Cullen

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

 

[ID:1881] From: Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Dr Thomas Mutter (Reverend) (Patient), Mr George Mackenzie (McKenzie) (Patient), Miss Elizabeth Charlotte? Balmain (Patient), Mr William McDowall (Macdowall, McDoual, McDowal, McDouall) (Patient) / 9 July 1780 / (Incoming)

Letter from John Gilchrist concerning the case of Mr Mackenzie, and giving a report on the progress of Mr McDowall and Dr Mutter. He also notes seeing Miss Balmain in Galloway "in a very poor state indeed".

Facsimile

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 1881
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/960
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date9 July 1780
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter from John Gilchrist concerning the case of Mr Mackenzie, and giving a report on the progress of Mr McDowall and Dr Mutter. He also notes seeing Miss Balmain in Galloway "in a very poor state indeed".
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:9]
Case of Dr Thomas Mutter who has suffered 'a palsy' (stroke).
14
[Case ID:1031]
Case of Miss Balmain who has long been delicate and is advised to travel to Galloway via Moffat (see earlier consultation as Case 802).
3
[Case ID:1107]
Case of Mr William McDowal [McDowall, McDouall], who has a chest complaint and spits blood.
19
[Case ID:1279]
Case of Mr George Mackenzie staying near Dumfries, who has a cough and spits blood. He travels abroad where he dies.
12


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:115]AuthorDr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch)
[PERS ID:1]AddresseeDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:472]PatientDr Thomas Mutter (Reverend)
[PERS ID:790]PatientMr George Mackenzie (McKenzie)
[PERS ID:881]PatientMiss Elizabeth Charlotte? Balmain
[PERS ID:1080]PatientMr William McDowall (Macdowall, McDoual, McDowal, McDouall)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:115]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Dumfries Borders Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Bristol South-West England Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Galloway Borders Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Dumfries July 9. 1780
Dear Sir


This will be delivered to you by Mr Mackenzie
on whose case I formerly writ you at considerable
length and corresponded with you frequently. His chief
Complaint at that time was a singular, and very pain¬
ful affection of the leg, seemingly in the bone, for
which I had used Mercury, and you prescribed Meze¬
reon
&c. --- In the use of such means, Mr Mackenzie
got at length entirely free of that complaint. -- If
you can still lay your hand on my former account
of his case, which it is not probable you can do, I
think it was there related that when a very
young man, he was reduced in a very great degree
by different complaints, not phthisical, but attended
at times with a profuse Hemoptoe. - From these he
likewise recovered at that time in the manner in which
I informed you. --- You see he is tall and thin, as he
has always been. - Though he says he does not suffer
from anxiety and fatigue, yet I think he cannot



[Page 2]

but be more or less liable to both, - in the
management of a very great farm, which he has
been engaged in for ten or twelve years past; - and
is one of the most distinguished improvers in this
quarter. Nobody I believe with us has proceeded on so
large a scale.


These two winters past Mr Mackenzie has
suffered considerable, and continued attacks of a
Cough &c. During the last spring he has often spit
blood
; not in that profuse manner which occured in
his great and first illness, but in small quan¬
tities, as in cases properly properly phthisical. - -
Till the spitting of blood occurred I saw him but
occasionally & rarely; - and neither then nor since
has he kept strictly to any plan, - always going
about & living at large, though I dare say
very temperately. - He has used remedies too, - as
bleedings, - blistering, and a perpetual Blister; - a flannel



[Page 3]

sheet - riding &c ↑and some medicines, particularly Asafœtida which did ↑good↑ -- One complaint, he says is
so distressing to him as any of the rest, or
more so; - namely the most obstinate constipation.


For several weeks past I have been represent¬
ing to him (for he is a man of such a turn of mind
as admits of his being freely spoken to) - that his com¬
plaints are serious, and will require not only
a strict and continued plan of management; but,
if it be possible, some suitable and greater
measure, before winter. -- In this situation he
applies to you, and I heartily wish you may
be able to give him beneficial advice; for his
life is of much consequence not only to his
family, but to this part of the country in general;
to whom his spirited & judicious example in im¬
provements, must be very useful. - His undertaking
is a great one, - the purchase of a very con¬
siderable estate, which nothing but the continu¬



[Page 4]

ance of his life, and the full success of his ex¬
ertions, can render advantageous.


I writ you by Mr McDowall two or three
weeks ago, who missed you. An opportunity has since
occurred of his taking an easy journey to Bristol,
and I advised him to try the Hot well, if the me¬
dical people whom I knew his relations there would
make him apply to, judged it expedient.


Dr Mutter is going as slowly, and yet in a way
that encourages himself and family a good deal, for
certainly he not only speaks better, but uses his leg
& arm much more easily; & he preserves his chear¬
fulness and composure. - Yet we must see a great deal
more of amendment before entertaining hopes of
his ever being able to officiate, which to him, is the
main object. - Nothing so yet appears but that he may
live long enough. -- His diarrhœa, which I mentioned
in my letter by MrDowall is manageable.




[Page 5]


A little of the decoction of Bark & pomgranate rind
seems to have some effect in moderating it; and, when
it is given, which has been only twice, I do not
push it farther. His pulse is steady and good,
---- not so slow as at past
.


I am always with {illeg} regard
Dear Sir
Yours most faithfully
John Gilchrist


I had almost forgot to mention that when in Galloway
last week I saw your patient Miss Balmain, who
is in a very poor state indeed. The hectic symptoms
seem to be increasing much; and I saw no room
for advising any thing but the right management
of diet, with some cooling things, with the occasional
use of the medicine for the Diarrhœa, and other cir¬
cumstances as in your directions.




[Page 6]


To
Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh


Dr Gilchrist
Query
MrMackenzie.
July. 1780
XI. p. 38. 39.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Dumfries July 9. 1780
Dear Sir


This will be delivered to you by Mr Mackenzie
on whose case I formerly writ you at considerable
length and corresponded with you frequently. His chief
Complaint at that time was a singular, and very pain¬
ful affection of the leg, seemingly in the bone, for
which I had used Mercury, and you prescribed Meze¬
reon
&c. --- In the use of such means, Mr Mackenzie
got at length entirely free of that complaint. -- If
you can still lay your hand on my former account
of his case, which it is not probable you can do, I
think it was there related that when a very
young man, he was reduced in a very great degree
by different complaints, not phthisical, but attended
at times with a profuse Hemoptoe. - From these he
likewise recovered at that time in the manner in wh
I informed you. --- You see he is tall and thin, as he
has always been. - Though he says he does not suffer
from anxiety and fatigue, yet I think he cannot



[Page 2]

but be more or less liable to both, - in the
management of a very great farm, which he has
been engaged in for ten or twelve years past; - and
is one of the most distinguished improvers in this
quarter. Nobody I believe with us has proceeded on so
large a scale.


These two winters past Mr Mackenzie has
suffered considerable, and continued attacks of a
Cough &c. During the last spring he has often spit
blood
; not in that profuse manner which occured in
his great and first illness, but in small quan¬
tities, as in cases properly properly phthisical. - -
Till the spitting of blood occurred I saw him but
occasionally & rarely; - and neither then nor since
has he kept strictly to any plan, - always going
about & living at large, though I dare say
very temperately. - He has used remedies too, - as
bleedings, - blistering, and a perpetual Blister; - a flannel



[Page 3]

sheet - riding &c ↑and some medicines, particularly Asafœtida wh did ↑good↑ -- One complaint, he says is
so distressing to him as any of the rest, or
more so; - namely the most obstinate constipation.


For several weeks past I have been represent¬
ing to him (for he is a man of such a turn of mind
as admits of his being freely spoken to) - that his com¬
plaints are serious, and will require not only
a strict and continued plan of management; but,
if it be possible, some suitable and greater
measure, before winter. -- In this situation he
applies to you, and I heartily wish you may
be able to give him beneficial advice; for his
life is of much consequence not only to his
family, but to this part of the country in general;
to whom his spirited & judicious example in im¬
provements, must be very useful. - His undertaking
is a great one, - the purchase of a very con¬
siderable estate, which nothing but the continu¬



[Page 4]

ance of his life, and the full success of his ex¬
ertions, can render advantageous.


I writ you by Mr McDowall two or three
weeks ago, who missed you. An opportunity has since
occurred of his taking an easy journey to Bristol,
and I advised him to try the Hot well, if the me¬
dical people whom I knew his relations there would
make him apply to, judged it expedient.


Dr Mutter is going as slowly, and yet in a way
that encourages himself and family a good deal, for
certainly he not only speaks better, but uses his leg
& arm much more easily; & he preserves his chear¬
fulness and composure. - Yet we must see a great deal
more of amendment before entertaining hopes of
his ever being able to officiate, which to him, is the
main object. - Nothing so yet appears but that he may
live long enough. -- His diarrhœa, which I mentioned
in my letter by MrDowall is manageable.




[Page 5]


A little of the decoction of Bark & pomgranate rind
seems to have some effect in moderating it; and, when
it is given, which has been only twice, I do not
push it farther. His pulse is steady and good,
---- not so slow as at past
.


I am always with {illeg} regard
Dear Sir
Yours most faithfully
John Gilchrist


I had almost forgot to mention that when in Galloway
last week I saw your patient Miss Balmain, who
is in a very poor state indeed. The hectic symptoms
seem to be increasing much; and I saw no room
for advising any thing but the right management
of diet, with some cooling things, with the occasional
use of the medicine for the Diarrhœa, and other cir¬
cumstances as in your directions.




[Page 6]


To
Doctor Cullen
Edinr


Dr Gilchrist
Q.
MrMackenzie.
July. 1780
XI. p. 38. 39.

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