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
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There is 1 image for this document.
[Page 1]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1093 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/13/147 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 28 February 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 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 ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:820] | Addressee | Dr Thomas Stephen |
| [PERS ID:4180] | Patient | Mrs Robertson |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:820] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr 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
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 -
Diplomatic Text
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 -
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