The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1700] From: Dr William Mitchell / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Alexander Wright (Patient) / 8 July 1779 / (Incoming)
Letter from William Mitchell concerning the case of Mr Wright.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1700 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/787 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 8 July 1779 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from William Mitchell concerning the case of Mr Wright. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1106] |
Case of Mr Alexander Wright who has an oedema (dropsy), manifest as fluid retention in his abdomen attributed to his habitual heavy drinking. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:2622] | Author | Dr William Mitchell |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2723] | Patient | Mr Alexander Wright |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2622] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Mitchell |
| [PERS ID:707] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr John Fothergill |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Dundee | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Dundee | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I was favoured with yours of May 12th
relative to Mr Wright, and am happy that the
course I had tried met with your approbation.
We have pursued the similar plan you recom¬
mended, but not with such success as could be wished.
Our patients disorder continued almost station¬
ary till about a fortnight ago, when the anasarca,
some remains of which had still been observable
about the feet, began to increase, and the legs
are now more swelled than ever: the ascites
is much as formerly. He had lately a severe
pain for a day or two in the right hypochondrium
it is now gone off. He still continues free
of fever, but complains much of weakness,
and has seldom ventured abroad of late. He
lives a little way from the town in a well
aired house, and follows the same regimen
in point of diet as formerly recommended to
him. The Colchicum did not seem to have any
[Page 2]
effect, after though tried for some time; I have there¬
fore stuck to the squills either in the form of pills
or acetum with now and then a little Crem. Tart.
Once or twice I ventured to give a little Infusion of Senna; two or three ounces of which were suffici¬
ent to purge. He has indeed with the other
things a loose stool once or twice a day. In
this debilitated state nothing drastic can be
safely given, as far as I can judge. Perhaps it
may soon be necessary to make an artificial
outlet for the extravasated serum: The ascites
does not yet seem to be arrived to such a degree
as to render the paracentesis safe or needful.
In cases of anasarca I have frequently practised
the scarification of the legs by the common cup¬
ping instrument as advised by Dr Fothergill, some¬
times to the relief of the disorder without any
accident, and at other times it has been the cause
of troublesome inflammation and ulcers, or of
an attack of fever and subsequent Erysipelas
of the leg. -- I beg to learn from you, as
[Page 3]
soon as convenient, what can farther be done
in this almost desperate case, and remain
with the greatest respect, Dear Sir
Your most obedient servant
Dundee
July 8th 1779.
P.S. In dropsical cases I have often used Van
Swietens squill wine, in some with surprising success,
but in others it has only produced such insufferable
nausea and vomiting as makes me almost afraid
to try it in the present affair.
W.M.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh
Dr Mitchell Concerning
Mr Wright
July 8. 1779
V.X. p.40
Diplomatic Text
I was favoured with yours of May 12th
relative to Mr Wright, and am happy that the
course I had tried met with your approbation.
We have pursued the similar plan you recom¬
mended, but not with such success as could be wished.
Our patients disorder continued almost station¬
ary till about a fortnight ago, when the anasarca,
some remains of which had still been observable
about the feet, began to increase, and the legs
are now more swelled than ever: the ascites
is much as formerly. He had lately a severe
pain for a day or two in the right hypochondrium
it is now gone off. He still continues free
of fever, but complains much of weakness,
and has seldom ventured abroad of late. He
lives a little way from the town in a well
aired house, and follows the same regimen
in point of diet as formerly recommended to
him. The Colchicum did not seem to have any
[Page 2]
effect, after though tried for some time; I have there¬
fore stuck to the squills either in the form of pills
or acetum with now and then a little Crem. Tart.
Once or twice I ventured to give a little Infus.
senna; two or three ounces of which were suffici¬
ent to purge. He has indeed with the other
things a loose stool once or twice a day. In
this debilitated state nothing drastic can be
safely given, as far as I can judge. Perhaps it
may soon be necessary to make an artificial
outlet for the extravasated serum: The ascites
does not yet seem to be arrived to such a degree
as to render the paracentesis safe or needful.
In cases of anasarca I have frequently practised
the scarification of the legs by the common cup¬
ping instrument as advised by Dr Fothergill, some¬
times to the relief of the disorder without any
accident, and at other times it has been the cause
of troublesome inflammation and ulcers, or of
an attack of fever and subsequent Erysipelas
of the leg. -- I beg to learn from you, as
[Page 3]
soon as convenient, what can farther be done
in this almost desperate case, and remain
with the greatest respect, Dear Sir
Your most obedt servt
Dundee
July 8th 1779.
P.S. In dropsical cases I have often used Van
Swietens squill wine, in some with surprising success,
but in others it has only produced such insufferable
nausea and vomiting as makes me almost afraid
to try it in the present affair.
W.M.
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Edinr
Dr Mitchell C
Mr Wright
July 8. 1779
V.X. p.40
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