The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5816] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr William Wood / Regarding: Miss Wood (Patient) / 3 May 1789 / (Outgoing)
Reply headed 'For Miss Wood', after her visit to Cullen (either the same or the previous day), and probably addressed and given to her father. Cullen provides a regimen, including advice on taking mare's milk, and a perpetual issue on the breast.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 8 images for this document.
[Page 1]
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[Page 8]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5816 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/21/88 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 3 May 1789 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply headed 'For Miss Wood', after her visit to Cullen (either the same or the previous day), and probably addressed and given to her father. Cullen provides a regimen, including advice on taking mare's milk, and a perpetual issue on the breast. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:2326] |
Case of Miss Wood who is debilitated by a cough developing into a serious lung condition suspected of being tubercular. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4310] | Addressee | Mr William Wood |
| [PERS ID:4311] | Patient | Miss Wood |
| [PERS ID:4309] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Robert Somerville |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4310] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr William Wood |
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 | Haddington | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Miss Wood
From now Seeing herself and from having
a full and judicious information with regard
to what has passed I have a clear view of
the case.
The untoward symptoms she has had
and still in part has, ↑do↑ threatened disagreeable
consequences, but I have the pleasure to
observe that none of these yet appear;
that her symptoms have not yet
proceeded far, and that there is good ground
to hope that by proper pains taken
they may be entirely prevented.
For that purpose I would propose
the following measures.
1 I would have her lay aside entirely
[Page 2]
all animal food and confine her diet to milk
grain and fruit.
The milk employed must be taken fresh
from the Cow, but even this must be always
mixed with an equal part of thin water
gruel poured boiling hot upon the milk
and the whole to be sweetened with Sugar
to the sweetness of Asses milk or a little
more.
Whenever she is to take any kind of
grain, as Barley, or Barley meal Pottage
wheatened bread, Rice or Sago, to these se¬
parately well boiled in water, there is to be
put the mixed milk mentioned in the sam[e]
proportion, as we put plain Cows milk.
She may vary these milk meats at
pleasure, and employ them at her several
meals, and if it is agreeable to her, she
may at the same meals take some [stoned?]
[Page 3]
and well boiled Raisins, or well boiled Currants
either of them mixed with her boiled grain
and milk, or she may on the same occasion
take a portion of well boiled Apple.
With respect to these fruit, let it be
observed, that if they show any tendency
to purge her, they must be let alone, but if
they show no tendency or no considerable
tendency this way, they will make a very
proper part of her diet.
2 If she has any demand for drink plain
water is the most proper she can employ
but it must not be very cold, nor yet warm
If her thirst is considerable, She should
three or four times a day take in a glass
of water a tea spoonful of the cooling
mixture prescribed on the enclosed paper
which I expect will not only improve
[Page 4]
her appetite, but will also prove diuretic
3 Besides these managements I depend
much upon the use of Mares Milk which I
hope she can easily procure in the Country at
this Season of the year, and I think it is not
necessary to give any directions about the
management of the Mare and her fole, which
I suppose to be commonly known.
I would have Miss Wood begin by taking
a gill of Mares Milk [when?] warm from the
Mare at Six oClock of the morning, and to be
still abed to her ordinary time of rising. If
she digests this well, She may gradually
increase her dose every morning till she
can take half a mutckin of the milk
and if she agrees well with this, and
that it neither purges, or makes her
Sweat, she should take or much more of
the milk between Seven and Eight of the Evening
[Page 5]
and when She does this by her taking a little
bread or Biscuit along with it, I would have
it serve for her Supper.
4 With these measures She is every day to
take as much Air and exercise as she can
easily bear. She is not to attempt Walking
but in the most gentle manner, never uphill
and never long at one time. The exercise
that I would prefer is that of a Single
Horse Chaise, upon as smooth road as can
be got, or moving slowly when it is rough
but with this management her journies
or airings are always to be as far as She
can easily bear.
If a Chaise cannot be conveniently got
let her be put upon a Pad behind a Man
upon a smooth going horse, and in this way
too She is always to go as far as she can easily
[Page 6]
bear. In whatever shape she goes abroad, She
must take great care to avoid cold, and therefore
to be always pretty well cloathed, and particu¬
larly by wearing a flannel Shirt
next her skin. She is always to take her
exercise in the forenoon and never after
dinner. When She is within doors her
Chamber should never be cold, and never very
warm. She should always go early to be
and should not lie in the morning longer
than necessary
5. Her recovery is trusted to the above
management, and few medicines seem to be
necessary. I have prescribed only two upon the
inclosed paper, and Mr. Sommerville will
direct the use of them.
6 Besides these medicines there is only
one other remedy from which I could expect
benefit, and that is an Issue. For this let
[Page 7]
a small blister be put upon her left breast
between the Mamma and the Clavicle, and
let a small part of this blister be turned
into a perpetual issue, dressing it by the
Epispasticum mitius if that can be suff[i]¬
cient to keep it open. If however either
with one Ointment or another, it occasions
much pain or Strangury, that issue is
to be dried up, and a Single pea issue put
into the left arm.
7. Both from the urgency of the Cough
and from the habit she has been in of taking
it, the Anodyne is still to be continued, but
let it not be increased beyond what is
necessary.
William Cullen -
Edinburgh 3d May
1789
[Page 8]
For Miss Wood
Take three ounces of Rosewater, half an ounce of Thin Vitriolic Spirit, and half an ounce of Dried Rose Syrup. Mix. Label: Cooling mixture; a teaspoon or two to be taken in a glass of water not very cold three or four times a day.
Take three drachms of Liquorice Extract and one drachms of Balsam of Tolu. Divide into pieces the Liquorice Extract and pour enough boiling water in order to let it soften and be reduced into a pulp, to which add the balsam previously rubbed with a little bit of sugar into a fine powder and, with a sufficient quantity of Gum Arabic paste, make a mass to be divided into pills of four grains each. Label: Pectoral Pills; two to be taken every night at bed time.
W.C.
3d. May
1789 -
Diplomatic Text
For Miss Wood
From now Seeing herself and from having
a full and judicious information with regard
to what has passed I have a clear view of
the case.
The untoward symptoms she has had
and still in part has, ↑do↑ threatened disagreeable
consequences, but I have the pleasure to
observe that none of these yet appear;
that her symptoms have not yet
proceeded far, and that there is good ground
to hope that by proper pains taken
they may be entirely prevented.
For that purpose I would propose
the following measures.
1 I would have her lay aside entirely
[Page 2]
all animal food and confine her diet to milk
grain and fruit.
The milk employed must be taken fresh
from the Cow, but even this must be always
mixed with an equal part of thin water
gruel poured boiling hot upon the milk
and the whole to be sweetened with Sugar
to the sweetness of Asses milk or a little
more.
Whenever she is to take any kind of
grain, as Barley, or Barley meal Pottage
wheatened bread, Rice or Sago, to these se¬
parately well boiled in water, there is to be
put the mixed milk mentioned in the sam[e]
proportion, as we put plain Cows milk.
She may vary these milk meats at
pleasure, and employ them at her several
meals, and if it is agreeable to her, she
may at the same meals take some [stoned?]
[Page 3]
and well boiled Raisins, or well boiled Currants
either of them mixed with her boiled grain
and milk, or she may on the same occasion
take a portion of well boiled Apple.
With respect to these fruit, let it be
observed, that if they show any tendency
to purge her, they must be let alone, but if
they show no tendency or no considerable
tendency this way, they will make a very
proper part of her diet.
2 If she has any demand for drink plain
water is the most proper she can employ
but it must not be very cold, nor yet warm
If her thirst is considerable, She should
three or four times a day take in a glass
of water a tea spoonful of the cooling
mixture prescribed on the enclosed paper
which I expect will not only improve
[Page 4]
her appetite, but will also prove diuretic
3 Besides these managements I depend
much upon the use of Mares Milk which I
hope she can easily procure in the Country at
this Season of the year, and I think it is not
necessary to give any directions about the
management of the Mare and her fole, which
I suppose to be commonly known.
I would have Miss Wood begin by taking
a gill of Mares Milk [when?] warm from the
Mare at Six oClock of the morning, and to be
still abed to her ordinary time of rising. If
she digests this well, She may gradually
increase her dose every morning till she
can take half a mutckin of the milk
and if she agrees well with this, and
that it neither purges, or makes her
Sweat, she should take or much more of
the milk between Seven and Eight of the Evening
[Page 5]
and when She does this by her taking a little
bread or Biscuit along with it, I would have
it serve for her Supper.
4 With these measures She is every day to
take as much Air and exercise as she can
easily bear. She is not to attempt Walking
but in the most gentle manner, never uphill
and never long at one time. The exercise
that I would prefer is that of a Single
Horse Chaise, upon as smooth road as can
be got, or moving slowly when it is rough
but with this management her journies
or airings are always to be as far as She
can easily bear.
If a Chaise cannot be conveniently got
let her be put upon a Pad behind a Man
upon a smooth going horse, and in this way
too She is always to go as far as she can easily
[Page 6]
bear. In whatever shape she goes abroad, She
must take great care to avoid cold, and therefore
to be always pretty well cloathed, and particu¬
larly by wearing a flannel Shirt
next her skin. She is always to take her
exercise in the forenoon and never after
dinner. When She is within doors her
Chamber should never be cold, and never very
warm. She should always go early to be
and should not lie in the morning longer
than necessary
5. Her recovery is trusted to the above
management, and few medicines seem to be
necessary. I have prescribed only two upon the
inclosed paper, and Mr. Sommerville will
direct the use of them.
6 Besides these medicines there is only
one other remedy from which I could expect
benefit, and that is an Issue. For this let
[Page 7]
a small blister be put upon her left breast
between the Mamma and the Clavicle, and
let a small part of this blister be turned
into a perpetual issue, dressing it by the
Epispasticum mitius if that can be suff[i]¬
cient to keep it open. If however either
with one Ointment or another, it occasions
much pain or Strangury, that issue is
to be dried up, and a Single pea issue put
into the left arm.
7. Both from the urgency of the Cough
and from the habit she has been in of taking
it, the Anodyne is still to be continued, but
let it not be increased beyond what is
necessary.
William Cullen -
Edinr. 3d May
1789
[Page 8]
For Miss Wood
℞ Aq. rosar. ℥iij
Sp. vitriol ten.
Syr. e ros. sicc. @℥ſs
ℳ. Sig. Cooling mixture a Tea
spoonful or two to be taken in a
glass of water not very cold three
or four times a day.
℞ Extract. glycyrrh. ʒiij
Balsam. Tolutan. ʒj
Extracto in frustula conciso affunde
Aq. fervent. q. s. ut mollescat
et in pulpam contundatur cui adde
Balsamum prius cum pauxillo
Sacchari in pulverem tenuem
tritam et cum Mucilag. g. Arab. q. s.
f. massa dividenda in pil. sing.
gr. iv.
Sig. Pectoral Pills two to be taken
every night at bedtime
W.C.
3d. May
1789 -
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