Cullen

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

 

[ID:1756] From: Dr Michael Law / To: Mr James Oswald / Regarding: Bishop John Oswald (of Raphoe) (Patient) / 14 November 1779 / (Incoming)

Letter from Michael Law giving the case of the Bishop of Raphoe, at the request of Mrs Oswald. Addressed to James Oswald with the request that Cullen be consulted.

Facsimile

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 1756
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/843
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date14 November 1779
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen Yes
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter from Michael Law giving the case of the Bishop of Raphoe, at the request of Mrs Oswald. Addressed to James Oswald with the request that Cullen be consulted.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:335]
Case of John Oswald, Bishop of Raphoe, who is diagnosed with an obstruction of the liver.
2


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:5809]AuthorDr Michael Law
[PERS ID:5810]AddresseeMr James Oswald
[PERS ID:2061]PatientBishop John Oswald (of Raphoe)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:5809]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Michael Law
[PERS ID:56]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMrs Ann Oswald (of Raphoe)
[PERS ID:5810]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr James Oswald

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Raphoe North Ireland Ireland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Kirkcaldy Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Bath South-West England Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Donaghadee North Ireland Ireland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Portpatrick (Aires / Aress) Borders Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Sir/


By desire of Mrs. Oswald I should have
wrote you ten days ago, to acquaint you of my
Lord Bishops state of Health; but deferred it,
in hopes of having better news to Send you,
For Since I wrote you last there has not a week
passed without giving us manny Reasons to
hope and fear about him. - All their things
have been packed up this Fortnight ↑past↑, and they
were to have Set out for Bath, by Port Patrick
on Friday or Saturday last; But upon Mon¬
day or tuesday he some how got cold, which
brought on a little feverishness to which he is
very Subject upon those occasions; and
which he has not thrown of as formerly, but
continues to have bad nights, no Appetite
for food
, Especially any kind of flesh meats.



[Page 2]

And what I think very bad, his Legs, but par¬
ticularly his left Leg, Since last ↑night↑ is considerably
Swelled, with Such a Degree of Pain and inflam¬
mation
in it, as makes him hope it is gout, or
Rheumatism; but I fear it is Dropsical [louh.?]
Such Complaints as his generally turn ---


I believe I told you in my last that I considered
his Case as a Liver complaint Such as is commonly
called the Black jaundice, but I Still hoped in an
inferior degree, and what might be conquered,
by a proper Regimen, and Exercise, which has been
most attentively adhered to; with Such mild helps
from Medicine, as his bowels would bear; There
has been particularly as diureticks of every Sort,
gentle vomits; & sometimes Soap and Squills, which
never failed to make him very Sick - He now takes
Asses milk twice a day, with a Cup or two of Strong
Chamemile Tea, and any little light thing that his
Stomach will receive, without increasing his Fever,
but no flesh meats - Drinks little or no wine thro



[Page 3]

the Day, and a little Hock & water in the night, His
Stools in general are Clay coloured for three or four
days; and Even then he has Seldom less than 4 or 5
in the 24 Hours; Then comes a rush of a bilious
colour with an increase in number for a day or two
more after which he has hitherto been much relieved
for perhaps a week or more. I have never tried him
with anything more purgative than a little Soluble
Tartar
or an Andersons Pill of which I never gave
him more than one at once, and even that he thought
too m[uch], for his Bowels have all his life been
Easily affected as a Child of three Years Old -- {illeg}
but little Urine, and that very thick and dark colour
{illeg}ed, with a great deal of Stuff which does not fall
{illeg}leverly to the Bottom of the glass --- I have been
thus particular as Mr. Oswald wishes you to Consult
Doctor Cullen about him, & Send her His Opinion, as
She now fears He will not be able to go to Bath --


I am Sir with much resspect Your most
Obedient Humble Servant ---
Mich. Law

Raphoe
November 14th 1779 ---



[Page 4]


James Oswald Esqu
Kirkcaldie
By Donaghadei Edenburgh


Mich. Law
Query
Bishop of Raphoe
December 1779.
X P. 133

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Sir/


By desire of Mrs. Oswald I should have
wrote you ten days ago, to acquaint you of my
Lord Bishops state of Health; but deferred it,
in hopes of having better news to Send you,
For Since I wrote you last there has not a week
passed without giving us manny Reasons to
hope and fear about him. - All their things
have been packed up this Fortnight ↑past↑, and they
were to have Set out for Bath, by Port Patrick
on Friday or Saturday last; But upon Mon¬
day or tuesday he some how got cold, which
brought on a little feverishness to which he is
very Subject upon those occasions; and
which he has not thrown of as formerly, but
continues to have bad nights, no Appetite
for food
, Especially any kind of flesh meats.



[Page 2]

And what I think very bad, his Legs, but par¬
ticularly his left Leg, Since last ↑night↑ is considerably
Swelled, with Such a Degree of Pain and inflam¬
mation
in it, as makes him hope it is gout, or
Rheumatism; but I fear it is Dropsical [louh.?]
Such Complaints as his generally turn ---


I believe I told you in my last that I considered
his Case as a Liver complaint Such as is commonly
called the Black jaundice, but I Still hoped in an
inferior degree, and what might be conquered,
by a proper Regimen, and Exercise, which has been
most attentively adhered to; with Such mild helps
from Medicine, as his bowels would bear; There
has been particularly as diureticks of every Sort,
gentle vomits; & sometimes Soap and Squills, which
never failed to make him very Sick - He now takes
Asses milk twice a day, with a Cup or two of Strong
Chamemile Tea, and any little light thing that his
Stomach will receive, without increasing his Fever,
but no flesh meats - Drinks little or no wine thro



[Page 3]

the Day, and a little Hock & water in the night, His
Stools in general are Clay coloured for three or four
days; and Even then he has Seldom less than 4 or 5
in the 24 Hours; Then comes a rush of a bilious
colour with an increase in number for a day or two
more after which he has hitherto been much relieved
for perhaps a week or more. I have never tried him
with anything more purgative than a little Soluble
Tartar
or an Andersons Pill of which I never gave
him more than one at once, and even that he thought
too m[uch], for his Bowels have all his life been
Easily affected as a Child of three Years Old -- {illeg}
but little Urine, and that very thick and dark colour
{illeg}ed, with a great deal of Stuff which does not fall
{illeg}leverly to the Bottom of the glass --- I have been
thus particular as Mr. Oswald wishes you to Consult
Doctor Cullen about him, & Send her His Opinion, as
She now fears He will not be able to go to Bath --


I am Sir with much resspect Your most
Obedient Humble Servant ---
Mich. Law

Raphoe
Nobr. 14th 1779 ---



[Page 4]


James Oswald Esqu
Kirkcaldie
By Donaghadei Edenburgh


Mich. Law
Q
Bishop of Raphoe
Decr. 1779.
X P. 133

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