
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:390] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Douglas (Patient) / 4 June 1768 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mr Douglas', giving instructions on how to take goat whey.
- 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 | 390 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/2/11 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 4 June 1768 |
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 'For Mr Douglas', giving instructions on how to take goat whey. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:280] |
Case of Mr Douglas who is given detailed instructions on undertaking a course of goat whey. |
1 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:1169] | Patient | Mr Douglas |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr 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 |
Mentioned / Other | Highlands | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Mr. Douglas
For a tedious ailment Mr Douglas is now to try the Goat whey
& the good effects of it will depend very much on its management --
The first article of that, is that it must be taken early in the morning
To manage this properly they must be milked early & if the milk or whey is kept
for any time many hours after that, it is liable to be much spoiled -- I mention
this because the habits that Mr. D. has been in for some time past is very unsui¬
table to taking the milk early & he ought to bring himself by degrees to get
out of bed more early for that purpose & many other reasons. -- This However
is to be done by degrees only & when he goes to the Highlands first let him take
his sleep as usual but every day after that let him be taken out of bed a quarter
of an hour & no more sooner than the day before so that in the course of eight
days he gets up at a reasonable time. This ought to be steadily and
exactly performed & tho he should be under a little sweat when wakes in the
morning it is no objection to his rising for such sweats do no service & should
not be encouraged, only it will be proper to dry his skin well & perhaps change
his shirt before he gets up.
He is to begin the Goat whey by a small quantity at first not
above a gill & to increase ↑it only↑ every two days by half a gill at a time by which his
stomach will be brought to bear & digest more than if had begun with a larger
quantity. The quantity he is at length to take must be regulated by his stomach
but in my opinion it should be less & never more than a chopin
Whatever quantity he takes above a gill must be divided into
several draughts leaving an interval of half an hour between each
He may always taken the first draught of the whey abed and in
the course of eight days he may even take a second, but after he is come to bear
rising more early he should be always out of bed to take the second and following
draughts and if the weather allows of it to walk out a little between the draughts ---
When he has finished the whole of the whey let him get on horseback
& let his horse walk gently without trotting for an hour --
[Page 2]
After this airing let him take break fast & half an hour after or a little
more let him get on horseback again for his forenoons ride. The motion
in this should be gentle but unless the circumstances of heat or Rain prevent it
should be continued for three hours at least. This is indeed to be adapted to
his strength but short rides do little service & Mr D. has taken none hitherto
that could be of much.
Mr. D. should always rest for two hours after dinner but a game
at backgammon or other light amusement is better for him than sleeping
About six in the Evening when the weather is very mild he may
ride out for an hour or two but he must take particular care to avoid being
abroad when the Easterly winds blow cold or when there is the least degree of
Easterly Fog ---
It is indeed of great consequence for Mr Douglas to avoid Cold
but in studying that he seems to have run into a contrary extream & covered
himself too much. It is difficult to give positive directions in this matter and
I can only say that the cooler he is kept & the more fresh air he can admit of
without catching cold it is the better.
During the goat whey course Mr Dougla's diet is to be as hitherto
& I am fully perswaded that the coolest & lightest is the best for him and if
altogether without Animal Food it is my opinion the better. I dont suppose
he is to drink any Goat Whey in the Evening but if he can get a little quite
fresh to take with a bit of toasted water bread for supper it is very proper --
In the way of medicine the Paregoric is to be continued but no other
is to be taken but as occasion may require. He may carry the Pectoral pills
along with him but should now intermitt them for some time unless some stoppage
of expectoration seem to require them
If any costiveness should come on it must be removed either by a
little sulphur or by a tea spoonfull or two or the Laxative Powder taken
in the first draught of his whey.
On the other hand if the goat whey is disposed to purge him it must
be immediately intermitted or let alone altogether ---
[Page 3]
In case of the wheys purging him or whether or not he may after having
taken the whey for two or three weeks by the Goats milk taking it in smaller
quantity & only so much as his stomach is quite master of. -- At first trials
he may take a little milk for the first dose and take a draught or two of whey
at proper intervals after it.
At any time if the whey proves windy he may take a tea
spoonfull of Sal Volatile in one of his draughts ---
Diplomatic Text
For Mr. Douglas
For a tedious ailment Mr Douglas is now to try the Goat whey
& the good effects of it will depend very much on its management --
The first article of that, is that it must be taken early in the morning
To manage this properly they must be milked early & if the milk or whey is kept
for any time many hours after that, it is liable to be much spoiled -- I mention
this because the habits that Mr. D. has been in for some time past is very unsui¬
table to taking the milk early & he ought to bring himself by degrees to get
out of bed more early for that purpose & many other reasons. -- This However
is to be done by degrees only & when he goes to the Highlands first let him take
his sleep as usual but every day after that let him be taken out of bed a quarter
of an hour & no more sooner than the day before so that in the course of eight
days he gets up at a reasonable time. This ought to be steadily and
exactly performed & tho he should be under a little sweat when wakes in the
morning it is no objection to his rising for such sweats do no service & should
not be encouraged, only it will be proper to dry his skin well & perhaps change
his shirt before he gets up.
He is to begin the Goat whey by a small quantity at first not
above a gill & to increase ↑it only↑ every two days by half a gill at a time by which his
stomach will be brought to bear & digest more than if had begun with a larger
quantity. The quantity he is at length to take must be regulated by his stomach
but in my opinion it should be less & never more than a chopin
Whatever quantity he takes above a gill must be divided into
several draughts leaving an interval of half an hour between each
He may always taken the first draught of the whey abed and in
the course of eight days he may even take a second, but after he is come to bear
rising more early he should be always out of bed to take the second and following
draughts and if the weather allows of it to walk out a little between the draughts ---
When he has finished the whole of the whey let him get on horseback
& let his horse walk gently without trotting for an hour --
[Page 2]
After this airing let him take break fast & half an hour after or a little
more let him get on horseback again for his forenoons ride. The motion
in this should be gentle but unless the circumstances of heat or Rain prevent it
should be continued for three hours at least. This is indeed to be adapted to
his strength but short rides do little service & Mr D. has taken none hitherto
that could be of much.
Mr. D. should always rest for two hours after dinner but a game
at backgammon or other light amusement is better for him than sleeping
About six in the Evening when the weather is very mild he may
ride out for an hour or two but he must take particular care to avoid being
abroad when the Easterly winds blow cold or when there is the least degree of
Easterly Fog ---
It is indeed of great consequence for Mr Douglas to avoid Cold
but in studying that he seems to have run into a contrary extream & covered
himself too much. It is difficult to give positive directions in this matter and
I can only say that the cooler he is kept & the more fresh air he can admit of
without catching cold it is the better.
During the goat whey course Mr Dougla's diet is to be as hitherto
& I am fully perswaded that the coolest & lightest is the best for him and if
altogether without Animal Food it is my opinion the better. I dont suppose
he is to drink any Goat Whey in the Evening but if he can get a little quite
fresh to take with a bit of toasted water bread for supper it is very proper --
In the way of medicine the Paregoric is to be continued but no other
is to be taken but as occasion may require. He may carry the Pectoral pills
along with him but should now intermitt them for some time unless some stoppage
of expectoration seem to require them
If any costiveness should come on it must be removed either by a
little sulphur or by a tea spoonfull or two or the Laxative Powder taken
in the first draught of his whey.
On the other hand if the goat whey is disposed to purge him it must
be immediately intermitted or let alone altogether ---
[Page 3]
In case of the wheys purging him or whether or not he may after having
taken the whey for two or three weeks by the Goats milk taking it in smaller
quantity & only so much as his stomach is quite master of. -- At first trials
he may take a little milk for the first dose and take a draught or two of whey
at proper intervals after it.
At any time if the whey proves windy he may take a tea
spoonfull of Sal Volatile in one of his draughts ---
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