Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:1093] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Thomas Stephen / Regarding: Mrs Robertson (Patient) / 28 February 1781 / (Outgoing)

Reply to Dr Thomas Stephen concerning Mrs Robertson, whose case is '[a]lmost out of the power of art'. Cullen agrees with the treatment Mrs Robertson's physician has been providing but his tone hints at a move towards palliative care.

Facsimile

There is 1 image for this document.

[Page 1]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 1093
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/13/147
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date28 February 1781
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply to Dr Thomas Stephen concerning Mrs Robertson, whose case is '[a]lmost out of the power of art'. Cullen agrees with the treatment Mrs Robertson's physician has been providing but his tone hints at a move towards palliative care.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1346]
Case of Mrs Robertson whose serious cough returned during her recent, third pregnancy. The cough is now purulent and the patient is also suffering from a hectic fever.
2


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:820]AddresseeDr Thomas Stephen
[PERS ID:4180]PatientMrs Robertson
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:820]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Thomas Stephen

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

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mrs Robertson


Almost out of the power of art
you have done everything I could have proposed


Continue the Tinct. ros. or give her the Acid more
freely in another form.


If I could hope for a recovery I should insist [a?] Milk
& vegetable diet; but a little of the lighter animal foods
may support her spirits.


While I have hopes I avoid andonynes as they increase
the hectic symptoms, particularly the sweating
but when there are no hopes, it is cruel to refuse them as
they are they only certain means of relief.


She was very wrong in refusing the blister but in the
view of her case I have, I would not insist.


I doubt not of the purulence of her spitting & can only
recommend Fol. Tussilag. a strong decoction [Ice?]


I dare say you have tried the Demulcent pectorals
& as far as her stomach & inclination will allow they
should be continued. One of the most agreeable to me
is 2 parts of the thickest mucilage of gum Arab. very well
mixed with one part of Rob. sambuci -

WC.
Edinburgh 28 February 1781

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mrs Robertson


Almost out of the power of art
you have done everything I could have proposed


Continue the Tinct. ros. or give her the Acid more
freely in another form.


If I could hope for a recovery I should insist [a?] Milk
& vegetable diet; but a little of the lighter animal foods
may support her spirits.


While I have hopes I avoid andonynes as they increase
the hectic symptoms, particularly the sweating
but when there are no hopes, it is cruel to refuse them as
they are they only certain means of relief.


She was very wrong in refusing the blister but in the
view of her case I have, I would not insist.


I doubt not of the purulence of her spitting & can only
recommend Fol. Tussilag. a strong decoction [Ice?]


I dare say you have tried the Demulcent pectorals
& as far as her stomach & inclination will allow they
should be continued. One of the most agreeable to me
is 2 parts of the thickest muc. of gum Arab. very well
mixed with one part of Rob. sambuci -

WC.
Edinr 28 Febru 1781

XML

XML file not yet available.

Feedback

Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:1093]

Type
Comments
 

Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...