The Cullen Project | [ID:2587] From: Mr John White (Whytt) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr James Gilchrist Cochrane (Jamie) (Patient) / April? 1785 / (Incoming)

[ID:2587] From: Mr John White (Whytt) / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr James Gilchrist Cochrane (Jamie) (Patient) / April? 1785 / (Incoming)

Letter from James Whytt, reporting the death of James Cochrane at Culross Abbey House on 19 March, and giving an account of the post mortem carried out on the authority of Lord Dundonald. The letter may be dated early April, as he refers to the child's death as taking place on 'the Nineteenth Ult(imo)'.

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Normalized Text
Diplomatic Text
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Case
People
Places

Facsimile

There are 3 images for this document.

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Metadata

Field	Data
DOC ID	2587
RCPE Catalogue Number	CUL/1/2/1636
Main Language	English
Document Direction	Incoming
Date	April? 1785
Annotation	None
Type	Authorial original
Enclosure(s)	No enclosure(s)
Autopsy	Yes
Recipe	No
Regimen	No
Letter of Introduction	No
Case Note	No
Summary	Letter from James Whytt, reporting the death of James Cochrane at Culross Abbey House on 19 March, and giving an account of the post mortem carried out on the authority of Lord Dundonald. The letter may be dated early April, as he refers to the child's death as taking place on 'the Nineteenth Ult(imo)'.
Manuscript Incomplete?	No
Evidence of Commercial Posting	Yes

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID	Description	Num Docs
[Case ID:195]	Case of James [Jamie] Cochrane seriously ill with a hard, swollen abdomen and whose case proves fatal.	9

People linked to this document

Person ID	Role in document	Person
[PERS ID:3000]	Author	Mr John White (Whytt)
[PERS ID:1]	Addressee	Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:2692]	Patient	Mr James Gilchrist Cochrane (Jamie)
[PERS ID:2700]	Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary	Dr Kennedy
[PERS ID:1]	Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary	Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:2698]	Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend	Earl Archibald Cochrane (9th Earl of Dundonald; Lord Dundonald)

Places linked to this document

Role in document	Specific Place	Settlements / Areas	Region	Country	Global Region	Confidence
Place of Writing	Culross Abbey House	Culross	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	inferred
Destination of Letter	Cullen's House / Mint Close	Edinburgh	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain
Mentioned / Other	Culross Abbey House	Culross	Edinburgh and East	Scotland	Europe	certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

Sir

As Mr James Cochran died ↑at↑ the Abbey of
Culross the Nineteenth Ultimo; I imagin'd the Communication
of the following Particulars would not be disagreeable;
especially as Some Diversity of Opinion prevail'd among
Physicians with respect to his Disease; & consequently
Practise . Lord Dundonald agreed that his Abdomen
should be opened, which was done, twelve Hours after his
Death - The Swelling of which increased gradually to a very
great Extent after you saw him; previous to the open¬
ing the Abdomen, when filliped, it gave the Sound of a
Drum: when open'd some flatus escaped with a little water.
The Intestines were greatly extended with wind, and on
the Surface in Some parts of the Small Guts, there was
a Yellowish Tinge. On the right Side, where there had been
an induration, from the Beginning, the Mesentery was
collected together in Length no less than two hand-
breadths, & about four Inches thick; there were two or
three Adhesions to the Abdomen & two Erosions in the

[Page 2]

in the intestines; I saw little or no Suppuration -
There appeared to me much more faeces, than I could have
expected, in a Natural state; Notwithstanding he had
been very regular with several stools the day that he
died. The Stomach seem'd to be in a Sound state
Dr Kennedys medicines produced no worms, nor gave
any Relief except the Emission sometimes of some
wind - I recollect nothing more worthy of Relation -

Wishing you all Happiness I am with the warmest
gratitude & highest Esteem
Sir
your most obliged
& very humble Servant

James Whytt

P:S from the obstruction of the mesenteric Glands or Vessels there, no nourish¬
ment could be properly convey'd to the system not does it appear that
any medicine could remove his Complaints

[Page 3]

Doctor Cullen
Mint Close
Edinburgh

Mr. James Whyte
Concerning Mr James Cochrane
March 1785

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

Sir

As Mr James Cochran died ↑at↑ the Abbey of
Culross the Nineteenth Ult.; I imagin'd the Communication
of the following Particulars would not be disagreeable;
especially as Some Diversity of Opinion prevail'd among
Physicians with respect to his Disease; & consequently
Practise . Lord Dundonald agreed that his Abdomen
should be opened, which was done, twelve Hours after his
Death - The Swelling of wh. increased gradually to a very
great Extent after you saw him; previous to the open¬
ing the Abdomen, when filliped, it gave the Sound of a
Drum: when open'd some flatus escaped with a little water.
The Intestines were greatly extended with wind, and on
the Surface in Some parts of the Small Guts, there was
a Yellowish Tinge. On the right Side, where there had been
an induration, from the Beginning, the Mesentery was
collected together in Length no less than two hand-
breadths, & about four Inches thick; there were two or
three Adhesions to the Abdomen & two Erosions in the

Wishing you all Happiness I am with the warmest
gratitude & highest Esteem
Sir
your most obliged
& very humble Sert

James Whytt

P:S from the obstruction of the mesenteric Glands or Vessels there, no nourish¬
ment could be properly convey'd to the system not does it appear that
any medicine could remove his Complaints

[Page 3]

Doctor Cullen
Mint Close
Edin

Mr. Jas. Whyte
C. Mr Jas. Cochrane
March 1785

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