
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3727] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Miss Traill (Trail, of Westove) (Patient), Miss Trail (Traill) (Patient) / 1 April 1775 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'To Mr Liddell about Miss Trail', who carried the letter, but with final paragraph reporting on 'Miss Traill of Westove' (Orkney) who remains in Edinburgh.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.

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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 3727 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/4/52 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 1 April 1775 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | No |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Reply 'To Mr Liddell about Miss Trail', who carried the letter, but with final paragraph reporting on 'Miss Traill of Westove' (Orkney) who remains in Edinburgh. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:339] |
Case of Miss Traill of Orkney who visits Cullen who finds her condition, a kind of 'lepra', rather 'anomalous' but the result of 'weakness and irritability'. Has consulted Cullen earlier so maybe same person as Case 338. |
5 |
[Case ID:2503] |
Case of Miss Traill (Trail) of Westove, 'liable to have some eruption on her skin'. |
4 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:428] | Patient | Miss Traill (Trail, of Westove) |
[PERS ID:1757] | Patient | Miss Trail (Traill) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:339] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Andrew Liddell (Liddle) |
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 | Thurso | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
To Mr Liddell. April 1 1775.
Former letter miscarried, but must now supply what
I sent with herself Miss Trail.
Her ailments irregular and anomalous & cannot be
referred to any title. but must be referred to a
general irritability & mobility of the system & to be cured
by Tonics ---
Therefore I advise cold bathing, Exercise, Steel and
the Bark. & your present report makes it probable
that she will get well by persisting in these
remedies. It will indeed by the surest sign of recovery
the returning of the Menses, but not to be expected till
some warmth of season sets in. Little to be expec¬
ted from medicines in this matter, but now is the time
to try anything we think may be of use- Mercury
one of the most powerfull Emenagogues but must
be here used with caution & that caution may dis¬
appoint us of its effects.- Not eligible, therefore would
have you trust to the Chalybeates, Exercise, friction
of the lower Extremities and Pediluvium. The Chaly¬
beate ordered formerly should now be taken for some
weeks but in double doses.- The exercise you
[Page 2]
mention is certainly too gentle but maybe usefull
& if Miss Trial would get sometimes on horseback &
& at other times walk a good deal, we might at length
get our purpose. A Semicupium is often a good remedy
but it is not well suited to Miss Trails moveable
constitution & therefore confine my advice to Pediluvia
However she may immerse her legs to the knees and sit
in the water a good while, supporting the heat of
it by adding frequently warm water. - while her
legs are in the water, they should be gently rubbed
with another persons hand. I would not insist on
his returning at present to the cold bathing, but
in summer whether her menses return or not I would
advise hir to return by all means to the cold bathing
as the best Tonic she can employ.
As to Miss Trail of Westove. she has been seve¬
ral times quite well, but she is liable to have some
eruption on her skin & the eradicating this matter
will be very difficult. I did not think she could safely
return home during Winter but she may return
now & I have told her that I think there is no
[Page 3]
occasion for her staying longer here which how
ever she seems inclined to do. When she goes
I shall write more particularly--
Diplomatic Text
To Mr Liddell. April 1 1775.
Former letter miscarried, but must now supply what
I sent with herself Miss Trail.
Her ailments irregr and anomalous & cannot be
referred to any title. but must be referred to a
genl irritability & mobility of the system & to be cured
by Tonics ---
Therefore I advise cold bathing, Exercise, Steel and
the Bark. & your present report makes it probable
that she will get well by persisting in these
remedies. It will indeed by the surest sign of recovery
the returning of the Menses, but not to be expected till
some warmth of season sets in. Little to be expec¬
ted from meds in this matter, but now is the time
to try anything we think may be of use- Mercury
one of the most powerfull Emenagogues but must
be here used with caution & that caution may dis¬
appoint us of its effects.- Not eligible, therefore would
have you trust to the Chalybeates, Exercise, friction
of the lower Extremities and Pediluvium. The Chaly¬
beate ordered formerly should now be taken for some
weeks but in double doses.- The exercise you
[Page 2]
mention is certainly too gentle but maybe usefull
& if Miss Trial would get sometimes on h.back &
& at other times walk a good deal, we might at length
get our purpose. A Semicupium is often a good remedy
but it is not well suited to Miss Trails moveable
constitution & therefore confine my advice to P.luvia
However she may immerse her legs to the knees and sit
in the water a good while, supporting the heat of
it by adding frequently warm water. - while her
legs are in the water, they should be gently rubbed
with another persons hand. I would not insist on
his returning at present to the cold bathing, but
in summer whether her menses return or not I would
advise hir to return by all means to the cold bathing
as the best Tonic she can employ.
As to Miss Trail of Westove. she has been seve¬
ral times quite well, but she is liable to have some
eruption on her skin & the eradicating this matter
will be very difficult. I did not think she could safely
return home during Winter but she may return
now & I have told her that I think there is no
[Page 3]
occasion for her staying longer here which how
ever she seems inclined to do. When she goes
I shall write more particularly--
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