Cullen

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

 

[ID:3744] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Anonymous / Regarding: Miss Porterfield (Patient) / 16 July 1773 / (Outgoing)

Reply 'For Miss Porterfield'

Facsimile

There are 4 images for this document.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 3744
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/5/7
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date16 July 1773
Annotation None
TypeScribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry)
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply 'For Miss Porterfield'
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:350]
Case of Miss Porterfield who has a weak stomach.
1


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1998]Addressee
[PERS ID:1997]PatientMiss Porterfield
[PERS ID:1998]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)

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

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
For Miss Porterfield


A weakness of the stomach is Difficult to mend
and especially when it has subsisted for a long time
but there is hardly any case of it which by attention
and pains may not be greatly releived.


The attention especially necessary is with res¬
pect to Diet but with respect to this Miss P. has
had so much experience of agrees or disagrees with
her stomach that it is not necessary for me to offer
any particular directions. In general I judge
it necessary for her to abstain entirely from all sort
of fermented liquors, to take vegetables very spa¬
ringly and not at all any fruit and with regard
to animal food to keep the stomach light eating
little and often. The other attentions necessary are
to be much in the fresh air when it is not very hot
walking moderately is good for her but riding
is still better. It should be either in the morning
or forenoon and never after dinner at least for



[Page 2]

several hours. It is necessary to go early to bed
and very proper to get {illeg} up betimes in the morning
Care to avoid cold is to be taken but especially of
the feet and legs and I have often found persons
of weak stomachs much releived by promoting the cir¬
culation in the feet by bathing them in warm
water before going to bed at night and by having
them well rubbed by a flesh brush in the morning


Miss P. knows already how necessary it is to diges¬
tion to keep the bowels regular. A medicine [is?]
commonly necessary and sometimes difficult to find
one that answers properly. I have prescribed
one on a paper apart. Which I expect will be
found convenient. Bark and Bitters are often of
service but by long continuance they lose their ef¬
fect and perhaps do harm. I have on the paper
part ordered a Stomachic powder from which I have
found great benefit in Weakness of the Stomach
A powder is to be taken twice every day in a



[Page 3]

little water about an hour before Dinner and
Supper and it may be washed down with a little
brandy or water. After taking a single powder
for a Dose for several Days together if they are
found to agree very well with the stomach two
papers may be put into one for every dose and
this double Dose may also be taken twice a day
and that continued for a fortnight.

Edinburgh 16 July
1773
For Miss Porterfield

Take Socotrine aloes, up to one drachm of Extract Gentian, 13 grains of Gambogia, 1 scruple of Polychrest Salts,a sufficient quantity of Simple Syrup as that makes a mass to be divided into single pills of four grains. Label: Laxative pills one to be taken for a dose at bedtime

16 July




[Page 4]
For Miss Porterfield

Take 5 grains Root of Columbo powder, 7 grains prepared Crab's Eyes, Mix to make a powder and let there be made in an emergency. Dose number 24 Label: Stomachic Powders one to to be taken twice a Day

16 July
1773
WC

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
For Miss Porterfield


A weakness of the stomach is Difficult to mend
and especially when it has subsisted for a long time
but there is hardly any case of it which by attention
and pains may not be greatly releived.


The attention especially necessary is with res¬
pect to Diet but with respect to this Miss P. has
had so much experience of agrees or disagrees with
her stomach that it is not necessary for me to offer
any particular directions. In general I judge
it necessary for her to abstain entirely from all sort
of fermented liquors, to take vegetables very spa¬
ringly and not at all any fruit and with regard
to animal food to keep the stomach light eating
little and often. The other attentions necessary are
to be much in the fresh air when it is not very hot
walking moderately is good for her but riding
is still better. It should be either in the morning
or forenoon and never after dinner at least for



[Page 2]

several hours. It is necessary to go early to bed
and very proper to get {illeg} up betimes in the morning
Care to avoid cold is to be taken but especially of
the feet and legs and I have often found persons
of weak stomachs much releived by promoting the cir¬
culation in the feet by bathing them in warm
water before going to bed at night and by having
them well rubbed by a flesh brush in the morning


Miss P. knows already how necessary it is to diges¬
tion to keep the bowels regular. A medicine [is?]
commonly necessary and sometimes difficult to find
one that answers properly. I have prescribed
one on a paper apart. Which I expect will be
found convenient. Bark and Bitters are often of
service but by long continuance they lose their ef¬
fect and perhaps do harm. I have on the paper
part ordered a Stomachic powder from which I have
found great benefit in Weakness of the Stomach
A powder is to be taken twice every day in a



[Page 3]

little water about an hour before Dinner and
Supper and it may be washed down with a little
brandy or water. After taking a single powder
for a Dose for several Days together if they are
found to agree very well with the stomach two
papers may be put into one for every dose and
this double Dose may also be taken twice a day
and that continued for a fortnight.

Edn 16 July
1773
For Miss Porterfield


aloes Socotorin
Extract Gentian ad ʒi
Gambog gr. Xij
Sal polychrest ℈i
Syr Commun q.s. ut. f. massa dividenda
in pil sing. gr. IV
Sig. Laxative pills one to be taken for a dose
at bedtime

16 July




[Page 4]
For Miss Porterfield


Rad Columb pulv gr. v
Ocul Cancr pp gr vij
ℳ f. Pulvis et fiant h.m. Dos № XXIV
Sig Stomachic Powders one to be taken twice a
a Day

16 July
1773
WC

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