The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3722] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: John Whyte / Regarding: Mr Spittall (Spittel) (Patient) / 23 January 1775 / (Outgoing)
Reply to 'Mr John Whyte about Mr Spittal'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 3722 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/4/47 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 23 January 1775 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply to 'Mr John Whyte about Mr Spittal'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:179] |
Case of Mr Spittal, annotated 'Mania'. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:487] | Addressee | John Whyte |
| [PERS ID:1331] | Patient | Mr Spittall (Spittel) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:487] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | John Whyte |
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 | Dysart | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Mr John White about Mr Spittal
I am glad to find from your letter of to¬
day that Mr S. seems to be in a better way, I hope it
shall go on & therefore no addition to my former advice
but still necessary to keep his belly regular & rather upon
& if that can be done by a tolerably mild Medicine
better than by glysters. --
I percieve that neither my solution, nor
your pills answer the purpose properly & I
would have you therefore try the Electuary ordered
on the tother page - you may be surprised at my
ordering the Cr. Tart. & the powdered compound of Jalap
as the latter chiefly consists of the same ---
But you must observe the powdered compound of Jalap was
[inserted?] in the Dispensatory 1
of having some Jalap well triturated with the
C. Tart. always ready, as that Triture renders
the operation of the Jalap both milder & more
certain & by the addition of the Cream of Tartar
extempore we can vary the proportion at pleasure
I have given you the proportion, which I hope will
answer, but you may add more of the powdered compound of Jalap
as you shall find occasion
[Page 2]
If this medicine should not answer, but in a very
bulky dose, I would have you try the Oleum
Ricini or caster oil to a spoonfull or two. You
will get the best kind of it as fresh expressed from
the Seeds from Mr Lauries Laboratory in this place 2
It is to be given in the morning & is taken the most
easily & sits the best, when it is previously well
shaken in a phial with a tea spoonfull or two
of rum. I believe you have done very right
in being satisfied with a walk as the weather
& perhaps other circumstances might be ↑un↑favourable
to a carriage For Mr Spittal
Take two drachms of powder of Jalap compound and two and a half ounces of Crystal Tartar. Mix carefully and add one ounce of juice of French prunes and a sufficient quantity of simple syrup, and make a thin electuary or Lochoch. Label: Laxative Electuary. Two, three or four tea spoonfulls in the morning.
Notes:
1: By Dispensatory Cullen means an official published list of drugs approved by the Royal Colleges of Physicians, of London or Edinburgh. They appeared in various revised editions, compilations and translations (from Latin), throughout this period so it is unclear precisely which one is being referred to here, though Cullen probably implies that approved by the R.C.P.E.. which he oversaw.
2: Williamson's Directory, for the city of Edinburgh, Canongate, Leith, and suburbs; from June 1778, to June 1779 (Edinburgh: 1778), lists 'Laurie and Co. druggists, head of Niddry's wynd' (p.57). In this context a 'laboratory' indicates a place where drugs are being commercially prepared.
Diplomatic Text
Mr John White about Mr Spittal
I am glad to find from your letter of to¬
day that Mr S. seems to be in a better way, I hope it
shall go on & therefore no addition to my former advice
but still necessary to keep his belly regr & rather upon
& if that can be done by a tolerably mild Med
better than by glysters. --
I percieve that neither my solution, nor
your pills answer the purpose properly & I
would have you therefore try the Electuary ordered
on the tother page - you may be surprised at my
ordering the Cr. Tart. & the Pulv. e J. comp
as the latter chiefly consists of the same ---
But you must observe the Pulv. e J. compt was
[inserted?] in the Dispensatory 1
of having some Jalap well triturated with the
C. Tart. always ready, as that Triture renders
the operation of the Jalap both milder & more
certain & by the addition of the Cream of Tartar
extempore we can vary the proportion at pleasure
I have given you the proportion, wc I hope will
answer, but you may add more of the Pulv. e J. comp
as you shall find occasion
[Page 2]
If this med should not answer, but in a very
bulky dose, I would have you try the Oleum
Ricini or caster oil to a spoonfull or two. You
will get the best kind of it as fresh expressed from
ye Seeds from Mr Lauries Laboratory in this place 2
It is to be given in the morng. & is taken the most
easily & sits the best, when it is previously well
shaken in a phial with a tea spoonfull or two
of rum. I believe you have done very right
in being satisfied with a walk as ye weather
& perhaps other circumstances might be ↑un↑favourable
to a carriage For Mr Spittal
℞ Pulv. e. Jalapp. compt. ʒij
Cryst. Tart. pulv. ℥ijſs
ℳ accurate et adde
Pulp. prun. Gall. ℥j
Syrup. simpl. q. s. ut f electuarum
tenu sive Lochoch
S. Lax. El. 2, 3 or 4 tea spoonfulls in the morng
Notes:
1: By Dispensatory Cullen means an official published list of drugs approved by the Royal Colleges of Physicians, of London or Edinburgh. They appeared in various revised editions, compilations and translations (from Latin), throughout this period so it is unclear precisely which one is being referred to here, though Cullen probably implies that approved by the R.C.P.E.. which he oversaw.
2: Williamson's Directory, for the city of Edinburgh, Canongate, Leith, and suburbs; from June 1778, to June 1779 (Edinburgh: 1778), lists 'Laurie and Co. druggists, head of Niddry's wynd' (p.57). In this context a 'laboratory' indicates a place where drugs are being commercially prepared.
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