Cullen

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

 

[ID:2158] From: Mr Joseph Harris / To: Reverend Thomas Blacklock (Dr Blacklock) / Regarding: Miss Stanger (Patient), Miss Hannah Stanger (Patient), Mrs Ponsonby (of Egremont) (Patient) / 21 February 1782 / (Incoming)

Letter from Joseph Harris to Mr Stanger, concerning the case of Miss Stanger and Miss Hannah Stanger. Addressed to Stanger at Dr Blacklock's. Also mentions Mrs Ponsonby.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 2158
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/1232
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date21 February 1782
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 Joseph Harris to Mr Stanger, concerning the case of Miss Stanger and Miss Hannah Stanger. Addressed to Stanger at Dr Blacklock's. Also mentions Mrs Ponsonby.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting Yes

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:299]
Case Miss Stanger [sister? of Hannah Stanger] , whose uterine disorder is attributed to a general debility.
4
[Case ID:1490]
Case of Mrs Ponsonby who has a uterine disorder (reported by Dr Dixon).
2
[Case ID:2270]
Case of Miss Hannah Stanger who has an eye inflammation.
4


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:214]AuthorMr Joseph Harris
[PERS ID:844]AddresseeReverend Thomas Blacklock (Dr Blacklock)
[PERS ID:2714]PatientMiss Stanger
[PERS ID:2729]PatientMiss Hannah Stanger
[PERS ID:2730]PatientMrs Ponsonby (of Egremont)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:214]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryMr Joseph Harris
[PERS ID:2727]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr Stanger
[PERS ID:2734]OtherMr Ross
[PERS ID:2731]OtherMr Tate
[PERS ID:2732]OtherMr Beck
[PERS ID:2733]Supplemental AddresseeMr Gaitskell
[PERS ID:2727]Supplemental AddresseeMr Stanger

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Whitehaven North-West England Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Parton Borders Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Whitehaven North-West England Europe certain
Place of Handstamp Whitehaven North-West England Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

Whitehaven February 21st. 1782

Dear Sir


Having had an occasion to write to D.r
Cullen respecting Mrs. Ponsonby of Egremont who
is in an dangerous way, a Schirrus taking place.


I apprehend, in the Ovaria, I then communicated to
him what Effect ha his Advise has had in regard
to your Sisters Complaint & which I am sorry to tell
you is not what might have been expected or what
I could have wished. The short time I had to write
to the Doctr. to save Post makes me apprehensive
that in my hurry I might not have been so
particular as I could wish. To remedy this is my
Reason for adressing you now. Miss Stanger be¬
gun with the Remedies prescribed & continued
them regularly now three Weeks using the Oils as
directed to the different Joints & spine & increasing
the Chalibeate by degrees till it came to ten Grains per Dose
which was as much as the Stomach would easily
bear. but with too apparent Disadvantage the
Weakness having considerably increased. {illeg} (↑tho' not with↑)
any additional Pain. She seems much averse to use
continuing their use any longer. however I have pre¬



[Page 2]

on her to continue the Oils with the addition of the
strong caustic Alkali 'till we hear from Edinburgh
You will no doubt be surprized when I tell you that
Electricity has not yet been used, which for my own
part I have the highest Opinion of, but Miss Stanger's
being at Parton interfered too much with my other
avocations to attend her there as often as was necessary
to reap any advantage from the use of it. and I would
not prevail with her to remove to Whitehaven. Indeed
had the Machine been disingaged I could have put
her
given her such Directions as might have enabled
her to do a use it now & then herself with my attendance
two or three times a week. I proposed to her having
the Machine at either Mr. Tates or Mr. Becks &
those Persons who were now under the Course would
attend there, but she told me it was so inconvenient
that she could not agree to it. I could wish you would
write to urge her to it perhaps a Brothers Influence
may have greater Weight. If we be so happy as to
reap advantage from it in all probability it must
be by a long continued use & which at present will
interfere with your Sister's Business I hope & not
amusement as she tells me - for she seems determin'd


[Page 3]

to go to Dublin in the Spring, therefore unless you
can prevail upon her to postpone her Wish all opportunity
of attempting any further application must cease
till her return, when she means to reside in Whitehaven
I again mention'd to Dr. Cullen tthe unhappy State
of Miss Hannah who has had frequent Inflam¬
mations in her
Eyes since you were ↑here↑ but which fre¬
quently go of without any medical assistance in the
Course of a week but generally leave the Eyes so
weak she that she is obliged to sit in a dark
room not being able to admit the rays of Light
without great pain for some considerable time
after {illeg} Eyes are perfectly free from the [Inflammation]
Miss Hannah in the beginning of those attacks
had been obstructed in her Menses to which Cause
I attributed the Disorder in her Eyes. I gave her
at that time the Rubr. Tinctur. which removed
the Obstruction as I recollect twice but ↑for↑ these last
six months she has been very regular which
induces me to believe that the Complaint must
be owing to some other Cause. she is very anxious
for the Doctors Opinion which you will please to
communicate to him that it may be attended with
the restoring both the Ladies to their former health is the


sincere wish of your humble Servant

Joseph Harris



[Page 4]


I enclosed the Letter to Mr. Gaitskell the Gentleman I
mentioned to you before should the Doctor not have received it when this
comes to hand, you will in please to enquire at a Mrs. Ross's
Buccleigh Street. If Lady Mrs. Ponsonby being a near Relative
of Mr. Gaitskell made me address it to him.


Mr. Stanger
Dr. Blacklocks
Edinburgh


M.r J. Harris
Concerning Miss Stanger &c
February 1782
V XIII. p.259 &c.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

Wt.haven Feby. 21st. 1782

Dear Sir


Having had an occasion to write to D.r
Cullen respecting Mrs. Ponsonby of Egremont who
is in an dangerous way, a Schirrus taking place.


I apprehend, in the Ovaria, I then communicated to
him what Effect ha his Advise has had in regard
to your Sisters Complaint & which I am sorry to tell
you is not what might have been expected or what
I could have wished. The short time I had to write
to the Doctr. to save Post makes me apprehensive
that in my hurry I might not have been so
particular as I could wish. To remedy this is my
Reason for adressing you now. Miss Stanger be¬
gun with the Remedies prescribed & continued
them regularly now three Weeks using the Oils as
directed to the different Joints & spine & increasing
the Chalibeate by degrees till it came to ten Grains p. Dos.
which was as much as the Stomach would easily
bear. but with too apparent Disadvantage the
Weakness having considerably increased. {illeg} (↑tho' not with↑)
any additional Pain. She seems much averse to use
continuing their use any longer. however I have pre¬



[Page 2]

on her to continue the Oils with the addition of the
strong caustic Alkali 'till we hear from Edinburgh
You will no doubt be surprized when I tell you that
Electricity has not yet been used, which for my own
part I have the highest Opinion of, but Miss Stanger's
being at Parton interfered too much with my other
avocations to attend her there as often as was necessary
to reap any advantage from the use of it. and I would
not prevail with her to remove to Whitehaven. Indeed
had the Machine been disingaged I could have put
her
given her such Directions as might have enabled
her to do a use it now & then herself with my attendance
two or three times a week. I proposed to her having
the Machine at either Mr. Tates or Mr. Becks &
those Persons who were now under the Course would
attend there, but she told me it was so inconvenient
that she could not agree to it. I could wish you would
write to urge her to it perhaps a Brothers Influence
may have greater Weight. If we be so happy as to
reap advantage from it in all probability it must
be by a long continued use & which at present will
interfere with your Sister's Business I hope & not
amusement as she tells me - for she seems determin'd


[Page 3]

to go to Dublin in the Spring, therefore unless you
can prevail upon her to postpone her Wish all opportunity
of attempting any further application must cease
till her return, when she means to reside in Whaven
I again mention'd to Dr. Cullen tthe unhappy State
of Miss Hannah who has had frequent Inflam¬
mations in her
Eyes since you were ↑here↑ but which fre¬
quently go of without any medical assistance in the
Course of a week but generally leave the Eyes so
weak she that she is obliged to sit in a dark
room not being able to admit the rays of Light
without great pain for some considerable time
after {illeg} Eyes are perfectly free from the [Inflammation]
Miss Hannah in the beginning of those attacks
had been obstructed in her Menses to which Cause
I attributed the Disorder in her Eyes. I gave her
at that time the Rubr. Tinctur. which removed
the Obstruction as I recollect twice but ↑for↑ these last
six months she has been very regular which
induces me to believe that the Complaint must
be owing to some other Cause. she is very anxious
for the Doctors Opinion which you will please to
communicate to him that it may be attended with
the restoring both the Ladies to their former health is the


sincere wish of your h.ob Sert.

Joseph Harris



[Page 4]


I enclosed the Letter to Mr. Gaitskell the Gentleman I
mentioned to you before shd. the Doctor not have recd. it when this
comes to hand, you will in please to enquire at a Mrs. Ross's
Buccleigh Street. If Lady Mrs. Ponsonby being a near Relative
of Mr. Gaitskell made me address it to him.


Mr. Stanger
Dr. Blacklocks
Edinburgh


M.r J. Harris
C Miss Stanger &c
Febry. 1782
V XIII. p.259 &c.

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