
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1014] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Anthony Chamier (Charmier, Chamia) / Regarding: Mr Anthony Chamier (Charmier, Chamia) (Patient) / 30 August 1780 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Anthony Chamier Esqr', conveying '[o]ur chief view to recover this' regarding his 'general loss of tone'. Chamier's subsequent letters written as he travels south towards London via Buxton and Matlock imply that these may be the directions given at a personal meeting he had with Cullen before leaving Edinburgh.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 1014 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/13/69 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 30 August 1780 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | Yes |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Reply 'For Anthony Chamier Esqr', conveying '[o]ur chief view to recover this' regarding his 'general loss of tone'. Chamier's subsequent letters written as he travels south towards London via Buxton and Matlock imply that these may be the directions given at a personal meeting he had with Cullen before leaving Edinburgh. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:56] |
Case of Anthony Chamier, who suffers from a general 'languor' or weakness and which unfortunately proves fatal. After consulting Cullen in Edinburgh, Chamier travels south to London, via Buxton and Matlock, keeping Cullen informed of his failing condition along the way. |
8 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:514] | Addressee | Mr Anthony Chamier (Charmier, Chamia) |
[PERS ID:514] | Patient | Mr Anthony Chamier (Charmier, Chamia) |
[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 |
Therapeutic Recommendation | Buxton | Midlands | England | Europe | certain | |
Therapeutic Recommendation | Matlock | Midlands | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Anthony Chamier Esqr.
A general loss of tone. Our chief view to recover this.
cold bath: but in his present very weak state
the mildest necessary. viz. Buxton - bathe every morning
& drying & rubbing with coarse towels &c. -
If he find it gives him vigour; after employing it
two or three weeks, go to Matlock for a colder bath
& continue it also for two or three weeks. There he
should dip but once, coming out again rinsed &c
If he quickly recovers his heat, &c it will be useful
but if he do not, the effects will be uncertain or
at least the cold must be more gradually applied.
Fresh air, exercise. A steady journey - & even
when abiding in a place, never miss riding out for two
or three hours every forenoon.
To travelling & cold bathing I chiefly trust, but
some medicines may be useful - Chalybeates
especially rust of steel. But this can be of little
service while he takes so much oystershell. I
hope he will be able to reduce this for its long
continued large use may be harmful. When he
has done so, he may take the
Steelten grains every
forenoon, gradually increasing to 30 or 30 provided
it does not load his Stomach nor increase costiveness.
If he cannot do without large use if the Absorbent
he must not take the Rust; but may try the Tinct.
Mart. Ph. Ed. 1 from 15 to 30 drops in a glass of water
two of three times a day & at the same time
five grains of Salt of Steel rubbed
with {illeg}
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When the rust is used I should have said above
that a little powdered cinnamon may be taken with it.
I hope these will so far correct the acidity as
to supersede the Absorbent & allow him to take
some more vegetable food.
Avoid costiveness. The scotch pill he uses is
very good but if it grow inert by repetition
try the Recipe advised below.
Diet must be regulated by his own experience.
Milk may be useful but being liable to produce
costiveness must be managed in a particular
manner. Being new drawn mix it with an equal
quantity of water gruel &cc. Thus it may be
taken largely at any time, particulary at Supper.
In the morning it may be taken largely diluted
with Sassafras tea. The milk should always
be moderately warm, never boiled.
Continue his travelling till winter when
upon further information I shall advise &c.
Take a drachm of the finest Soccotrine Aloes, ten grains of Gamboge, fifteen grains of Sal Polychrest; slowly grind them into a soft powder and well mixed then add a drachm of Gentian Extract, with sufficient Syrup of Balsam to make into a mass to divide into pills of five grains each. One for a dose at bed time.
Notes:
1: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p.79.
Diplomatic Text
For Anthony Chamier Esqr.
A general loss of tone. Our chief view to recover this.
cold bath: but in his present very weak state
the mildest necessary. viz. Buxton - bathe every morning
& drying & rubbing with coarse towels &c. -
If he find it gives him vigour; after employing it
two or three weeks, go to Matlock for a colder bath
& continue it also for two or three weeks. There he
should dip but once, coming out again rinsed &c
If he quickly recovers his heat, &c it will be useful
but if he do not, the effects will be uncertain or
at least the cold must be more gradually applied.
Fresh air, exercise. A steady journey - & even
when abiding in a place, never miss riding out for two
or three hours every forenoon.
To travelling & cold bathing I chiefly trust, but
some medicines may be useful - Chalybeates
especially rust of steel. But this can be of little
service while he takes so much oystershell. I
hope he will be able to reduce this for its long
continued large use may be harmful. When he
has done so, he may take the
Steelgr.X every
forenoon, gradually increasing to 30 or 30 provided
it does not load his Stomach nor increase costiveness.
If he cannot do without large use if the Absorbent
he must not take the Rust; but may try the Tinct.
Mart. Ph. Ed. 1 from 15 to 30 gtt. in a glass of water
two of three times a day & at the same time
five grains of Salt of Steel rubbed
w {illeg}
[Page 2]
When the rust is used I should have said above
that a little powdered cinnamon may be taken with it.
I hope these will so far correct the acidity as
to supersede the Absorbent & allow him to take
some more vegetable food.
Avoid costiveness. The scotch pill he uses is
very good but if it grow inert by repetition
try the ℞ advised below.
Diet must be regulated by his own experience.
Milk may be useful but being liable to produce
costiveness must be managed in a particular
manner. Being new drawn mix it with an equal
quantity of water gruel &cc. Thus it may be
taken largely at any time, particulary at Supper.
In the morning it may be taken largely diluted
with Sassafras tea. The milk should always
be moderately warm, never boiled.
Continue his travelling till winter when
upon further information I shall advise &c.
℞ Al. Socot. opt. ʒi Gambog. gr.X
Sal. polychr. gr. XV
Lento in pulv. len. & probe misceartum d. adde
Extr. gentian ʒi
Syr. bals. q.s. ut f. mass a divid.
in pil. sing. gr. v.
One for a dose at bed time
Notes:
1: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p.79.
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