The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3762] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Stair Baillie (Patient) / 10 August 1774 / (Outgoing)
Reply with numbered directions 'For Mr Stair Baillie' (Cowden, near Dalkeith). Cullen assures him regarding his symptoms: "I cannot think they depend upon any venereal cause". He gives advice on diet and exercise. Mr Williamson's precise relationship to the patient is unclear.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 3762 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/5/25 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 10 August 1774 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | Yes |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply with numbered directions 'For Mr Stair Baillie' (Cowden, near Dalkeith). Cullen assures him regarding his symptoms: "I cannot think they depend upon any venereal cause". He gives advice on diet and exercise. Mr Williamson's precise relationship to the patient is unclear. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:359] |
Case of Stair Baillie whose is assured his disorder is not venereal. |
1 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1355] | Patient | Mr Stair Baillie |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1356] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Williamson |
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 | Cowden | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Mr Stair Baille
When it suits your conveniency I shall be glad to
converse with you in the meantime I think I understand
your complaints and shall advise for them as well as I can
I cannot think they depend upon any venereal cause
While there is absolutely no other symptom of that kind
The disease manifestly consists in a weakness which
may be aggravated by occasional cold or errors in
diet but I am perswaded what the original cause was the
very injudicious treatment you received 18 years ago
As the weakness has now subsisted so long it must
be more difficult to cure and at any rate will require
pains and attention for some time but on these I hope you
shall get very well. The most probable measures for
this purpose are in my opinion the following.
1. If business and strength will anyways allow it I would
have you take a journey of two or three weeks travelling
between thirty and forty measured miles a day this will
be done more safely in a carriage but if you can easily
bear riding I have no objection to your taking it in that
way accommodating the length of your journey to what
you can easily bear
2 upon this journey you are to take not any other
Medicines but the strengthening drops three times a
[Page 2]
day onlyif the purging shall prove at any time unusua¬
lly violent you may take two or three of the strengthe¬
ning Pills at best time
3 with respect to diet I hope you have made so much
observations to diet yourself but in the mean time I shall
say that I suppose a light animal food to be the most
proper and that you are in danger of being hurt by all
sort of garden things. I would wish to know what experience
you have of milk for if you digest it tolerably I am disposed
to think that milk and grain should be your only Diet
for some time. I am as clear that your only drink
should be water for the most part alone but sometimes
with a little brandy or whisky, all sorts of fermented
liquors whether Wines or malt liquors must be in my opi¬
nion be hurtfull. Nothing is more necessary than
guarding against cold and moisture particularly
in your feet and legs I shall say no more at present
but when you have considered the above I shall be glad
to have your remarks and questions I have put re¬
ceipts for the medicines into Mr Williamsons hands
and expect he will transmitt them with this as they are
proper whether you stay at home or go upon a journey
[Page 3]
For Mr Stair Baille
at Cowden
Take two ounces of Tincture of Mars. Label: Strengthening drops twenty to be taken in a gill of water three times a day
Take one and a half drachms of Pacific Pills. Divide into eighteen pills. Label: strengthening Pills [Let?] two or three to be taken at Bedtime when Purging is unusually violent
1774
Diplomatic Text
For Mr Stair Baille
When it suits your conveniency I shall be glad to
converse with you in the meantime I think I understand
your complaints and shall advise for them as well as I can
I cannot think they depend upon any venereal cause
While there is absolutely no other symptom of that kind
The disease manifestly consists in a weakness which
may be aggravated by occasional cold or errors in
diet but I am perswaded wt the original cause was the
very injudicious treatment you received 18 years ago
As the weakness has now subsisted so long it must
be more difficult to cure and at any rate will require
pains and attention for some time but on these I hope you
shall get very well. The most probable measures for
this purpose are in my opinion the following.
1. If business and strength will anyways allow it I would
have you take a journey of two or three weeks travelling
between thirty and forty measured miles a day this will
be done more safely in a carriage but if you can easily
bear riding I have no objection to your taking it in that
way accommodating the length of your journey to what
you can easily bear
2 upon this journey you are to take not any other
Medicines but the strengthening drops three times a
[Page 2]
day onlyif the purging shall prove at any time unusua¬
lly violent you may take two or three of the strengthe¬
ning Pills at best time
3 with respect to diet I hope you have made so much
observations to diet yourself but in the mean time I shall
say that I suppose a light animal food to be the most
proper and that you are in danger of being hurt by all
sort of garden things. I would wish to know what experience
you have of milk for if you digest it tolerably I am disposed
to think that milk and grain should be your only Diet
for some time. I am as clear that your only drink
should be water for the most part alone but sometimes
with a little brandy or whisky, all sorts of fermented
liquors whether Wines or malt liquors must be in my opi¬
nion be hurtfull. Nothing is more necessary than
guarding against cold and moisture particularly
in your feet and legs I shall say no more at present
but when you have considered the above I shall be glad
to have your remarks and questions I have put re¬
ceipts for the medicines into Mr Williamsons hands
and expect he will transmitt them with this as they are
proper whether you stay at home or go upon a journey
[Page 3]
For Mr Stair Baille
at Cowden
℞ Tinct. Mart: ℥ij
Sig Strengthening drops
twenty to be taken in a gill of water three times
a day
℞ Pil Pacific ʒjſs
divide in Pil № xviii
Sig strengthening Pills [lt?] two or three to be
taken at Bedtime when Purging is unusually
violent
1774
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