The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:2982] From: Dr Charles Keith / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr John Cook (Cooke; of Gallowhill; of Ogle. ) (Patient) / 4 February 1787 / (Incoming)
Letter from Dr Charles Keith, concerning John Cook of Gallowhill, whom he and the surgeon Mr Wilson have seen. Keith believes Cook is giving Cullen 'needless & unnecessary trouble'. He now suffers from swelling in the legs and feet and pains in stomach and back. Keith believes that excessive drinking is a factor in the case.
- 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 | 2982 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/2014 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 4 February 1787 |
| 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 Dr Charles Keith, concerning John Cook of Gallowhill, whom he and the surgeon Mr Wilson have seen. Keith believes Cook is giving Cullen 'needless & unnecessary trouble'. He now suffers from swelling in the legs and feet and pains in stomach and back. Keith believes that excessive drinking is a factor in the case. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:909] |
Case of John Cook of Gallowhill, who suffers from phlegm and other ailments exacerbated by excessive drinking. |
20 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:3387] | Author | Dr Charles Keith |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3495] | Patient | Mr John Cook (Cooke; of Gallowhill; of Ogle. ) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3387] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Charles Keith |
| [PERS ID:5202] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Wilson |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Morpeth | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Morpeth | North-East | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
1787
I knew you will be
pleased to hear that I still keep free of
pectoral complaints – I hope your health is
tolerably good & I sincerly wish it may long
continue so –– The Reason of my troubling
you at resent is to comply with a Request
of John Cooks who begged I would write to
you which indeed I know to be giving you
needless & unnecessary trouble; it seems he
caused write to you two or three Weeks ago
but has received no answer – It is impossible
to give you any accurate Description is of ↑his↑ case
I saw him for the first time this
morning along with Mr. Wilson the Surgeon
He says he has at times severe pain
in his Stomach, that when this is relieved he
feel the pain affect his Back & that it moves
from one place of it to another & it sometimes
[Page 2]
sometimes seizes his Legs & feet but is not
severe there –– At present there is some little
œdema on the lower part of the Legs & upper part
of the Foot; there is also some little redness
approaching in some places to a livid colour
along the inside of the Feet, which rather feel
cold as otherwise & there is nothing like a
scaley appearance upon them –– The Phlegm
he says is very troublesome & he sometimes
throws up at which time there is always
much discharge of Phlegm, with great
relief, but he says when he takes a vomit
the he discharges no Phlegm, but the
secret is, he does not love vomits –– He says
his hands [swels?] at times & that he has frequent
numbness & a prickling sensation in them
his pulse to day was under 70 & of natural
strength – He had an aguish Complaint about
three months ago & after getting free of that
he continued in tolerably good health till
near three Weeks ago that he was seized ↑with↑ the
sickness in his stomach which alternated
with the pains already described – his appetite
since then has been but indifferent; no thirst
[Page 3]
tongue a little whitish – It is only 4 Days
since the pain & swelling of his Feet
came on – He denies drinking Spirits
but in defiance of all that can be said
to him by other Practitioners he persists
in drinking –– I am told to the amount of
a bottle Spirits & two or three of Wine dayly
He pretends to say that a teaspoonful
or two of spirits will instantly remove
the pain from his Stomach to his
Back – I should not be surprised if his
Liver were diseased; his colour however
is very good – His Belly is pretty regular
he says he is always but when it
is free – Mr. Wilson had ordered him
Draughts with Volatile Elix: of Guaiac:
& in [a Lotion?] I have added some camphorated
Julep & Bark & some draughts with Æther
to be taken when the pains at Stomach
recurs – I know it is merely working in the
dark & tho' we had more certain Data to
go upon he would undo all himself – I beg
you will write as soon as possible as he is very
anxious; he never thought of giving you a
fee, but he is poor in the midst of wealth –
He presumes on your kind offer at
[Page 4]
last meeting for he says you bade him write if
worse & it should cost nothing – When you do write
please let the letter be such as he may see it
otherwise he will not be pleased – Best compliments
to the Doctor & all your good Family. I am with esteem
P.S. He frequently gets out of Bed in the
night which he says he is sensible gives
him cold, but that he cannot lye on account
of the pain of Back ––––
Doctor William Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh
Diplomatic Text
1787
I knew you will be
pleased to hear that I still keep free of
pectoral complaints – I hope your health is
tolerably good & I sincerly wish it may long
continue so –– The Reason of my troubling
you at resent is to comply with a Request
of John Cooks who begged I would write to
you which indeed I know to be giving you
needless & unnecessary trouble; it seems he
caused write to you two or three Weeks ago
but has received no answer – It is impossible
to give you any accurate Description is of ↑his↑ case
I saw him for the first time this
morning along with Mr. Wilson the Surgeon
He says he has at times severe pain
in his Stomach, that when this is relieved he
feel the pain affect his Back & that it moves
from one place of it to another & it sometimes
[Page 2]
sometimes seizes his Legs & feet but is not
severe there –– At present there is some little
œdema on the lower part of the Legs & upper part
of the Foot; there is also some little redness
approaching in some places to a livid colour
along the inside of the Feet, which rather feel
cold as otherwise & there is nothing like a
scaley appearance upon them –– The Phlegm
he says is very troublesome & he sometimes
throws up at which time there is always
much discharge of Phlegm, with great
relief, but he says when he takes a vomit
the he discharges no Phlegm, but the
secret is, he does not love vomits –– He says
his hands [swels?] at times & that he has frequent
numbness & a prickling sensation in them
his pulse to day was under 70 & of natural
strength – He had an aguish Complaint about
three months ago & after getting free of that
he continued in tolerably good health till
near three Weeks ago that he was seized ↑with↑ the
sickness in his stomach which alternated
with the pains already described – his appetite
since then has been but indifferent; no thirst
[Page 3]
tongue a little whitish – It is only 4 Days
since the pain & swelling of his Feet
came on – He denies drinking Spirits
but in defiance of all that can be said
to him by other Practitioners he persists
in drinking –– I am told to the amount of
a bottle Spirits & two or three of Wine dayly
He pretends to say that a teaspoonful
or two of spirits will instantly remove
the pain from his Stomach to his
Back – I should not be surprised if his
Liver were diseased; his colour however
is very good – His Belly is pretty regular
he says he is always but when it
is free – Mr. Wilson had ordered him
Draughts with Volatile Elix: of Guaiac:
& in [a Lotion?] I have added some camphorated
Julep & Bark & some draughts with Æther
to be taken when the pains at Stomach
recurs – I know it is merely working in the
dark & tho' we had more certain Data to
go upon he would undo all himself – I beg
you will write as soon as possible as he is very
anxious; he never thought of giving you a
fee, but he is poor in the midst of wealth –
He presumes on your kind offer at
[Page 4]
last meeting for he says you bade him write if
worse & it should cost nothing – When you do write
please let the letter be such as he may see it
otherwise he will not be pleased – Best compts.
to the Doctor & all your good Family. I am with esteem
P.S. He frequently gets out of Bed in the
night which he says he is sensible gives
him cold, but that he cannot lye on account
of the pain of Back ––––
Doctor William Cullen
Physician
Edinburgh
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