Cullen

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

 

[ID:371] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr John Burn (at Berwick) / Regarding: I. or John Scott (Patient) / 13 December 1775 / (Outgoing)

Reply 'For Mr John Scott'

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 371
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/6/70
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date13 December 1775
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) Enclosure(s) present
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply 'For Mr John Scott'
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:492]
Case of young Mr Scott whose fainting episodes are attributed to 'rapid growth'. His father may be case 493.
3


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:323]AddresseeDr John Burn (at Berwick)
[PERS ID:1221]Patient I. or John Scott
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:323]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr John Burn (at Berwick)
[PERS ID:1221]Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend I. or John Scott

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 Berwick-upon-Tweed (Berwick) North-East England Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Mr John Scott.
Sir


I have learned from Mr Scott a circumstance which determines
my opinion - The whole of his Complaints are probably owing to his
fast growing & that the principal symptoms the faintings or quasi
faintings
are a Nervous affection neither owing to any organic disease
of the Vital parts nor to any weakness of the whole System than
that which fast growing induces. From this view of the case
I see a reason I did not before, of your putting in 2 Issues but cannot see any reason
for a 3d. Have had many such cases, & found that they would never bear any thing
irritating or stimulant, & I am therefore averse to all aromatic volatile & cor¬
dial things
. The only stimulant to be admitted is the smell of eau de Luce when
a fainting fit approaches, which he often percieves. Whatever we do, such ailments
are cured only in some length of time & not till the body have ceased growing
or till (↑&↑) it have acquired some firmness. In the mean time there is always
danger of the undue balance falling upon the lungs & producing Phthisis.
Excuse all this, which might have occurred to yourself but twas necessary for
me to explain myself before proposing particular remedy. Let the asses milk
be continued with a teaspoonful or 2 of rum or brandy, if necessary for its digestion.
Diet, avoid animal food, & vegetables of the lowest quality, at least
seldom & sparingly of either. Most proper Diet will be milk. farinae. &
fruit. In drink, avoid all fermented or spirituous liquors, & take to
water & watery liquors alone, except tea & Coffee which are very bad for him.
Should be much in the fresh air but this season requires caution &
he must avoid cold or wet weather. In mild & fair weather, should go on
horseback, gently riding for a good part of the forenoon. Walking unless
gentle & on level ground may do much harm & any violent bodily
exercise is dangerous.


By this Regimen & Exercise I hope the consequences of his present
state may be avoided till time shall have confirmed his habit. Medicins
can do little but some may be useful. 1. Tonics in the shape I have
proposed on the next page & 2. Costiveness must be obviated, which cannot be
done P (b)y purgatives strictly so called, which may both do too much & have no



[Page 2]

durable effects as they generally leave some astriction after their operation, &
those laxatives only are to be employed which may keep the Belly regular with little or no
purging. Such as Castor oil, Lenitive Electuary flowers of sulphur or Cream of
Tartar
& if these do not answer with being in large & disagreable doses, you
must take to Aloetics in a solid form or to a moderate addition of Jalop
to Cream of Tartar all which must be submitted to trial & your judgement. &cc.

Edinburgh December 13. 1775.
W C.
For Mr I. Scott.

Take half a drachm each of camphor and very hard white sugar. Add little drops of rectified alcohol, grind them together, then add one drachm of Russian castor. To increase, add a sufficient quantity of gum Arabic to make a mass divisible into [separate pills of four grains each OR four pills of a single grain each?]. Label: Antispasmodic Pills 2 or 3 to be taken every afternoon between 5 & 6 oclock

Take one ounce each of powdered Peruvian bark and valerian root [wheat flour OR in the same way?], one drachm each of cinnamon and Russian castor, one and a half ounces of conserve of orange peel and a sufficient quantity of syrup of orange peel to make an electuary, of which he should take one drachm twice a day, in addition drinking two ounces of the following infusion

Take two drachms of powdered Peruvian bark in a mortar. Pour on a little vitriolic acid or sea water and grind diligently for an hour. Divide it in half, then add up to one pound of spring water. Let it be put back into the vial with one drachm of fresh outer orange peel. Soak for 8 hours and filter through paper.

13. December 1775.
W. C.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Mr John Scott.
Sir


I have learned from Mr Scott a circumstance wc determines
my opinion - The whole of his Compts are probably owing to his
fast growing & that the principal symps[n?] the faintings or quasi
faintings
are a Nervous affection neither owing to any organic disease
of the Vital parts nor to any weakness of the whole System than
that wc fast growing induces. From this view of the case
I see a reason I did not before, of your putting in 2 Issues but cannot see any reason
for a 3d. Have had many sc cases, & found yt yy would never bear any thing
irritating or stimulant, & I am therefore averse to all aromatic volatile & cor¬
dial things
. The only stimulant to be admitted is ye smell of eau de Luce wn
a fainting fit approaches, wc he often percieves. Whatever we do, sc ailmts
are cured only in some length of time & not till ye body have ceased growing
or till (↑&↑) it have acquired some firmness. In ye mean time yre is always
danger of ye undue balance falling upon the lungs & producing Phthisis.
Excuse all this, wc mt have occurred to yourself but twas necessary for
me to explain myself before proposg. particular remed. Let ye asses milk
be contd. w a teaspoonful or 2 of rum or brandy, if necessary for its digestion.
Diet, avoid animal food, & vegetables of the lowest quality, at least
seldom & sparingly of either. Most proper D. will be milk. farinae. &
fruit. In drink, avoid all fermented or spirituous liquors, & take to
water & watery liquors alone, except tea & Coff. wc are very bad for him.
Should be mc in ye fresh air but this season requires caution &
he must avoid cold or wet weath. In mild & fair weather, should go on
horseback, gently riding for a good pt of ye forenoon. Walking unless
gentle & on level ground may do much harm & any violent bodily
exercise is dangerous.


By this Regimen & Exercise I hope ye consequences of his present
state may be avoided till time shall have confirmed his habit. Medicins
can do little but some may be useful. 1. Tonics in ye shape I have
proposed on ye next page & 2. Costiveness must be obviated, wc cannot be
done P (b)y purgatives strictly so called, wc may both do too much & have no



[Page 2]

durable effects as they generally leave some astriction after their operation, &
those laxatives only are to be employed wc may keep ye B regr. w little or no
purging. Such as Castor oil, Lenitive Elect. fl. of sulph. or Cr. of
Tartar
& if these do not answer w being in large & disagreable doses, you
must take to Aloetics in a solid form or to a moderate addition of Jalop
to Cr. of Tartar all wc must be submitted to trial & yr judgement. &cc.

Edinr. Decr. 13. 1775.
W C.
For Mr I. Scott.


℞. Camphor. Sacch. alb. duriss. aa ʒſs Adjecta Spir. vin. rect. guttula
terito simul, dein adde Castor. Russ. ʒj Mue. G. Arab. q. s. ut f. massa
divid. in pil. sing. gr. iv.
Signa Antispasmod. Pills 2 or 3 to be taken every afternoon between 5 & 6 oclock


℞ Pulv. cort. Peruv.
---- rad. Valer. silo aa ℥j
---- Cinnam.
---- Castor. Russ. aa ʒj Conserv. e cort. aurant. ℥iſs
Syrup. e cort. aurant. q. s. ut f. Elect. cujus capt. ʒj bis in die, super.
bibendo Infusi sequentis ℥ij


℞ Pulv. cort. Peruv. ʒij in mortar. vitr. vel marmores affunde pauxill.
aq. & terito diligenter p. h. dimid. dein adde Aq. font. ad lbj Reponatr.
in phiala cum cort. exter. aurant. recent. ʒi. Macera h. 8. & p. chart. cola.

13. Decr. 1775.
W. C.

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