
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3496] From: Mr John Goodsir / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Mr John Bethune (Lindsay) (Lindsay of Wormiston; after 1782, Bethune of Kilconquhar/Balfour) (Patient) / 12 April 1789 / (Incoming)
Letter from John Goodsir to William and Henry Cullen, concerning the on-going case of Mr Bethune, whose symptoms include vomiting and Å“dema.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.

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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 3496 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/2388 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Incoming |
Date | 12 April 1789 |
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 John Goodsir to William and Henry Cullen, concerning the on-going case of Mr Bethune, whose symptoms include vomiting and Å“dema. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:196] |
Case of John (Lindsay) Bethune of Kilconquhar, being reported almost daily by his surgeon John Goodsir. |
24 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1301] | Author | Mr John Goodsir |
[PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:464] | Patient | Mr John Bethune (Lindsay of Wormiston; after 1782, Bethune of Kilconquhar/Balfour) |
[PERS ID:1301] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Goodsir |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:544] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
[PERS ID:544] | Supplemental Addressee | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
Places linked to this document
Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Writing | Kilconquhar House | Kilconquhar | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Destination of Letter | The University of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
I have had no letter
from you since last report on Friday the 10th Current
at that time I said Mr. Bethune had pass'd less
Urine for some days than formerly, difficult Breath¬
ing without Cough rather more frequent- Odema¬
tous swelling in the Limbs especially towards
Bedtime rather increased- In every other respect
as mentioned in the former report-
Friday morning got the Electuary which operated
copiously without fatigue did not go out, was
averse to take the Squills at Bedtime were not given.
Passd a tolerable night did not sleep much-
took the Squills early in the morning (Saturday)
was sick and threw up his Breakfast took an
airing about two hours- Sickness at Stomach at
times thro the day & less desire for food
[Page 2]
no drought, Swelling on the Limbs the same,
Urine still in small quantity, in other respects
as before- Got the Squills at Bedtime pass a tolerable
night- Sunday Morning The state of His Stomach
and other Symptomes as yesterday threw up His
diner, From the present deranged state of Mr. B's
Stomach the Electuary has not sat so well for
these two or three last doses often made him
sick and threw up- Took an airing between two
and three hours this ↑day↑ and bore it well took no
Medicine this day passd rather a Better night
Monday Morning the same as yesterday. I now
and some time before had thought on the pro¬
priety of an Emetic accordingly was determined
to give one in the Evening- Threw up part of
his diner this day also which was very Acid
Vomit operated well threw up a great deal
[Page 3]
of Acid undigested Stuff. Vomit also produced a Stool
at which time he passd more Urine than he had
done for ten or twelve hours- Passd a much better
night, This morning Tuesday free and easy. Got
the Electuary about 8 oClock has sat pretty well
not begun to operate & now nine- Swelling on the
Limbs rather encreased some degree of it on the
Thighs, small quantity of Urine last night and
very turbid- No drought but has complaind for some
days past of ↑a degree of↑ a parchdness on his Tongue. His [Bowels]
are uniformly easy when taking no medicines.
His Spirits are good & Countenance looks well not¬
withstanding the Symptomes above mentioned--
With very much Respect
I am Dear Gentlemen
Your very Humble & Obedient Servant
Kilconquhar April 12th
1789
Tuesday 10 oClock
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Professor of Medicine
University of Edinburgh
Mr Goodsir
C. Mr Bethune
April 1789
Diplomatic Text
I have had no letter
from you since last report on Friday the 10th Curt.
at that time I said Mr. Bethune had pass'd less
Urine for some days than formerly, difficult Breath¬
ing without Cough rather more frequent- Odema¬
tous swelling in the Limbs especially towards
Bedtime rather increased- In every other respect
as mentioned in the former report-
Friday morning got the Electuary which operated
copiously without fatigue did not go out, was
averse to take the Squills at Bedtime were not given.
Passd a tolerable night did not sleep much-
took the Squills early in the morning (Saturday)
was sick and threw up his Breakfast took an
airing about two hours- Sickness at Stomach at
times thro the day & less desire for food
[Page 2]
no drought, Swelling on the Limbs the same,
Urine still in small quantity, in other respects
as before- Got the Squills at Bedtime pass a tolerable
night- Sunday Morning The state of His Stomach
and other Symptomes as yesterday threw up His
diner, From the present deranged state of Mr. B's
Stomach the Electuary has not sat so well for
these two or three last doses often made him
sick and threw up- Took an airing between two
and three hours this ↑day↑ and bore it well took no
Medicine this day passd rather a Better night
Monday Morning the same as yesterday. I now
and some time before had thought on the pro¬
priety of an Emetic accordingly was determined
to give one in the Evening- Threw up part of
his diner this day also which was very Acid
Vomit operated well threw up a great deal
[Page 3]
of Acid undigested Stuff. Vomit also produced a Stool
at which time he passd more Urine than he had
done for ten or twelve hours- Passd a much better
night, This morning Tuesday free and easy. Got
the Electuary about 8 oClock has sat pretty well
not begun to operate & now nine- Swelling on the
Limbs rather encreased some degree of it on the
Thighs, small quantity of Urine last night and
very turbid- No drought but has complaind for some
days past of ↑a degree of↑ a parchdness on his Tongue. His [Bowels]
are uniformly easy when taking no medicines.
His Spirits are good & Countenance looks well not¬
withstanding the Symptomes above mentioned--
With very much Respect
I am Dear Gentlemen
Your very Hube. & Obt. Servt.
Kilconqr. April 12th
1789
Tuesday 10 oClock
[Page 4]
Doctor Cullen
Professor of Medicine
University of Edinr.
Mr Goodsir
C. Mr Bethune
April 1789
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