The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1914] From: Mrs Jane Webster / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: [A matter not directly regarding a patient] / 11 September 1780 / (Incoming)
Letter from Jane Webster at York concerning her own case. She seeks advice on how to continue to lose weight. Mentions in passing seeking past advice from her local physician, who is identified elsewhere as Edinburgh trained Dr Thomas Withers.
- 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 | 1914 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/994 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 11 September 1780 |
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 Jane Webster at York concerning her own case. She seeks advice on how to continue to lose weight. Mentions in passing seeking past advice from her local physician, who is identified elsewhere as Edinburgh trained Dr Thomas Withers. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:12] |
Case of Mrs Jane Webster at York who is trying to lose weight. |
4 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:476] | Author | Mrs Jane Webster |
[PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:1026] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Thomas Withers |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:936] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Dr Alexander Hunter |
[PERS ID:937] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Goddard |
Places linked to this document
Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Writing | York | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
Mentioned / Other | St Saviour's Gate | York | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Place of Handstamp | York | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
from your generall Character
in this Country, & the Oppinion I entertain
of you I am very disirous of having your
sentiments on my own case. I shall be
as particular as I can but if I am not
sufficiently so you will impute it to
my want of experience in these matters.
I am about 44 years of age with dark
hair a darkish Complexion & a warm temper
of the middle size as to height or rather
less than that, but of a very Corpulent
habit. My Father, who was of your
profession, was also very Corpulent,
& in that I take after him for I began
to grow fat before I was turnd 20 tho
in my early years I was rather thin.
At the begining of last winter I weighd
18 stones two pounds, but I was then
seized with a cough & repeatedly got
fresh colds, so that it continued till
the warm weather came in, at which
time I only weighd 16 stone, so I had lost
two by my illness. My Cough was very
troblesome, particularly in a morning
& evning tho I had frequent fits of
Coughing thro the day, & in the nights with
Considerable expectoration of phlegm.
I was often very much stuffd in my
breast &
had great difficulty of breathing,
but no pain, nor any thing like an
asthma
fit. I consulted several gentlemen
[Page 2]
of the Faculty, by whose advice I was bled
twice took some physic, opiates, Squill
pills, &cc. I was feverish at times & had
no apitite, therefore I livd low during my
illness, but did not stove my self up
nor keep very hot. As soon as the warm
weather came in I was advised into the
country, my Cough intirely left me, & in
a short time I was quite free from it. My
Physician, whome I consider as a cautious
experienced man, advised me to endeavour
to reduce my corpulency, least my disorder
should retturn again & be more troblesome
to me if I continued very fat as I had
lost 28 Pounds in weight, he thought
I should not gain them again by indulgence
(for my apitite & degestion are both very
good) but that I should use gradually
a good deal of exercise by walking this
Summer time in the morning & evning,
which I had been accustomed, & that
at dinner I should moderate my apitite
& confine myself to one dish of meat
& a little pudding or tart, for that changes
of this nature should be made slow. I
have followed his advice steadily, & instead
of gaining any weight I am 7 or 8 pounds
lighter than 16 stones. I now walk
generally 4 miles before breakfast, & 2
or 3 in the evning, & I have moderated my
diet. I am very well in my self & feel
stronger & more active. When my Cough
was quite gone. I bathed in Dr Hunters
buxton bath 1 which I approve ↑of↑ very much,
[Page 3]
& afterwards it was gradually reduced to
the coldness of river water in summer, &
then I venturd into a moderate cold bath
& I continue bathing every other day as it
agrees well with me. I drink small beer
& a Glass or two of wine after meals, but
no ale or Porter. I must not forget to
tell you that I am tolerably regular, &
that I am seldom bound in my bo[wels.?]
The question I wish you to determine
upon is whether or no you would advise
me to continue the plan I am upon to
reduce my corpulency, till I am in a
moderate state viz till I may weigh about
12 stones instead of 15 & odd Pounds; &
whether such a plan ↑will↑ be safe & of service
to my health & to the prevention of further
coughs & stuffing in my breast.
My Physician [&?]Apothecary concur in
advising me to consult you.
your Humble servant
I beg your acceptance of two Guineas [for?]
your troble which I have inclosed [in this?]
letter:
Please to direct for me to be le[ft for me at?]
Mrs Goddards St Saviour gate [York I?]
beg the favour of as speedy an answer to
my queries as is consistent with your
other engagements:
[Page 4]
To
Dr Cullen
Professor of Medicine
in Edinburgh
Mrs Jane Webster.
September
XI. p. 69 –– ✍
Notes:
1: See Alexander Hunter M.D., A treatise on the nature and virtues of Buxton waters. With a preliminary account of the external and internal use of natural and artificial warm-waters among the ancients (London: 1761), and reprinted four times with 'The Buxton Manual' prefixed to the title.
Diplomatic Text
from your generall Character
in this Country, & the Oppinion I entertain
of you I am very disirous of having your
sentiments on my own case. I shall be
as particular as I can but if I am not
sufficiently so you will impute it to
my want of experience in these matters.
I am about 44 years of age with dark
hair a darkish Complexion & a warm temper
of the middle size as to height or rather
less than that, but of a very Corpulent
habit. My Father, who was of your
profession, was also very Corpulent,
& in that I take after him for I began
to grow fat before I was turnd 20 tho
in my early years I was rather thin.
At the begining of last winter I weighd
18 stones two pounds, but I was then
seized with a cough & repeatedly got
fresh colds, so that it continued till
the warm weather came in, at which
time I only weighd 16 stone, so I had lost
two by my illness. My Cough was very
troblesome, particularly in a morning
& evning tho I had frequent fits of
Coughing thro the day, & in the nights with
Considerable expectoration of phlegm.
I was often very much stuffd in my
breast &
had great difficulty of breathing,
but no pain, nor any thing like an
asthma
fit. I consulted several gentlemen
[Page 2]
of the Faculty, by whose advice I was bled
twice took some physic, opiates, Squill
pills, &cc. I was feverish at times & had
no apitite, therefore I livd low during my
illness, but did not stove my self up
nor keep very hot. As soon as the warm
weather came in I was advised into the
country, my Cough intirely left me, & in
a short time I was quite free from it. My
Physician, whome I consider as a cautious
experienced man, advised me to endeavour
to reduce my corpulency, least my disorder
should retturn again & be more troblesome
to me if I continued very fat as I had
lost 28 Pounds in weight, he thought
I should not gain them again by indulgence
(for my apitite & degestion are both very
good) but that I should use gradually
a good deal of exercise by walking this
Summer time in the morning & evning,
which I had been accustomed, & that
at dinner I should moderate my apitite
& confine myself to one dish of meat
& a little pudding or tart, for that changes
of this nature should be made slow. I
have followed his advice steadily, & instead
of gaining any weight I am 7 or 8 pounds
lighter than 16 stones. I now walk
generally 4 miles before breakfast, & 2
or 3 in the evning, & I have moderated my
diet. I am very well in my self & feel
stronger & more active. When my Cough
was quite gone. I bathed in Dr Hunters
buxton bath 1 which I approve ↑of↑ very much,
[Page 3]
& afterwards it was gradually reduced to
the coldness of river water in summer, &
then I venturd into a moderate cold bath
& I continue bathing every other day as it
agrees well with me. I drink small beer
& a Glass or two of wine after meals, but
no ale or Porter. I must not forget to
tell you that I am tolerably regular, &
that I am seldom bound in my bo[wels.?]
The question I wish you to determine
upon is whether or no you would advise
me to continue the plan I am upon to
reduce my corpulency, till I am in a
moderate state viz till I may weigh about
12 stones instead of 15 & odd Pounds; &
whether such a plan ↑will↑ be safe & of service
to my health & to the prevention of further
coughs & stuffing in my breast.
My Physician [&?]Apothecary concur in
advising me to consult you.
your Humble servant
I beg your acceptance of two Guineas [for?]
your troble which I have inclosed [in this?]
letter:
Please to direct for me to be le[ft for me at?]
Mrs Goddards St Saviour gate [York I?]
beg the favour of as speedy an answer to
my queries as is consistent with your
other engagements:
[Page 4]
To
Dr Cullen
Professor of Medicine
in Edinburgh
Mrs Jane Webster.
Septr
XI. p. 69 –– ✍
Notes:
1: See Alexander Hunter M.D., A treatise on the nature and virtues of Buxton waters. With a preliminary account of the external and internal use of natural and artificial warm-waters among the ancients (London: 1761), and reprinted four times with 'The Buxton Manual' prefixed to the title.
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