The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3759] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) / Regarding: Mrs Morison (Patient) / 15 April 1774 / (Outgoing)
Reply to Dr John Gilchrist at Dumfries concerning 'A Lady - with schirrosity of the Uterus' which Cullen thinks is cancer and therefore probably beyond cure. But Cullen suggests trying Cicuta (Water Hemlock) for which he provides detailed advice on its harvest, preparation and usage. He also advises on preventing the costiveness caused by giving opium for pain relief.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 3759 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/5/22 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 15 April 1774 |
| 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 Dr John Gilchrist at Dumfries concerning 'A Lady - with schirrosity of the Uterus' which Cullen thinks is cancer and therefore probably beyond cure. But Cullen suggests trying Cicuta (Water Hemlock) for which he provides detailed advice on its harvest, preparation and usage. He also advises on preventing the costiveness caused by giving opium for pain relief. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:67] |
Case of Mrs Morison (Morrison), diagnosed with a 'uterine' weakness. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:115] | Addressee | Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) |
| [PERS ID:417] | Patient | Mrs Morison |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:115] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Gilchrist (of Speddoch) |
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 | Dumfries | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
A Lady – with schirrosity of the Uterus.
I have attentively considered every circumstance
of the case you have been pleased to send me and I am
very sorry I cannot see it in a favourable light and
I am afraid it is quite without the reach of our Art.
I believe there are two Different Diseases present
one consisting in Spasmodic affections of the Ali¬
mentary Canal Depending perhaps on original
constitution and more still upon the sedentary life
she has been confined to This we might hope to
mend and alleviate but her other disease is more
considerable and less in our power from the
contusion she received about 9 years ago great
violence has been done to the uterus and it seems
now to be affected with considerable schirrosity
and I believe cancer.
In view of this last ailment you have taken
the most probably measure in giving the
extractions cicutiæ and I think if any thing
can be done it must still be done by this
very medicine, only I suspect that your extract
is not in good conditions for I always suspect
so when 20 grains of it have no sensible effect.
I advise you therefore to lay aside the extract
and take to the powder of the dryed plant.
[Page 2]
The plant has been very well up with
us for some time and I dare say before
this comes to hand it will be tolerably
grown with you, take a small frond
of the plant and dry it suddenly before
the fire when it is properly that is pretty
suddenly dried preserves its green colour
and very much fœtid odour and it is only
on this condition you can employ it to any
purpose and to keep it in this condition
as soon as it is dried you must powder it
and put in phials to be kept closely corkd.
Of this powder you may begin with giving
2 grains for a dose two or three times
a day, if this has no sensible effect
increase it till it has for I hold it as a
rule that the cicuta never proves a
Remedy but when it has sensible effects
that is occasions some giddiness sick¬
ness, or tremor you must therefore increase
your doses by 2 grains at time till it has
these effects. Tis the only Remedy I could
advise for your patient and to encourage
[Page 3]
you I have had a Remarkable cure
by it of considerable schirrosity and
seemingly a cancer were attended with
a Schirrous fœtid discharge by from the
Vagina.
Besides this Remedy the only other
suited to the Ladys complaints is
Opium this I would give very freely
to to whatever Quantity may be required
to give sleep and freedom from pain and
at the same time you have only to
do what you do at present to keep an
open belly. What I think will sit best on
the stomach and answer as well as any
thing else is Cream of Tartar make it
up to a very thin electuary or Lochoch
or (↑with↑) common syrup and give this by tea
spoonfuls every half hour to the quantity
you find necessary. If the Cream of tartar
needs any addition I think jallap one
of the best tis as mild and less disagreeable
than Rhubarb.
[Page 4]
I think it may be added from a 6
to an 8th part in preparation to the Cream
of Tartar With regard to Diet on this
case it seems at present to be very well
ordered and I have nothing further to offer.
Diplomatic Text
A Lady – with schirrosity of the Uterus.
I have attentively considered every circumstance
of the case you have been pleased to send me and I am
very sorry I cannot see it in a favourable light and
I am afraid it is quite without the reach of our Art.
I believe there are two Different Diseases present
one consisting in Spasmodic affections of the Ali¬
mentary Canal Depending perhaps on original
constitution and more still upon the sedentary life
she has been confined to This we might hope to
mend and alleviate but her other disease is more
considerable and less in our power from the
contusion she received about 9 years ago great
violence has been done to the uterus and it seems
now to be affected with considerable schirrosity
and I believe cancer.
In view of this last ailment you have taken
the most probably measure in giving the
extractions cicutiæ and I think if any thing
can be done it must still be done by this
very medicine, only I suspect that your extract
is not in good conditions for I always suspect
so when 20 grains of it have no sensible effect.
I advise you therefore to lay aside the extract
and take to the powder of the dryed plant.
[Page 2]
The plant has been very well up with
us for some time and I dare say before
this comes to hand it will be tolerably
grown with you, take a small frond
of the plant and dry it suddenly before
the fire when it is properly that is pretty
suddenly dried preserves its green colour
and very much fœtid odour and it is only
on this condition you can employ it to any
purpose and to keep it in this condition
as soon as it is dried you must powder it
and put in phials to be kept closely corkd.
Of this powder you may begin with giving
2 grains for a dose two or three times
a day, if this has no sensible effect
increase it till it has for I hold it as a
rule that the cicuta never proves a
Remedy but when it has sensible effects
that is occasions some giddiness sick¬
ness, or tremor you must therefore increase
your doses by 2 grains at time till it has
these effects. Tis the only Remedy I could
advise for your patient and to encourage
[Page 3]
you I have had a Remarkable cure
by it of considerable schirrosity and
seemingly a cancer were attended with
a Schirrous fœtid discharge by from the
Vagina.
Besides this Remedy the only other
suited to the Ladys complaints is
Opium this I would give very freely
to to whatever Quantity may be required
to give sleep and freedom from pain and
at the same time you have only to
do what you do at present to keep an
open belly. What I think will sit best on
the stomach and answer as well as any
thing else is Cream of Tartar make it
up to a very thin electuary or Lochoch
or (↑with↑) common syrup and give this by tea
spoonfuls every half hour to the quantity
you find necessary. If the Cream of tartar
needs any addition I think jallap one
of the best tis as mild and less disagreeable
than Rhubarb.
[Page 4]
I think it may be added from a 6
to an 8th part in preparation to the Cream
of Tartar With regard to Diet on this
case it seems at present to be very well
ordered and I have nothing further to offer.
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