecary have ever been called again to visit her
nor do I believe that any other Medical
[Page 3]
Person has been called in, and I have had no
opportunity of knowing any thing of her condition.
I have thus told you all I know, but (↑and though↑) wish
I could have Consulted Capt. Johnston before I
had written so much I have not done it, as y[ou]
desired I should not and on the the other hand I
must desire that nothing may be written to
Capt. Johnston upon my Authority and
I hope it will ↑not↑ be necessary you should
employ it as Miss Calcott will probably
give you every information you can desire
Dear Dr.
Your most Obedient servant
1785
Diplomatic Text
Dr. Currie C. Mrs. Johnston
You may depend upon it that no request
from you will be denied by me when it is any ways
in my power to grant it.
I had a call yesterday from Miss Calcott on her
way to Hawkhill and told her every thing that I knew
of Mrs Johnston's situation and I dare say She will
immediately transmitt my accounts and a more exact
account still of Mrs. Johnsons present Situation to her
friends at Liverpool.
This might supersede my writing but nothing will
ever prevent my showing every possible attention to you
and therefore shall now tell you all I know of the [matter?]
About five or six weeks ago and particular
reason I cannot be more exact I was called to visit Mrs
Johnston and found her in the state of violent insanity
but was not told of its having taken place long before
about [Tuesday?] (↑it↑)
[Page 2]
which it turned entirely upon Religion and by its
being attended with faintings and at times consi¬
derable Convulsions I judged it to be very much
Hysteric and therefore hoped it might be
relieved. I attempted some remedies but
particular obstinacy in the Patient refusing
either meat or medicine prevented almost every
thing from being done. In the course of a few
days I visited her again two three times but
without any success in employing remedies. But
the disease admitting of some remission I hoped
that an opportunity might occurr to allow of
something being done in the way of medicine
and I left Capt. Johnstone with this; that
as at that time nothing could be done I should
not return unless he should particularly requir[e]
it and since that time, neither I nor the Apo¬
thecary have ever been called again to visit her
nor do I believe that any other Medical
[Page 3]
Person has been called in, and I have had no
opportunity of knowing any thing of her condition.
I have thus told you all I know, but (↑and though↑) wish
I could have Consulted Capt. Johnston before I
had written so much I have not done it, as y[ou]
desired I should not and on the the other hand I
must desire that nothing may be written to
Capt. Johnston upon my Authority and
I hope it will ↑not↑ be necessary you should
employ it as Miss Calcott will probably
give you every information you can desire
Dear Dr.
Your most Obedient servant
1785
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