The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:539] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr William Fergusson (Ferguson; of Auchinsoul) / Regarding: Mr William Fergusson (Ferguson; of Auchinsoul) (Patient) / 4 May 1782 / (Outgoing)
Reply, for William Ferguson. Cullen gives a recipe for cephalic pills 'which you can have readily prepared at Ayr', with the instructions that one pill is to be taken at breakfast 'if it makes you squeamish', but two pills otherwise, or 'such a dose as makes you a little sick or squeamish'.
- 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 | 539 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/15/22 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 4 May 1782 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, for William Ferguson. Cullen gives a recipe for cephalic pills 'which you can have readily prepared at Ayr', with the instructions that one pill is to be taken at breakfast 'if it makes you squeamish', but two pills otherwise, or 'such a dose as makes you a little sick or squeamish'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1466] |
Case of William Ferguson who has fits. |
8 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:204] | Addressee | Mr William Fergusson (Ferguson; of Auchinsoul) |
| [PERS ID:204] | Patient | Mr William Fergusson (Ferguson; of Auchinsoul) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
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 | Ayr (Air) | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
I am favoured with yours of the 29th pas[t]
and am much concerned to find that your ailment has r[e¬]
turned upon you notwithstanding your strict attention to
both medicine and regimen. I am much disappointed in
the medicines having so little effect upon you and I cannot
therefore advise the further use of it but in place of it I ha[ve]
given you a prescription on the other page which you can
have readily prepared at Ayr. It is still in the form of
pills and you are to begin with one taking it in the mornin[g]
before breakfast and if this makes you a little squeamish
it is enough and you are to continue at that dose as long [as]
it makes you squeamish but if either from the first it do[es]
not make you squeamish or if after taking it for several
days it ceases to do so you are in either case to take
two pills or more for a dose and at such a dose as ma[kes]
you a little sick or squeamish you are to continue f[or]
[Page 2]
three or four weeks, and in that time of you are not entire¬
[l]y free from your complaint you will please let me know
[an]d I shall advise further as well as I can.
You say that you have adhered very strictly to your re¬
[g]imen and I hope you will continue to do so for I depend
[up]on that as much as upon the medicine. If your milk
diet makes you costive you must take care not to let that
{illeg} too far but when occasion requires to take some gentle
[la]xative. Wishing you heartily better health I am
Sir
your most obedient servant
Edinburgh 4th May
1782.
[Page 3]
For Mr William Fergusson
Take one scruple of blue or Roman Vitriol half an ounce of powdered wild valerian root Rub together to form a powder, then add one and a half ounces of Extract of liquorice well-softened in hot water and with a sufficient quantity of water make a mass to be divided into 40 pills. Label: Cephalic Pills one for a dose in the morning.
4th May
1782.
Diplomatic Text
I am favoured with yours of the 29th pas[t]
and am much concerned to find that your ailment has r[e¬]
turned upon you notwithstanding your strict attention to
both medicine and regimen. I am much disappointed in
the medicines having so little effect upon you and I cannot
therefore advise the further use of it but in place of it I ha[ve]
given you a prescription on the other page which you can
have readily prepared at Ayr. It is still in the form of
pills and you are to begin with one taking it in the mornin[g]
before breakfast and if this makes you a little squeamish
it is enough and you are to continue at that dose as long [as]
it makes you squeamish but if either from the first it do[es]
not make you squeamish or if after taking it for several
days it ceases to do so you are in either case to take
two pills or more for a dose and at such a dose as ma[kes]
you a little sick or squeamish you are to continue f[or]
[Page 2]
three or four weeks, and in that time of you are not entire¬
[l]y free from your complaint you will please let me know
[an]d I shall advise further as well as I can.
You say that you have adhered very strictly to your re¬
[g]imen and I hope you will continue to do so for I depend
[up]on that as much as upon the medicine. If your milk
diet makes you costive you must take care not to let that
{illeg} too far but when occasion requires to take some gentle
[la]xative. Wishing you heartily better health I am
Sir
your most obedient servant
Edinr. 4th May
1782.
[Page 3]
For Mr William Fergusson
℞ Vitriol. cærul. sive Roman. ℈j
pulv. rad. valerian. silv. ʒſs
Terito simul in pulverem dein adde
Extract. glycyrrh. aqua fervente bene molleti ʒjſs
et cum aquæ q.s.f. massa dividenda in pil. № XL
Sig. Cephalic Pills one for a dose in the morning.
4th May
1782.
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