Cullen

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

 

[ID:2767] From: Dr E Harrison / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr Wood (of Thoresby) (Patient) / 25 February 1786 / (Incoming)

Letter from E. Harrison concerning the case of Master Wood, who had 'laboured under a gonorrhea virulenta'.

Facsimile

There are 4 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 

[Page 3]


 

[Page 4]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 2767
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/1807
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date25 February 1786
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter from E. Harrison concerning the case of Master Wood, who had 'laboured under a gonorrhea virulenta'.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1155]
Case of Master Wood, aged seventeen and recently a pupil at Westminster School, who has a bladder complaint attributed to a venereal infection and also a pulmonary weakness which proves fatal.
12


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:5496]AuthorDr E Harrison
[PERS ID:1]AddresseeDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:5140]PatientMr Wood (of Thoresby)
[PERS ID:5496]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr E Harrison
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:5141]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr Wood (of Thoresby)

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Louth Midlands England Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Bristol South-West England Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe certain
Mentioned / Other London London and South-East England Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

[Start of margin text]
As I may have frequent opportunities of desiring your opinion, I will be obliged to you to give me
the particulars of your mode of charity. How much you require for the first & second consultations -
In the Case of Mr. Wood it is of no consequences. But I may have patients in less affluent circumstances [End of margin text]


In difficult, and intricate Diseases may I presume to solicit your
opinion tho' my Patient may be unable to fee you properly - I should
have great satisfaction in applying to you in such a trying situation.

Louth Saturday 25th. 1786
Sir


Since I last had the honour to address you it has been
discovered accidentally that Master Wood laboured under
Gonorrhœa Virulentia during his residence in London - And as
we thought the discovery might probably enable you to give
further directions I have taken the liberty of troubling you
with another Letter -


Upon the receipt of your first several alterations
were made - The Sarsa was laid aside, & a more spare,
and diluent diet recommended. But, his strength began
to sink so rapidly
, & the irritability of his bowels coming
on, we were obliged to return to the food mentioned in
my second Letter - This I am happy to inform you agrees
very well with him -


Mr. Wood having read a very extraordinary account
of the Ginseng was induced, on his own accord, to give an
Infusion of it to his Son, &, as it sits easy upon his
Stomach
, & is grateful to his Palate, the Infusion is
still continued - For a few Days past, I find by




[Page 2]


Mr. Woods Letter it has been used instead of the artificial Asses
Milk - After we had found the original source of his Disease,
and had seen the effects of a more debilitating plan I ventured
to advise the following

Take half an ounce of the Best Peruvian Bark, half a drachm of White Cinnamon, pour in eight ounces of boiling water, [take one ounce of the strained liquid?], six drops of Thebaic Tincture, ten drops of Compounded Spirit of Lavender, half a drachm of Simple Syrup and half an ounce of pure Water. Mix to make a draught to be taken twice a day.


I also recommended ten drops of Laudanum
to be taken at Bed time - From the irritability of his
Bowels
the Canella Alba - Spirit. of Lavender & Thebaic Tincture
were given in greater quantity than might otherwise
have been prudent. But I was so attentive to their effects
that no bad consequences could follow. The Draughts sit
easy upon his Stomach - His pulse is not more frequent,
nor his Cough more troublesome since he began them -
His general health & spirits are better - Appetite very good,
& Belly natural - These favourable appearances incline us
to proceed, & we hope to have the happiness of your approbation,
for without that I shall not think myself warranted in
continuing any thing - I must however inform you further, that
I shall diminish the Canella Alba, & Spirit of Lavender
as fast as the state of his Bowels will permit. And we




[Page 3]


propose if agreeable to you to pass from the milder preparations of
Bark to the substance itself - Probably you will think the tonic
plan more adviseable since this recent discovery.


Under the present treatment his urinary Complaint
is much better, & the sediment is remarkably diminished.
[Start of margin text]H. XX[End of margin text] It is hardly more abundant than in the natural state.


Mr. Wood is resolved to set off immediately for Bristol.
Would you recommend the external - use, as well as the
internal exhibition of the Bristol water?


If the sediment continues to diminish, &
the other symptoms become more favourable under
the present treatment we shall defer the Cicuta
till we receive your further commands, or till your
Patient arrives at Bristol.


Mr. Wood is [is?] much better pleased with your opinion than
with any he ever received before, that he is resolved to come
over to Edinburgh with his Son, if Bristol does not succeed
to his wishes -


I cannot conclude this Letter without repeating my
grateful acknowledgements for the good opinion you are kind
enough to entertain of my abilities, & it shall be my endeavour
to merit a continuence of your partiality & favour -

I am, dear Sir, your obliged & very obedient Servant
E Harrison



[Page 4]


Dr. Cullen
Edinburgh

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

[Start of margin text]
As I may have frequent opportunities of desiring your opinion, I will be obliged to you to give me
the particulars of your mode of charity. How much you require for the first & second consultations -
In the Case of Mr. Wood it is of no consequences. But I may have patients in less afflu. circumstances [End of margin text]


In difficult, and intricate Diseases may I presume to solicit your
opinion tho' my Patient may be unable to fee you properly - I should
have great satisfaction in applying to you in such a trying situation.

Louth Saturday 25th. 1786
Sir


Since I last had the honour to address you it has been
discovered accidentally that Master Wood laboured under
Gonorrhœa Virulentia during his residence in London - And as
we thought the discovery might probably enable you to give
further directions I have taken the liberty of troubling you
with another Letter -


Upon the receipt of your first several alterations
were made - The Sarsa was laid aside, & a more spare,
and diluent diet recommended. But, his strength began
to sink so rapidly
, & the irritability of his bowels coming
on, we were obliged to return to the food mentioned in
my second Letter - This I am happy to inform you agrees
very well with him -


Mr. Wood having read a very extraordinary account
of the Ginseng was induced, on his own accord, to give an
Infusion of it to his Son, &, as it sits easy upon his
Stomach
, & is grateful to his Palate, the Infusion is
still continued - For a few Days past, I find by




[Page 2]


Mr. Woods Letter it has been used instead of the artificial Asses
Milk - After we had found the original source of his Disease,
and had seen the effects of a more debilitating plan I ventured
to advise the following


P. Cortic. Peruvian. Optim. ℥ſs
Canellæ Albæ ʒſs - Infunde in Aqu. bullientis ℥viij -
℞ Colaturæ ℥j Tincturæ Thebaic. gutt. vj - Spirit. Lavend. Comp: gutt. x
Syrup. Simpl. ʒſs. Aqu. puræ ℥ſs ℳisce fiat haustus bis
indies sumendus -


I also recommended ten drops of Laud:
to be taken at Bed time - From the irritability of his
Bowels
the Canella Alba - Spirit. of Lavender & T: Thebaica
were given in greater quantity than might otherwise
have been prudent. But I was so attentive to their effects
that no bad consequences could follow. The Draughts sit
easy upon his Stomach - His pulse is not more frequent,
nor his Cough more troublesome since he began them -
His general health & spirits are better - Appetite very good,
& Belly natural - These favourable appearances incline us
to proceed, & we hope to have the happiness of your approbation,
for without that I shall not think myself warranted in
continuing any thing - I must however inform you further, that
I shall diminish the Canella Alba, & Spirit of Lavender
as fast as the state of his Bowels will permit. And we




[Page 3]


propose if agreeable to you to pass from the milder preparations of
Bark to the substance itself - Probably you will think the tonic
plan more adviseable since this recent discovery.


Under the present treatment his urinary Complaint
is much better, & the sediment is remarkably diminished.
[Start of margin text]H. XX[End of margin text] It is hardly more abundant than in the natural state.


Mr. Wood is resolved to set off immediately for Bristol.
Would you recommend the external - use, as well as the
internal exhibition of the Bristol water?


If the sediment continues to diminish, &
the other symptoms become more favourable under
the present treatment we shall defer the Cicuta
till we receive your further commands, or till your
Patient arrives at Bristol.


Mr. Wood is [is?] much better pleased with your opinion than
with any he ever received before, that he is resolved to come
over to Edinburgh with his Son, if Bristol does not succeed
to his wishes -


I cannot conclude this Letter without repeating my
grateful acknowledgements for the good opinion you are kind
enough to entertain of my abilities, & it shall be my endeavour
to merit a continuence of your partiality & favour -

I am, dear Sir, your obliged & very obedt. Servt.
E Harrison



[Page 4]


Dr. Cullen
Edinburgh

XML

XML file not yet available.

Feedback

Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:2767]

Type
Comments
 

Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...