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
- 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 | 1756 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/843 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 14 November 1779 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Authorial 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 ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:5809] | Author | Dr Michael Law |
[PERS ID:5810] | Addressee | Mr James Oswald |
[PERS ID:2061] | Patient | Bishop John Oswald (of Raphoe) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:5809] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Michael Law |
[PERS ID:56] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Ann Oswald (of Raphoe) |
[PERS ID:5810] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr 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
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 ---
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
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 ---
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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