The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[Case ID:987]: Case of Miss Hodgson [Hodgeson] with a very long history marked by a complex range of changing symptoms and self-medication. She is a chronic invalid who cannot turn herself in bed without aid.
Documents in this case
4 document(s) found in this case.
| DOC ID | Summary | Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
[DOC ID:1977] |
Covering letter from Richard Walker, a former student of Cullen's in Stockton. The letter accompanies the case (compiled by her maid) of Miss Hodgson (Doc ID 1978), a chronic invalid. He says: 'I had the pleasure & satisfaction on the Year: 74 thro' the Compliance of Dr. Pannell, to consult you' for her, and that 'she has never yet regularly complied with' the advice received. She is 'one of the most extraordinary Ladies, both mental & corporal, I ever met with'. She suffers from spasmodic, convulsive and inflammatory ailments, and has been treated for them with mercury. She also self-medicates from a collection he calls 'a little Apothecary shop of her own'. | 11 February 1781 | |||
|
[DOC ID:1978] |
Case note describing the case of Miss Hodgson, compiled by her maid with/for Richard Walker, originally enclosed in ID 1977. She is now 47, and the note traces her case back to 1768, before which she had a 'tolerable good state of Health, except a numbness or rather a want of Power to move at will' which made her often fall. Since then, she has suffered from a range of ailments, including diarrhœa; violent spasms which have left an arm and leg partly paralysed, with her leg often drawn up behind her and her foot twisted over; jaundice; inflammations and rashes. She has tried a number of different treatments: spa waters at Harrogate, Buxton and Bath, Butter's hemlock treatment, Dominiceti's baths in Chelsea, electricity, and various medicines, including salivation by means of mercury ointment. She is of 'bloated' appearance and cannot turn herself in bed without aid. | 11? February 1781 | |||
|
[DOC ID:1088] |
Reply, 'For Miss Hodgeson'. Directions to Richard Walker for Miss Hodgeson, with a diaphoretic recipe. Cullen states that he can give only a very general view, as '[i]t is a greatly disordered system which for a dozen of years past has exhibited almost every different shape of disease'. He admits: 'Miss H's constitution is singular in admitting feverish & inflammatory affections. In this view of so variously complicated a disorder it is very difficult to advise'. | 19 February 1781 | |||
|
[DOC ID:1983] |
Reply, 'For Miss Hodgson'. Directions for Richard Walker's patient, Miss Hodgson, who has spasmodic and convulsive ailments. Cullen notes: 'from its complicated nature find it difficult to explain and from its long continuance and its having been on several occasions mismanaged I am sorry to observe that it must be of difficult cure.' He observes that her approaching menopause may help with some symptoms, and that her attacks of jaundice were probably caused by gallstones. He advises salivation and warm baths. There are several instances of pen-practice as superscript on the manuscript. | 19? February 1781 | |||
These documents contain one or more that share the same date. We have manually applied an order based on what we know.
People involved in this case
9 found.
| PERS ID | Full Name |
|---|---|
| [PERS ID: 2192] | Miss |
| [PERS ID: 1233] | Dr Thomas Blackburne |
| [PERS ID: 1364] | Dr William Butter |
| [PERS ID: 1] | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID: 1092] | Dr John Daltry (Dealtry, Daltrey) |
| [PERS ID: 2654] | Dr Bartolomeo Dominiceti (Dominciti) |
| [PERS ID: 2273] | Miss Hodgson (Hodgeson) |
| [PERS ID: 1659] | Dr Fotherley Pannell |
| [PERS ID: 1884] | Mr Richard Walker |
Unique Places linked to this Case
7 found.
| Type | Specific Place | Village/Town/City (aka) | Region | Country | Continent | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Place | Stockton-on-Tees | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Bath | South-West | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Buxton | Midlands | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | York | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Harrogate | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Chelsea | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain |
Places and role of place
9 found.
| Type | Role | Specific Place | Village/Town/City (aka) | Region | Country | Continent | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific | Place of Writing | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Place | Place of Writing | Stockton-on-Tees | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Specific | Destination of Letter | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Place | Destination of Letter | Stockton-on-Tees | North-East | England | Europe | inferred | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | Bath | South-West | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | Buxton | Midlands | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | York | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | Harrogate | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Place | Mentioned / Other | Chelsea | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain |
