The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:400] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr David Skene / Regarding: Mrs Gordon (of Ardmealie) (Patient) / 24? August? 1768? / (Outgoing)
Reply 'To Dr Skene About Mrs Gordon of Armea[lie]',. This transcript is in two parts. The first is a rushed entry in the case-book, which was abandoned and a blank page left for its completion. The conclusion of the letter (with some overlap of text) is in the form of a tipped-in, autogragh draft. The original letter posted to Skene is in Aberdeen University library special collections, [David Skene's papers: MS 38/153]. A few readings have been confirmed through comparison with the posted version which includes opening and closing passages not recorded in the case-book copy.
- 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 | 400 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/2/21 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 24? August? 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 'To Dr Skene About Mrs Gordon of Armea[lie]',. This transcript is in two parts. The first is a rushed entry in the case-book, which was abandoned and a blank page left for its completion. The conclusion of the letter (with some overlap of text) is in the form of a tipped-in, autogragh draft. The original letter posted to Skene is in Aberdeen University library special collections, [David Skene's papers: MS 38/153]. A few readings have been confirmed through comparison with the posted version which includes opening and closing passages not recorded in the case-book copy. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:164] |
Case of Mrs Gordon who has a uterine condition. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:7] | Addressee | Dr David Skene |
| [PERS ID:1228] | Patient | Mrs Gordon (of Ardmealie) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:7] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr David Skene |
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 | Ardmeallie House | Aberchirder | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
To Dr Skene About Mrs Gordon of Arme[lie]
My plan is to obviate all impetus upon the Vessels of the
Uterus by a diet without meat or Wine by avoiding every degree
of boddily Exercise & even a erect posture by avoiding all
external heat & carefully avoiding costiveness & the efforts it may
occasion it may occasion at the same time I would determine to the
surface of the body by Eexercise of Gestation smooth but for
continued for any time that it can be easily born to give appetite
digestion & sleep all which it has been already done to Mrs
Gordon I am afraid she will not continue to employ it as long
as she thought. Another means I depend upon for determining
to the skin & taking of that to the Uterus is small doses
of Emetics & especially Emetic tartar which I give frequently
at bed time to prevent (↑raise↑) a nausea but no vomiting except for when
the stomach requires being cleaned & then Ipecacuanha may
be employed Under these measures I find the Uterus recover its tone
I know few medicines that assist it the Elix. Vitr. I consider as
a cooler The Bark & all bitters long continued or frequently
used do mischief. The Chalybeats are safer & when employed
towards winter Mrs Gordon shall be obliged forgo ↑her↑ Exercise
I think she should try the Hartfell Spaw & take the Tinct. Martis
in a suitable quantity of water Other Astringents I have no
opinion of and the Tinct Antiphthisica 1 I would avoid if I did
not think it a very weak medicine In urgent cases I trust to
Alum but there is no room for it here 2
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
The Evidence of
Other astringents I have no opinion of
and the Tinct. Antiphthisica 3 I would
avoid if I did not think it a very
weak medicine. In urgent cases I
trust to allum but there is no room
for it here. The strengthener I chiefly
recommend to Mrs Gordon is cold bathing
and the manner in which she uses it
is extremely proper. If she is suffi¬
ciently attentive to all this I hope
we shall have the satisfaction of
restoring an agreeable woman. If she
should happen to fall with child she
has no chance of keeping it but in
lying constantly abed and persisting
[Page 4]
in the coolest regimen, and among
the rest by applying cold water
after to her back
Diplomatic Text
To Dr Skene About Mrs Gordon of Arme[lie]
My plan is to obviate all impetus upon the Vessels of the
Uterus by a diet without meat or Wine by avoiding every degree
of boddily Exercise & even a erect posture by avoiding all
external heat & carefully avoiding costiveness & the efforts it may
occasion it may occasion at the same time I would determine to the
surface of the body by Eexercise of Gestation smooth but for
continued for any time that it can be easily born to give appetite
digestion & sleep all which it has been already done to Mrs
Gordon I am afraid she will not continue to employ it as long
as she thought. Another means I depend upon for determining
to the skin & taking of that to the Uterus is small doses
of Emetics & especially Emetic tartar which I give frequently
at bed time to prevent (↑raise↑) a nausea but no vomiting except for when
the stomach requires being cleaned & then Ipecacuanha may
be employed Under these measures I find the Uterus recover its tone
I know few medicines that assist it the Elix. Vitr. I consider as
a cooler The Bark & all bitters long continued or frequently
used do mischief. The Chalybeats are safer & when employed
towards winter Mrs Gordon shall be obliged forgo ↑her↑ Exercise
I think she should try the Hartfell Spaw & take the Tinct. Martis
in a suitable quantity of water Other Astringents I have no
opinion of and the Tinct Antiphthisica 1 I would avoid if I did
not think it a very weak medicine In urgent cases I trust to
Alum but there is no room for it here 2
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
The Evidence of
Other astringents I have no opinion of
and the Tinct. Antiphthisica 3 I would
avoid if I did not think it a very
weak medicine. In urgent cases I
trust to allum but there is no room
for it here. The strengthener I chiefly
recommend to Mrs Gordon is cold bathing
and the manner in which she uses it
is extremely proper. If she is suffi¬
ciently attentive to all this I hope
we shall have the satisfaction of
restoring an agreeable woman. If she
should happen to fall with child she
has no chance of keeping it but in
lying constantly abed and persisting
[Page 4]
in the coolest regimen, and among
the rest by applying cold water
after to her back
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