The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:149] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr John McKie (Junior) / Regarding: Mrs McKie (Patient) / 20 June 1781 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'To Mrs Mckie'. Chiefly dietary and recommends fresh air, but also includes a recipe as 'some medicines are necessary'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 149 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/35 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 20 June 1781 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'To Mrs Mckie'. Chiefly dietary and recommends fresh air, but also includes a recipe as 'some medicines are necessary'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:793] |
Case of Mrs McKie, who in 1781 has had a miscarriage. Correspondence resumes in January 1785 over her cold and cough. |
13 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:114] | Addressee | Mr John McKie (Junior) |
| [PERS ID:113] | Patient | Mrs McKie |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
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 | Stranraer | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
To M.rs Mackie Stranraer
Dear Sir
I have been favoured with yours of the 9th. current
but by the accident of my being very much in the country I have
not been able to answer you till now.
I am very glad to observe that I need say little
about yourself as you are certainly much relieved of your
former complaints & if you are not entirely I suspect it is
possibly owing to some neglect or relaxation of your
regimen & I cannot find occasion to say more than that
you should be more exact.
Mrs. Mc.kies case requires more attention for if it
is not mended soon it is in danger of breaking her health
& particularly in danger of disappointing the purpose of
having children. The ailment I am very well acquainted with
& have often treated it frequently with success but sometimes
it proves tedious & obstinate but hope it shall not be the
case here & I offer you the following directions
Let her go along with you & try the Sea bathing, ta¬
king it at first twice a week & afterwards more frequently
as it agrees with her. The Ladies is commonly much
[Page 2]
in the way of their bathing if they wet it they catch cold,
& if they cover it with oiled Silk the cold does not get at their
head & there is danger of the bloods being pushed too much to
the head. I therefore advise cutting out the hair only leaving
as much on the forehead as may serve for the Toupee.
Mrs. Mc.kie should be much in the fresh air but
much walking or to the degree of being heated or fatigued by
it will do her harm & she ought especially to avoid much
walking, about the end of her month or during the time of
her being unwell. Riding moderately as often as she
conveniently can may be of great service.
In diet there is little occasion for Mrs. Mckies
being very nice, she may take any ordinary fare avoi¬
ding only any Animal food that may be heavy on her
Stomach or any Vegetable food that may prove very
windy upon it. she may drink water or Small beer
as she likes best & a single glass of wine or punch
will
[Page 3]
do no harm.
Some medicines are necessary and I have given below a prescription
which I hope Shall be usefull. If her belly is naturally regular or
if this medicine keeps her so it is well but if she is any ways costive
let her take a tea Spoonfull of Cream of Tartar mixed with honey in
the morning as often as occasion requires. Any purging more than
what nature requires is not proper for her. When I can be of any
further service let me know and you may depend upon the attention
of
Dear Sir your most obedient servant
William Cullen
Edinburgh 20 June
1781
For Mrs. Mckie
Take two drachms of Gum Guaiacum, two drachms of very hard white Sugar and two drachms of Alum rock. You will crush them together into a powder, then you add one ounce of Peruvian bark powder, one and a half ounces of Conserve of roses and enough quantity of Simple Syrup in order to let there be made an electuary. Label: Strengthening Electuary, the bigness of a nutmeg to be taken every night at bedtime.
W.C.
28th. June
1781
Diplomatic Text
To M.rs Mackie Stranraer
Dear Sir
I have been favoured with yours of the 9th. currt.
but by the accident of my being very much in the country I have
not been able to answer you till now.
I am very glad to observe that I need say little
about yourself as you are certainly much relieved of your
former complaints & if you are not entirely I suspect it is
possibly owing to some neglect or relaxation of your
regimen & I cannot find occasion to say more than that
you should be more exact.
Mrs. Mc.kies case requires more attention for if it
is not mended soon it is in danger of breaking her health
& particularly in danger of disappointing the purpose of
having children. The ailment I am very well acquainted with
& have often treated it frequently with success but sometimes
it proves tedious & obstinate but hope it shall not be the
case here & I offer you the following directions
Let her go along with you & try the Sea bathing, ta¬
king it at first twice a week & afterwards more frequently
as it agrees with her. The Ladies is commonly much
[Page 2]
in the way of their bathing if they wet it they catch cold,
& if they cover it with oiled Silk the cold does not get at their
head & there is danger of the bloods being pushed too much to
the head. I therefore advise cutting out the hair only leaving
as much on the forehead as may serve for the Toupee.
Mrs. Mc.kie should be much in the fresh air but
much walking or to the degree of being heated or fatigued by
it will do her harm & she ought especially to avoid much
walking, about the end of her month or during the time of
her being unwell. Riding moderately as often as she
conveniently can may be of great service.
In diet there is little occasion for Mrs. Mckies
being very nice, she may take any ordinary fare avoi¬
ding only any Animal food that may be heavy on her
Stomach or any Vegetable food that may prove very
windy upon it. she may drink water or Small beer
as she likes best & a single glass of wine or punch
will
[Page 3]
do no harm.
Some medicines are necessary and I have given below a prescription
which I hope Shall be usefull. If her belly is naturally regular or
if this medicine keeps her so it is well but if she is any ways costive
let her take a tea Spoonfull of Cream of Tartar mixed with honey in
the morning as often as occasion requires. Any purging more than
what nature requires is not proper for her. When I can be of any
further service let me know and you may depend upon the attention
of
Dear Sir your most obedient servant
William Cullen
Edinr. 20 June
1781
For Mrs. Mckie
℞ Gum. Guajac. Sacchar. alb. duriss. Alumin. rup. @ ʒij
Terito Simul in pulverem dein ↑adde↑ pulv. cort. Peruvian. ℥j ---
Cons. rosar. ℥jſs et cum Syr. Simpl. q.s. f. Electuarium
Signa Strengthening Electuary the bigness of a nutmeg to be
taken every night at bedtime
W.C.
28th. June
1781
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