
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:234] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr John White (Whytt) / Regarding: Mr William Pollock (Patient) / 11 December 1781 / (Outgoing)
Belated reply to a physician (identifiable as Dr John Whytt) regarding Mr Pollock's case, with brief directions and prescription.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.

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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 234 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/120 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 11 December 1781 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Machine copy |
Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | Yes |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Belated reply to a physician (identifiable as Dr John Whytt) regarding Mr Pollock's case, with brief directions and prescription. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:1332] |
Case of Mr William Pollock who has a long history of suffering from an itchy skin condition and boils which break out on his neck, scalp and face. |
3 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:3000] | Addressee | Mr John White (Whytt) |
[PERS ID:201] | Patient | Mr William Pollock |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:3000] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John White (Whytt) |
Places linked to this document
Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Writing | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Destination of Letter | Paisley | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr Pollock
In clearing my table I am ashamed
to find Mr Pollocks Case there but I have been exceedingly
hurried of late and business once allowed to be delayed is often
delayed too long. I have now again very carefully considered
his case and am sorry to observe that it has been so much and
so long in his constitution that it will be difficult to eradicate.
However I don't despair of relieving it tho at the season
I cannot employ some remedies so freely as we may do in summer.
Just now I will only advise him to use the Aperient solution
on t'other page and to put in a perpetual Issue between his
shoulders. The solution is to be taken only in open weather
and tho he needs not to be confined, he should take some care
to avoid warm cloathing and by avoiding to be abroad
at night. I cannot fix exactly the dose of the solution till
it shall be tried but it should be just so much as to give one
free stool every day and if possible no more. I would not
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require him to take it daily but certainly two or three times a
week when there is no great frost. I would wish him to take
it in whey but if it is troublesome to get that in winter he
may take it in water gruel not quite cold. For the itching in
his head let him touch the part with a mixture of one part
rum and two parts water. With respect to diet I have
only to say that he should avoid all kinds of fish and all kinds
of salted or high seasoned meats. If in the month of April
next you will let me know how matters are with Mr Pollock
I shall willingly say further as well as I can. With
Compliments to him
Dear John
your most obedient servant
Edinburgh 11th December
1781
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For Mr Pollock
Take two ounces of soluble Tartar, one ounce of Glauber's Salts, half an ounce each of Spanish sea Salt and polychrest Salt, four ounces of Simple cinnamon Water and eight ounces of spring Water. Dissolve and Label: Aperient Solution two table Spoonfulls more or less to be taken in half a muchkin of whey or gruel in the morning.
11 December
1781
Diplomatic Text
Mr Pollock
In clearing my table I am ashamed
to find Mr Pollocks Case there but I have been exceedingly
hurried of late and business once allowed to be delayed is often
delayed too long. I have now again very carefully considered
his case and am sorry to observe that it has been so much and
so long in his constitution that it will be difficult to eradicate.
However I don't despair of relieving it tho at the season
I cannot employ some remedies so freely as we may do in summer.
Just now I will only advise him to use the Aperient solution
on t'other page and to put in a perpetual Issue between his
shoulders. The solution is to be taken only in open weather
and tho he needs not to be confined, he should take some care
to avoid warm cloathing and by avoiding to be abroad
at night. I cannot fix exactly the dose of the solution till
it shall be tried but it should be just so much as to give one
free stool every day and if possible no more. I would not
[Page 2]
require him to take it daily but certainly two or three times a
week when there is no great frost. I would wish him to take
it in whey but if it is troublesome to get that in winter he
may take it in water gruel not quite cold. For the itching in
his head let him touch the part with a mixture of one part
rum and two parts water. With respect to diet I have
only to say that he should avoid all kinds of fish and all kinds
of salted or high seasoned meats. If in the month of April
next you will let me know how matters are with Mr Pollock
I shall willingly say further as well as I can. With
Compliments to him
Dear John
your most obedient servant
Edinr. 11th Decr.
1781
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For Mr Pollock
℞ Tartar solub. ℥ij
Sal. Glauber. ℥j
-- marin. Hisp.
-- polychrest. @ ℥ſs
Aq. cinnam. simpl. ℥iv
-- font. ℥viij
Solve et Signa Aperient Solution two table
Spoonfulls more or less to be taken in half
a muchkin of whey or gruel in the morning
11 Decr.
1781
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