
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4119] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Anonymous (Patient) / 26 August 1777? / (Outgoing)
Reply to an unnamed patient who Cullen thinks has an inherited 'spasmodic affection'. Very few incoming letters retained for this year and none appears to relate to this particular patient.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.

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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 4119 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/9/92 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 26 August 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 to an unnamed patient who Cullen thinks has an inherited 'spasmodic affection'. Very few incoming letters retained for this year and none appears to relate to this particular patient. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:945] |
Case of an unnamed patient with a difficult 'spasmodic' condition. |
1 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:2115] | Patient | |
[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 |
Normalized Text
Your case appears of difficult cure. I have little doubt
about it, I take it to be entirely spasmodic & think there
is no appearance evidence of either polypus or aneurism in
the great vessels near the heart --- I hope there is no immediate
danger but a spasmodic affection probably hereditary, sup¬
porting the system so generally must be ↑of↑ very difficult management. Antispasmodics may give some relief & as long as
you find benefit from Camphire I have no objections, to it;
but any chief dependa↑e↑nce would be upon Opium taken
freely, when you do take it, but I would wish seldom
for it cannot give but a temporary relief; & the frequent
use does harm. If you can obtain any durable relief
it must be by tonicks; & I prefer Chalybeates to every
other. You say you have tried it, but I fancy but in
small quantity, & I find that we not only can give it in large
quantities doses, but they are commonly necessary to do
service. I begin with five grains of the rubig: Chalybs
prop. mixed with a little cinnamon & sugar, but gradually
increase the dose to ʒſs twice a day & even wash down
that either by a draught of some chalybeate water or by
plain water with some drops of Tinct. Mart. Ph. Edr 1 ---
These are the only medicines I can recommend but much
depends on regimen. You judge well in living always
in cool air & your drink should always be cold. Considering
the disposition of your Stomach to acidity I think you
should taste no kind of ferment liquor, plain water your only
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drink, or if accustomed to strong drink put a little spirits in
your water. -- your food, simple & light, Garden things
avoid - - - Animal food, the lightest & the least. - The safest
aliments for you will be the farinacea of almost all kinds.
If you digest milk, it will be proper, & if you do not
digest it plain, diluted with an equal part of water, &
sweetned with sugar. Take no supper. Much in fresh
air will be of service, but walking & all bodily exercise
will do harm, & therefore on Horseback or in a Carriage
is the only motion fit for you, & you should employ one
or A other as far as you can bear them, I cannot advise you
to repeat the cold bathing as it seems to have repelled the
little you had of a tendency to Gout. Vomiting may give
some relief but it will be for a short time only. Costive¬
ness will do harm & should be prevented; nothing better
for that than Magnesia. --
Notes:
1: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p. 79.
Diplomatic Text
Your case appears of difficult cure. I have little doubt
about it, I take it to be entirely spasmodic & think there
is no appearance evidence of either polypus or aneurism in
the great vessels near the heart --- I hope there is no immediate
danger but a spasmodic affection probably hereditary, sup¬
porting the system so generally must be ↑of↑ very difficult manage¬
mt. Antispasmodics may give some relief & as long as
you find benefit from Camphire I have no objections, to it;
but any chief dependa↑e↑nce would be upon Opium taken
freely, when you do take it, but I would wish seldom
for it cannot give but a temporary relief; & the frequent
use does harm. If you can obtain any durable relief
it must be by tonicks; & I prefer Chalybeates to every
other. You say you have tried it, but I fancy but in
small quantity, & I find that we not only can give it in large
quantities doses, but they are commonly necessary to do
service. I begin with five grains of the rubig: Chalybs
prop. mixed with a little cinnamon & sugar, but gradually
increase the dose to ʒſs twice a day & even wash down
that either by a draught of some chalybeate water or by
plain water with some drops of Tinct. Mart. Ph. Edr 1 ---
These are the only medicines I can recommend but much
depends on regimen. You judge well in livg always
in cool air & your drink should always be cold. Considering
the disposition of your Stomach to acidity I think you
should taste no kind of ferment liquor, plain water your only
[Page 2]
drink, or if accustomed to strong drink put a little spirits in
your water. -- your food, simple & light, Garden things
avoid - - - Animal food, the lightest & the least. - The safest
alimts for you will be the farinacea of almost all kinds.
If you digest milk, it will be proper, & if you do not
digest it plain, diluted with an equal part of water, &
sweetned with sugar. Take no supper. Much in fresh
air will be of service, but walkg & all bodily exercise
will do harm, & therefore on Horseback or in a Carriage
is the only motion fit for you, & you should employ one
or A other as far as you can bear them, I cannot advise you
to repeat the cold bathing as it seems to have repelled the
little you had of a tendency to Gout. Vomiting may give
some relief but it will be for a short time only. Costive¬
ness will do harm & should be prevented; nothing better
for that than Magnesia. --
Notes:
1: See Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regii Medicorum Edinburgensis (Edinburgh: 1774), p. 79.
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