Cullen

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

 

[ID:131] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) / Regarding: Sir James Nicolson (of Glenbervie, 3rd Bart.) (Patient) / 9 May 1781 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'Mr McNachtan Hunter C. Sir Jas Nicolson'.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 131
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/14/18
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date9 May 1781
Annotation None
TypeMachine scribal copy
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, 'Mr McNachtan Hunter C. Sir Jas Nicolson'.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1339]
Case of Sir James Nicolson, 3rd Bart of Glenbervie who has cramps in his extremities and a stomach disorder diagnosed as hypochondriasis.
2


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:2578]AddresseeDr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter)
[PERS ID:93]PatientSir James Nicolson (of Glenbervie, 3rd Bart.)
[PERS ID:2578]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Montrose East Highlands Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Mr McNachtan Hunter Concerning Sir Jas Nicolson
Dear Sir


I have your favour concerning Sir James Nicol¬
son and shall be happy to Contribute to his relief.


The Case appears to me tho' you have said no
thing about the State of his Spirits to be a Case of
Hypochondriasis and both from the obstinate nature of such
Cases, from the long continuance of this & particularly from
his (↑its↑) having baffled so many judicious remedies which you
have already employed I must think this Case extremely
difficult. I think indeed an absolute Cure of it is not
Possible but I hope there are Several means which may
be employed to relieve it, and I hope to a considerable
degree.


For this Purpose I would in the first place pro¬
pose Warm Bathing of the whole body. Let the Bath
at first be about 85o. of Farenheit or somewhere from
85o. to 90o. Let the Bath be repeated at first twice
and afterwards if it is found to agree very well three
times a Week but in repeating it let the heat of




[Page 2]


it from 85o. at first be gradually increased till it Comes to
be 100o.. The use of the Thermometer with a little attention
would make this matter easy.


The next measure I would take great Pains upon
is that of keeping the belly regular. This both from the
nature of the disease & from the frequent Use of Opiates
has been & may be still very difficult but it must still
be attempted by Medicines given by mouth for
glysters do not efficiently determine the motion of the whole
Alimentary Canal. Be pleased therefore to try the laxative Oil
Prescribed in the inclosed Paper and let us know how it
{illeg}if it should not answer you must not neglect
to release him by glysters. I believe that the use of laduanum in Some Cases is
absolutely unavoidable but I would wish to relieve Sir James
Nicolson if possible from that necessity, for I am persuaded
that the repetition of the Opiates aggravates the Disease.
If you have not already tried Ether with Sir Jas. please
do it now to the quantityof a tea spoonful for a dose, but
properly mixed with water and if it will upon occasion
join a dose of laudanum it will be a great gain &




[Page 3]


when you shall report to me its effects I shall say more on
the subject. As you seem to des be willing &c. I very much
desire to have a Correspondence with you on this Subject of
Sir Jn. I shall add no mor at present but to beg a more
particular account of the laxatives you have severally tried
and of their effects. Wishing you heartily success I am with
great regard Dear Sirs


your most Obedient humble Servant
William Cullen

Edinburgh 9th May
1781


Having a little more room here than I
expected I subjoin the following

For Sir Jas. Nicolson Baronet

Take three ounces of the best Russian castor and one ounce of "Daffy's Elixir". Mix and Label: Laxative Oil a table Spoonful for a dose. To be taken in the morning, Shaking the phial always very well before pouring out.

W. C.
9th May 1781


N. B. If one Spoonfull does not prove a Sufficient dose it may be
by degrees increased to two.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Mr McNachtan Hunter C. Sir Jas Nicolson
Dear Sir


I have your favour concerning Sir James Nicol¬
son and shall be happy to Contribute to his relief.


The Case appears to me tho' you have said no
thing about the State of his Spirits to be a Case of
Hypochondriasis and both from the obstinate nature of such
Cases, from the long continuance of this & particularly from
his (↑its↑) having baffled so many judicious remedies which you
have already employed I must think this Case extremely
difficult. I think indeed an absolute Cure of it is not
Possible but I hope there are Several means which may
be employed to relieve it, and I hope to a considerable
degree.


For this Purpose I would in the first place pro¬
pose Warm Bathing of the whole body. Let the Bath
at first be about 85o. of Farenheit or somewhere from
85o. to 90o. Let the Bath be repeated at first twice
and afterwards if it is found to agree very well three
times a Week but in repeating it let the heat of




[Page 2]


it from 85o. at first be gradually increased till it Comes to
be 100o.. The use of the Thermometer with a little attention
would make this matter easy.


The next measure I would take great Pains upon
is that of keeping the belly regular. This both from the
nature of the disease & from the frequent Use of Opiates
has been & may be still very difficult but it must still
be attempted by Medicines given by mouth for
glysters do not efficiently determine the motion of the whole
Alimentary Canal. Be pleased therefore to try the laxative Oil
Prescribed in the inclosed Paper and let us know how it
{illeg}if it should not answer you must not neglect
to release him by glysters. I believe that the use of laduanum in Some Cases is
absolutely unavoidable but I would wish to relieve Sir James
Nicolson if possible from that necessity, for I am persuaded
that the repetition of the Opiates aggravates the Disease.
If you have not already tried Ether with Sir Jas. please
do it now to the quantityof a tea spoonful for a dose, but
properly mixed wt. water and if it will upon occasion
join a dose of laudanum it will be a great gain &




[Page 3]


when you shall report to me its effects I shall say more on
the subject. As you seem to des be willing &c. I very much
desire to have a Correspondence wt. you on this Subject of
Sir Jn. I shall add no mor at present but to beg a more
particular account of the laxatives you have severally tried
and of their effects. Wishing you heartily success I am with
great regard Dear Sirs


your most Obedt. humble Servant
William Cullen

Edinr. 9th May
1781


Having a little more room here than I
expected I subjoin the following

For Sir Jas. Nicolson Bart.


Ol. ricin. opt. ℥iij
Tinct. Senn. comp. Ph. Ed. ℥j
ℳ. Sig. Laxative Oil a table Spoonfull for a dose to be taken in the
morning Shaking the phial always very well before pouring out.

W. C.
9th May 1781


N. B. If one Spoonfull does not prove a Sufficient dose it may be
by degrees increased to two.

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