The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:3993] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Andrew Liddell (Liddle) / Regarding: Miss Alexandrina Dunbar (Lexie) (Patient) / 4 February 1777 / (Outgoing)
Reply headed 'Mr Liddell C. Miss Dunbar'. Reply to Andrew Liddell's Letter 1350, about Alexandrina 'Lexie' Dunbar. Cullen is apprehensive of phthisis, because of the 'constitution of the family & the appearance of the blood last taken'. He advises on diet and exercise, medication (including guidance on preparing a decoction of Coltsfoot).
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 3993 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/8/105 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 4 February 1777 |
| 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 headed 'Mr Liddell C. Miss Dunbar'. Reply to Andrew Liddell's Letter 1350, about Alexandrina 'Lexie' Dunbar. Cullen is apprehensive of phthisis, because of the 'constitution of the family & the appearance of the blood last taken'. He advises on diet and exercise, medication (including guidance on preparing a decoction of Coltsfoot). |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:498] |
Case of Miss Alexandria "Lexie" Dunbar (eighteen-year-old daughter of Sir William Dunbar) who has a persistent cough and chest complaint. |
6 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:339] | Addressee | Mr Andrew Liddell (Liddle) |
| [PERS ID:1509] | Patient | Miss Alexandrina Dunbar (Lexie) |
| [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
Mr Liddell Concerning Miss Dunbar
Often puzzled with nervous complaints coughs & Miss
Dunbar is truly such; but so liable to end in Phthisis.
The constitution of the family & the appearance of the
blood last taken, makes me afraid of the Event, & your
plan has been very proper.
Diet to be continued entirely without animal food or strong
drink – Her Exercise should be carried farther to three or four
hours every forenoon. I expect she will cough less in the Carriage
than at any other time.
Some Issue should be continued; but I think she may be relieved
from the Perpetual Issue, by making a Pea Issue behind the
right shoulder which will be more convenient than upon
the side.
Attentively obviate costiveness & if the Ol. Ricini
& Flor. Sulph answer nothing better
Vomiting may be of service both to her stomach & breast
but on account of the weakness of the former I would
not wish to repeat it often unless where it was employed
it was with manifest advantage to her breast.
By the Above &c if there is no tubercle in the Lungs I hope
we shall with the advance of the season get the better of
Miss Ds Cough; but we must take every other precaution
If you have perceived that any of the Demulcent Pectorals are
of service in palliating the Cough you may employ them freely
& vary the Sweet Mucilaginous & Oily. I am not fond
of
[Page 2]
the vapour of warm water. In the suspicion of a
Tubercle I know nothing better than Decoct. fol. Tussilag
Make it strong & give it largely & make it strong, two
ounces to the pound & use strong expression. Towards the end
of the Decoction you may add some Anise seeds or if these
are disagreable let it be the sweat fennel. Besides this
you may use a pill of three parts of Extract glycyrrh & one
part Asafœtida giving two ↑or↑ three four grain pills every night
& morning. I wish you had told me what effects, the opiates given
after the Vomits had on her Cough, because if they had a
good effect & did not heat her I would in the case of the
cough being very urgent repeat the Opiate; but as she sleeps
well I would not employ an Opiate without a strong tempta¬
tion. As to bleeding – I think you have hitherto done
right, & leave it to your discretion; but I must say that I
would rather bleed more than less than is necessary ----
Diplomatic Text
Mr Liddell C. Miss Dunbar
Often puzzled with nervous complaints coughs & Miss
Dunbar is truly such; but so liable to end in Phthisis.
The constitution of the family & the appearance of the
blood last taken, makes me afraid of the Event, & your
plan has been very proper.
Diet to be contd entirely without animal food or strong
drink – Her Exercise should be carried farther to three or four
hours every forenoon. I expect she will cough less in the Carriage
than at any other time.
Some Issue should be contd; but I think she may be relieved
from the Perpetual Issue, by making a Pea Issue behind the
right shoulder wc will be more convenient than upon
the side.
Attentively obviate costiveness & if the Ol. Ricini
& Flor. Sulph answer nothing better
Vomiting may be of service both to her stomach & breast
but on account of the weakness of the former I would
not wish to repeat it often unless where it was employed
it was with manifest advantage to her breast.
By the Above &c if there is no tubercle in the Lungs I hope
we shall with the advance of the season get the better of
Miss Ds Cough; but we must take every other precaution
If you have perceived that any of the Demulcent Pectorals are
of service in palliating the Cough you may employ them freely
& vary the Sweet Mucilaginous & Oily. I am not fond
of
[Page 2]
the vapour of warm water. In the suspicion of a
Tubercle I know nothing better than Decoct. fol. Tussilag
Make it strong & give it largely & make it strong, two
ounces to the pound & use strong expression. Towards the end
of the Decoction you may add some Anise seeds or if these
are disagreable let it be the sweat fennel. Besides this
you may use a pill of three parts of Extract glycyrrh & one
part Asafœtida giving two ↑or↑ three four grain pills every night
& morng. I wish you had told me what effects, the opiates given
after the Vomits had on her Cough, because if they had a
good effect & did not heat her I would in the case of the
cough being very urgent repeat the Opiate; but as she sleeps
well I would not employ an Opiate without a strong tempta¬
tion. As to bleeding – I think you have hitherto done
right, & leave it to your discretion; but I must say that I
would rather bleed more than less than is necessary ----
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