Cullen

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

 

[ID:1212] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: (Medical practioner of unidentified female patient) / Regarding: Anonymous (Patient) / [DATE UNKNOWN] / (Outgoing)

Incomplete directions in shorthand for an unnamed female patient who suffers from convulsions and fits. She has a formerly rheumatic constitution. Issues, blistering, bleeding, enemas (fœtid enema from the Pharmacopœia Pauperum) and vomits are discussed. The Edinburgh Pharmacopœia's Sacred Elixir, Bark and Valerian are mentioned, as is the use of alkali.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 1212
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/312
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Incomplete directions in shorthand for an unnamed female patient who suffers from convulsions and fits. She has a formerly rheumatic constitution. Issues, blistering, bleeding, enemas (fœtid enema from the Pharmacopœia Pauperum) and vomits are discussed. The Edinburgh Pharmacopœia's Sacred Elixir, Bark and Valerian are mentioned, as is the use of alkali.
Manuscript Incomplete? Yes
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:2420]
Case of an unnamed female patient who suffers from convulsions and fits. She has a formerly rheumatic constitution.
1


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1549]Addressee (Medical practioner of unidentified female patient)
[PERS ID:1548]Patient
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1549]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary (Medical practioner of unidentified female patient)

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]


stomach we may hope that their effect may extend to
the [Brain?] upon this place I would advise to give gentle
vomit from time to time as want of appetite
symptoms of Indigestion shall direct. At the same time
the Belly must be kept open by such medecines as
your Experience has already found most convenient
in this case I should expect that the Elixir sacri
Edinburgh Pharmacopœia would be very proper. When Issues are
still open I would certainly continue so. I would wish
that these Issues were in the Neck arm & lower
Extremities & not on the head as I would have this
kept [for?] Blisters when occasion may require. This
occasion is such when convulsions are already come on
be which weigh pain &giddiness of thethe head or or some degree
of stupor gives you reason to suspect the approach. Tho the
former Rheumatic constitution & the late appearance of the
Blood may give you suspicion & some Phlogistic [Liath?]
I do not think the case is to be treat by Blood letting
as I doubt much if either before the fits or after them
that Bleeding can be of service, & the only time I
can find for it is when the convulsions are [present?] & if it can be
executed then I believe it the most likely means
of shortening the fits at least I have several times
found a few ounces of Blood answers the purpose When
I am thus speaking of shortening the fit I must add
that the one means of obtaining the same end that
I can support is to throw in the fœtid Enema



[Page 2]

our our Phamacopœia Pauperum if it can be done but I do not
mean to prevent you trying other measures by volatiles
or fœtids held to the nose &c. For preventing the return
of fits & obviating the whole symptoms I am much disposed
to trust to a low Diet for there is nothing in the Lady's constitution
strongly contraindicating. Very probably as a woman of
her condition & as liable to Nervous complaints her her manner of life
has been rather full & it must be changed only by
degrees. But I am persuaded that if she can be brought
to a diet entirely without animal food or wine she
would be much better. Till this can be done you must
employ medicine to correct the fault of the system the Bark
& Valerian are certainly the most proper remedies that can
be thought of but if are in some measure failing it must
now are become familiar & less effectual, I would
therefore change it at least for some time & give 3
times a day a dose of Colomba Root with Magnesia.
the dose of Colomba at first be 5 gr to be increased by degrees to 20 & the dose of Magnesia may
be a scruple or half a drachm according to the effect on her Belly.
If she cannot take the Colomba in [subig?] it may be
infused in water or a little spirit & water & given in
double quantity. In stomach complaints it has answered when
the Bark had failed & other medicine I expect litle from
either [Musk?] or Camphor after they have been often tryed
The Medicine I should think most likely to be of service
in preventing fits immediately approaching is the volatile alkali.
As the fits come on with fainting & coldness I think that 10 grains
of Salts of Hartshorn given then is the most likely to prevent them.
However I leave you still to try a puke or warm wine
as you have access but please to observe that the wine
alkali
will do well together.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]


stom we ma hop tha thei eff ma exten to
ye [Bn.?] upon thi pla I wou advi t giv gentle
vom fro tim to tim as want \ appetite
& sympts \ Indigestion shall direct. At | same time
| Belly must be kept open by such medecines as
your Experience has already foun mos convent
in thi cas. I shou expec tha | Elixir sacri
Ph. Ed.r wou be ver prop. When Issu ar
sti ope I wou certainl cont. so. I wou wis
tha thes Issu wer in | Neck arm & lower
Extrem & no on | head as I wou have thi
kep V Blist whe occas ma require. Thi
occas is su when convuls 9 alrea com on
be whi weig pn &gidd \ |the head or som degr
\ stup giv you reas to susp | approach. Tho |
form Rheumat constit & | lat appear \ |
Bd ma give you suspic & some Phlogist [Liath?]
I do not think ye cas is to be treat by Bd lett
as I doub muc \ eith befor ye fits or aft. ym
yt Bleed.g ca be \ service. & ye onl tim I
ca fin V | is wn | convuls are [pres.t?] & \ | ca be
execut yn I believ it – | mos likel means
of shorten | fits at leas I hav sever times
fou a few ℥ \ Bd answ | purpos. When
I am thu speak of short | fit I mus add
yt ye one means \ obtain ye same end yt
I can support is | throw in ye Enem fœtid



[Page 2]

our Pharmacop. Paup. \ | ca be don bu I do not
mean to preven you tryin oth meas by volatil
or fœtids held to ye nose &c. For prevent ye retur
\ fits & obviat ye whol sympt.s I am much dispos
to trust to a low Diet \ ther is noth in ye Ladys constit
strongl contraindicatg. Ver prob as a wom \
condit & as liabl to Nerv compts her mann \ li
has been rath full & [it?] must be chang only by
degrees. bu I am persuad tha \ she ca be brought
to a diet entir without anim foo or win she
wou be much better. Till thi can be don you must
employ medic to correct ye faul \ | syst ye Bark
& Valerian are certan ye mos prop remed. yt can
be thou \ bu [\ 9?] in som meas fail it mus
now 9 becom famil & less effectual, I woul
theref chang | at least for som tim & giv 3
tim a day a dos \ Colomba Root wi Magnes..
ye dos \ Colomb ma at first be 5 gr to be in¬
creas by degr. to 20 & ye dos \ Magn ma
be a ℈i or ʒſs accord to ye eff on her Belly.
\ she ca nt tak ye Colomb in subig. :| ma be
infus in wat or a little spir & wat & giv in
double q.ty In stom compts it has answered wn
ye Bk had fail. & oth med I expect litle fro
eith [Musk?] or Camph aft they hav bee oft tryed
ye Med I shou thin ye mos likel to be \ serv
in preventg fits immed approach.g is ye volatil. alk..
As ye fits com on wi faintg & cold.ss I thin yt 10 gr
of Sal. C. C. given yn is ye mos lik to prevt ym..
howev I leav you stil to try a puk or warm wine
as you have access but pleas to observ yt ye wine
alkali
will do well together.

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