The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:2080] From: Mrs Margaret Gordon (Stewart) (of Halleaths) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Gilbert Gordon (Collector Gordon; of Halleaths and Lochmaben) (Patient) / 20 October 1781 / (Incoming)
Letter from Margaret Gordon, concerning the case of her husband, Gilbert Gordon of Halleaths, who has been undergoing electrical treatment: 'my Husband has received above a hundred and fifty shokes in the day without making any perceptible alteration'. She asks advice about bathing treatments.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 2080 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/1154 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 20 October 1781 |
| 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 Margaret Gordon, concerning the case of her husband, Gilbert Gordon of Halleaths, who has been undergoing electrical treatment: 'my Husband has received above a hundred and fifty shokes in the day without making any perceptible alteration'. She asks advice about bathing treatments. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1354] |
Case of Mr Gordon, who obtains an electrical machine to treat the pain and weakness in his lower back and stomach region, a condition considered almost paralytic by his local physician Dr John Gilchrist. |
7 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:178] | Author | Mrs Margaret Gordon (of Halleaths) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:168] | Patient | Mr Gilbert Gordon (Collector Gordon; of Halleaths and Lochmaben) |
| [PERS ID:115] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:178] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Margaret Gordon (of Halleaths) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Halleaths | Lochmaben | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
As you were so good as permit me
to write you when we parted letting you
know how my Husband was & this however
I wished to delay till we should have a full
tryal of the Electricity –– He was greatly
better in his health for some weeks after we
came home slept well at night and had a
tollerable appetite but never improved one bit
in his walking –– Within these three weeks
he has never been free of that inward uneasiness
he used to complain of it lies in the lower
part of his Belly and his Back which is
so weak that he never can sit straight
without a support to his arms & the startings
and twistings in his legs have never left him
[Page 2]
and he is much troubled with wind in his stomach
The Electrical machine did not come to hand
till eight days after our arrival but since
that time my Husband has received above
a hundred and fifty shokes in the day without
making any perceptible alteration however
we shall still persevere till you think
it proper that we should disist ––
You mentioned in your letter to doctor
Gilchrist that in a months time my Husband
was to begin the hot Bath this I am very
anxious should be done but must beg first
to hear from you as I wish to be informed
of the following particulares –– To what
part of his body is the stream to be applied;
How long should he remain at a time under
the operation –– is it necessary that his head
should be bathed before we begin; should
it be done previous to his going to bed
Is the bathing to be repeated every day and
[Page 3]
for how long a time are we to continue it ––
Is there any particular thing he should take
before or after to prevent cold or faintishness
He still continues to take the mixture
you prescribed for him when we were in Edinburgh
O doctor is there nothing else you could think
of that would relieve him from those inward
uneasy feelings which are exhausting both
to his body and spirits –– one thing I ought
to have let you know he is pritie [regular?] in
his belly –– I beg youll excuse {illeg}
long letter but if I have tired your patience
it is owing to my anxiety about my Husband, He
joins me in best respects to you –– your answer
will very much oblige
your most obedient Humble servant
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen Physician
Edinburgh
Mrs Gordon
C Mr Gordon
October 1781
Diplomatic Text
As you were so good as permit me
to write you when we parted letting you
know how my Husband was & this however
I wished to delay till we should have a full
tryal of the Electricity –– He was greatly
better in his health for some weeks after we
came home slept well at night and had a
tollerable appetite but never improved one bit
in his walking –– Within these three weeks
he has never been free of that inward uneasiness
he used to complain of it lies in the lower
part of his Belly and his Back which is
so weak that he never can sit straight
without a support to his arms & the startings
and twistings in his legs have never left him
[Page 2]
and he is much troubled with wind in his stomach
The Electrical machine did not come to hand
till eight days after our arrival but since
that time my Husband has received above
a hundred and fifty shokes in the day without
making any perceptible alteration however
we shall still persevere till you think
it proper that we should disist ––
You mentioned in your letter to doctor
Gilchrist that in a months time my Husband
was to begin the hot Bath this I am very
anxious should be done but must beg first
to hear from you as I wish to be informed
of the following particulares –– To what
part of his body is the stream to be applied;
How long should he remain at a time under
the operation –– is it necessary that his head
should be bathed before we begin; should
it be done previous to his going to bed
Is the bathing to be repeated every day and
[Page 3]
for how long a time are we to continue it ––
Is there any particular thing he should take
before or after to prevent cold or faintishness
He still continues to take the mixture
you prescribed for him when we were in Edin
O doctor is there nothing else you could think
of that would relieve him from those inward
uneasy feelings which are exhausting both
to his body and spirits –– one thing I ought
to have let you know he is pritie [regular?] in
his belly –– I beg youll excuse {illeg}
long letter but if I have tired your patience
it is owing to my anxiety about my Husband, He
joins me in best respects to you –– your answer
will very much oblige
your most obedient Humble servat
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen Physician
Edinburgh
Mrs Gordon
C Mr Gordon
Octr 1781
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