The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1729] From: Mr Robert Wallace / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Arthur Robertson (Patient), Mr John Napier (of Balikinrain) (Patient) / 18 September 1779 / (Incoming)
Letter from Robert Wallace concerning the case of Mr Napier and of Arthur Robertson. He mentions an attack on Leith by the flotilla lead by John Paul Jones.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1729 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/816 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 18 September 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 Robert Wallace concerning the case of Mr Napier and of Arthur Robertson. He mentions an attack on Leith by the flotilla lead by John Paul Jones. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1191] |
Case of John Napier of Balikinrain who has suffered from a pervasive inflammatory condition for some time and now has an open sore on his shin requiring the lancet. |
4 |
| [Case ID:1218] |
Case of Mr Arthur Robertson who is passing bloody urine. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:216] | Author | Mr Robert Wallace |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:751] | Patient | Mr Arthur Robertson |
| [PERS ID:2660] | Patient | Mr John Napier (of Balikinrain) |
| [PERS ID:216] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Robert Wallace |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5739] | Other | Captain John Paul Jones |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | ||
| Mentioned / Other | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I am desired by Mr Napier of Balikinrain
to inform you, that in consequence of the directions &
prescriptions which you gave him, the sore which he
had upon his leg is now perfectly heald. He is however
very much troubled with a heat & itching in his face
& hands. It is the itching which particularly plaques
him, He says that last year he has the same kind of
complaint & was cured by Sea Bathing. The part
of each hand chiefly affected is on the back of the hand
between the thumb & forefinger up towards the wrist. It
is that state of the skin, which generally passes under
the name of scorbutic. On the face there is numbers of
exceedingly small pimples, upon shaving or scratching,
these are broke, then little small scab are formed, which
again are rubbed off from the itchiness underneath.
Upon this account & the Cuticle often peeling off
there is always a sort of Mealy scurf on the face
However this is to no great degree & if it were not
[Page 2]
the itchiness he would not be uneasy about it.
He was at Balikinrain when he used the Decoction
of the Mezereon & when he came to Glasgow two or
A three days ago, he shewed me his leg & mentioned the
itchiness of his face & hands; No other part of his skin
is in the least affected, He desired I would write to
you & beg your farther directions.
Mr Arthur Robertson tryed the Uva Ursi, but he
thought he did not find so much relief from it as he
did from the Gum Arabic & nitric powders, which he
has used pretty much since he got your advice
He has passed very little bloody urine lately, but
is obliged to make water very often & generally
with pain at the Glans Penis
The small advance which I made on your account
was five guineas. There were five young surgeons
went from this; You wrote to me of four and
remitted twenty guineas and afterwards you
[Page 3]
desired another, who had been recommended to you
might be sent along with the other four and with
the same Viaticum.
I am sorry to hear of the alarm you have had on
the east coast. 1 I hope their force is not equal to
attempt any landing, & if they being long on the
coast, some of the Kings ships will be able to come
up with them.
Glasgow
September 18 1779
[Page 4]
To
Dr William Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh
Mr R. Wallace Concerning
Mr Napier Balikinrain
September 18th 1779.
Vol. X. p93
Notes:
1: A month earlier, in August 1779, at the height of the American War of Independence (Revolutionary War), in a diversionary tactic a flotilla of three vessels of the American Navy under the command of Scottish-born John Paul Jones had first appeared in the Firth of Forth. It caused widespread alarm in Edinburgh which was largely unprotected from attack. The previous year Jones had attacked the port of Whitehaven and also landed at St Mary's isle, Kirkudbright in an attempt to kidnap Cullen's patient and friend, the Earl of Selkirk.
Diplomatic Text
I am desired by Mr Napier of Balikinrain
to inform you, that in consequence of the directions &
prescriptions which you gave him, the sore which he
had upon his leg is now perfectly heald. He is however
very much troubled with a heat & itching in his face
& hands. It is the itching which particularly plaques
him, He says that last year he has the same kind of
complaint & was cured by Sea Bathing. The part
of each hand chiefly affected is on the back of the hand
between the thumb & forefinger up towards the wrist. It
is that state of the skin, which generally passes under
the name of scorbutic. On the face there is numbers of
exceedingly small pimples, upon shaving or scratching,
these are broke, then little small scab are formed, which
again are rubbed off from the itchiness underneath.
Upon this account & the Cuticle often peeling off
there is always a sort of Mealy scurf on the face
However this is to no great degree & if it were not
[Page 2]
the itchiness he would not be uneasy about it.
He was at Balikinrain when he used the Decoction
of the Mezereon & when he came to Glasgow two or
A three days ago, he shewed me his leg & mentioned the
itchiness of his face & hands; No other part of his skin
is in the least affected, He desired I would write to
you & beg your farther directions.
Mr Arthur Robertson tryed the Uva Ursi, but he
thought he did not find so much relief from it as he
did from the Gum Arabic & nitric powders, which he
has used pretty much since he got your advice
He has passed very little bloody urine lately, but
is obliged to make water very often & generally
with pain at the Glans Penis
The small advance which I made on your account
was five guineas. There were five young surgeons
went from this; You wrote to me of four and
remitted twenty guineas and afterwards you
[Page 3]
desired another, who had been recommended to you
might be sent along with the other four and with
the same Viaticum.
I am sorry to hear of the alarm you have had on
the east coast. 1 I hope their force is not equal to
attempt any landing, & if they being long on the
coast, some of the Kings ships will be able to come
up with them.
Glasgow
Sept. 18 1779
[Page 4]
To
Dr Willm Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh
Mr R. Wallace C.
Mr Napier Balikinrain
Septr 18th 1779.
Vol. X. p93
Notes:
1: A month earlier, in August 1779, at the height of the American War of Independence (Revolutionary War), in a diversionary tactic a flotilla of three vessels of the American Navy under the command of Scottish-born John Paul Jones had first appeared in the Firth of Forth. It caused widespread alarm in Edinburgh which was largely unprotected from attack. The previous year Jones had attacked the port of Whitehaven and also landed at St Mary's isle, Kirkudbright in an attempt to kidnap Cullen's patient and friend, the Earl of Selkirk.
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