The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1074] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Earl James Ogilvie (Ogilvy; 7th Earl of Findlater, 4th Earl of Seafield; Lord Deskford (before 1770)) (Patient) / 17 January 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply, giving dietary directions for the Earl of Findlater; '[i]t appears very clearly that his Lordships Complaints proceed chiefly from a certain delicacy & weakness of his nerves'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1074 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/13/128 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 17 January 1781 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, giving dietary directions for the Earl of Findlater; '[i]t appears very clearly that his Lordships Complaints proceed chiefly from a certain delicacy & weakness of his nerves'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1341] |
Case of the Earl of Findlater who is advised on a regimen to manage his nervous weakness. See also Case 119. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:625] | Addressee | |
| [PERS ID:76] | Patient | Earl James Ogilvie (Ogilvy; 7th Earl of Findlater, 4th Earl of Seafield; Lord Deskford (before 1770)) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:625] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary |
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 | Cullen House | Cullen | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For the Earl of Findlater
It appears very clearly that his Lordship's Complaints
proceed chiefly from a certain delicacy & weakness of his
nerves. The effects as usual appear especially in the stomach
& the Indigestion occurring there again affects the nerves with
various disorders ––
To change the original Constitution is hardly possible but
the effects of it may be avoided by a proper regimen & by remedies
which by strengthening the stomach may in some measure
strengthen the nerves of the whole body ––
In Diet at Dinner his Lordship may take & should
take some solid animal food every day but should keep
[Page 2]
the stomach always light & therefore should avoid the heavier
kinds as Bacon, Pork, or any other very fat meats in any quantity
which his Lordship knows his stomach does not easily
digest. Baked & fried Meats are for the most part to be
avoided & the most part of dressed dishes & heavy sauces
are generally to be avoided. The lighter kinds of white fish,
as salmon & Turbet should be taken very sparingly. This is
the most general rule that whatever Animal food is taken
a full meal of it should never be taken but a part of it should
be always made up of pudding or vegetables. These last indeed
must be taken with some caution & the more flatulent kinds as
Cabbage or the colder kinds as raw Lettuce or Cucumber should
be avoided altogether. Turnips or Carrot may be taken but
the safest of the roots are potatoes of a dry mealy kind. In
Cookery some seasoning may be allowed but much of it is
very improper. All kinds of pickles are generally hurtful
to such stomachs as his Lordship's. Fruit of any kind
should be taken sparingly & all kinds of sweet meats are
improper.
For ordinary Drink plain water or Toast water is
the safest, but a little strong wine may be put to it. All
kinds of malt liquors are improper. With respect to strong
drink his Lordship should continue to be very temperate
but a few glasses of wine at dinner or after it are very
allowable. All weak or as we commonly speak small bodied
wines as the most likely to become acid on the stomach are
to be avoided. Such strong wines as madeira, strong Cherry 1
or red port are the safest but should commonly be diluted
with a little water ––
At breakfast common Tea & coffee should be entirely
[Page 3]
avoided but Cocoa may be taken & if easily digested a
weak Chocolate ––
At Supper no Animal food should be taken for the
meal should be very light or none at all a bit of dry
toast with a little wine & water or a little negus may be
commonly sufficient ––
If his Lordship knows that his stomach digests
milk easily he may sometimes take it either at break¬
fast or supper, but if at Supper he should hardly take
any wine after it.
There is hardly anything contributes more to
strengthen the nerves & the stomach in particular than
frequent Exercise on horseback & therefore I hope his
Lordship will continue to ride out every forenoon often
as weather & business will allow. It is necessary however
on such & all other occasions to guard against cold &
therefore that his Lordship should always be warmly
Cloathed & particularly kept warm & dry in his feet & legs.
Late hours at night & lying long abed in the morning
are both very bad for the stomach
There is nothing more necessary for keeping the sto¬
mach in good order than the avoiding costiveness & for this
I have prescribed a stomachic & laxative pill his Lordship
will please to take two of them every second night at
bed time which I hope will keep his body regular
without purging but if this dose do either more or less
than enough it may be diminished or increased
The only other medicine I have at present to propose
is a Tincture for strengthening the stomach & of which
his Lordship will please to take two Table spoonfuls
twice a day one dose an hour or at lest half an hour before
[Page 4]
dinner the other between 8 & 9 of the Evening. If this dose
is found to sit light on the stomach it may be increased by
degrees to 3 or 4 spoonfuls at each dose ––
Notes:
1: Probably a phonetic spelling of 'sherry' since there is not evidence of "cherry port" being an eighteenth-century usage.
Diplomatic Text
For the Earl of Findlater
It appears very clearly that his Lordship's Complaints
proceed chiefly from a certain delicacy & weakness of his
nerves. The effects as usual appear especially in ye stomach
& the Indigestion occurring there again affects the nerves wt.
various disorders ––
To change the original Constitution is hardly possible but
the effects of it may be avoided by a proper regimen & by remeds.
which by strengthening the stomach may in some measure
strengthen ye nerves of the whole body ––
In Diet at Dinner his Lordship may take & should
take some solid animal food every day but should keep
[Page 2]
the stomach always light & therefore should avoid the heavier
kinds as Bacon, Pork, or any oyr. very fat meats in any qy.
which his Lordship knows his stomach does not easily
digest. Baked & fried Meats are for the most part to be
avoided & the most part of dressed dishes & heavy sauces
are generally to be avoided. The lighter kinds of white fish,
as salmon & Turbet should be taken very sparingly. This is
the most general rule that whatever Animal food is taken
a full meal of it should never be taken but a part of it should
be always made up of pudding or vegetables. These last indeed
must be taken wt. some caution & the more flatulent kinds as
Cabbage or the colder kinds as raw Lettuce or Cucumber should
be avoided altogether. Turnips or Carrot may be taken but
the safest of the roots are potatoes of a dry mealy kind. In
Cookery some seasoning may be allowed but much of it is
very improper. All kinds of pickles are generally hurtful
to such stomachs as his Lordship's. Fruit of any kind
should be taken sparingly & all kinds of sweet meats are
improper.
For ordinary Drink plain water or Toast water is
the safest, but a little strong wine may be put to it. All
kinds of malt liquors are improper. Wt. respect to strong
drink his Lordship should continue to be very temperate
but a few glasses of wine at dinner or after it are very
allowable. All weak or as we commonly speak small bodied
wines as the most likely to become acid on the stomach are
to be avoided. Such strong wines as madeira, strong Cherry 1
or red port are the safest but should commonly be diluted
wt. a little water ––
At breakfast common Tea & coffee should be entirely
[Page 3]
avoided but Cocoa may be taken & if easily digested a
weak Chocolate ––
At Supper no Animal food should be taken for the
meal should be very light or none at all a bit of dry
toast with a little wine & water or a little negus may be
commonly sufficient ––
If his Lordship knows that his stomach digests
milk easily he may sometimes take it either at break¬
fast or supper, but if at Supper he should hardly take
any wine after it.
There is hardly anything contributes more to
strengthen the nerves & the stomach in particular than
frequent Exercise on horseback & therefore I hope his
Lordship will continue to ride out every forenoon often
as weather & business will allow. It is necessary however
on such & all other occasions to guard against cold &
therefore that his Lordship should always be warmly
Cloathed & particularly kept warm & dry in his feet & legs.
Late hours at night & lying long abed in the morning
are both very bad for the stomach
There is nothing more necessary for keeping the sto¬
mach in good order than the avoiding costiveness & for this
I have prescribed a stomachic & laxative pill his Ld.ship
will please to take two of them every second night at
bed time which I hope will keep his body regular
without purging but if this dose do either more or less
than enough it may be diminished or increased
The only oyr. medicine I have at present to propose
is a Tincture for strengthening the stomach & of which
his Lordship will please to take two Table spoonfuls
twice a day one dose an hour or at lest half an hour before
[Page 4]
dinner the other between 8 & 9 of the Evening. If this dose
is found to sit light on the stomach it may be increased by
degrees to 3 or 4 spoonfuls at each dose ––
Notes:
1: Probably a phonetic spelling of 'sherry' since there is not evidence of "cherry port" being an eighteenth-century usage.
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