Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:4176] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Thomas Livingston / Regarding: Mrs Gordon (Craigmil?) (Patient) / 24 October 1777 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'For Mrs Gordon'

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 4176
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/10/33
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date24 October 1777
Annotation None
TypeScribal 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 Mrs Gordon'
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:2047]
Case of Mrs Gordon who has swelling of the belly.
3


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:852]AddresseeDr Thomas Livingston
[PERS ID:1316]PatientMrs Gordon (of Craigmil(?))
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:852]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Thomas Livingston

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 Aberdeen East Highlands Scotland Europe inferred
Mentioned / Other Aberdeen East Highlands Scotland Europe inferred

Normalized Text

[Page 1]

For Mrs. Gordon


After considering every circumstance I must own that Mrs. Gordons case
is somewhat doubtfull. It has the appearance of Dropsy, but this I cannot find
to be certain & I am clear that the case is not of any immediate Danger nor at
present requires any operation. I am very hopefull that the disease by attention
& care may be prevented from growing any worse & that Mrs. Gordon for a long time to
come may enjoy a tolerable state of health. The measures proper are in the 1st plan
↑are↑ frequent gentle exercise in the fresh air, either on horseback or in a carriage suiting the
degree of exercise to what she can easily bear. Walking would do no harm to her
principal ailment, but for another which she is affected with it is absolutely improper &
she should walk no more than what is absolutely necessary, & particularly she
should never stand long upon her feet. In taking exercise she must take great care
to avoid cold, & therefore in the course of winter she must go abroad only when the
weather is mild & tolerably fair. She must take particular care to keep her
feet & legs always very warm & dry. It will be a great security against cold if she wears
constantly a flanel shirt next her skin. In diet Mrs. Gordon must avoid much li¬
quid & all flatulent food, & therefore for the most part she must avoid taking broth
of any kind. Her dinner should be a little solid meat rather roasted than boiled. She
may take of Beef mutton veal lamb Rabbit or fowl but should preferr the
younger & lighter meats. Some of the lighter kind of white fish boiled, she may
take, but it should not be frequently. Eggs she may also take on the same conditions
Besides those more solid & nourishing foods she may take any made of grain
& she should every day take something of that kind to save her taking too much solid
food. Roots greens & other Garden things she must take very sparingly, or not at
all. A dry meally potatoe is one of the safest she can try. If she digests milk
easily it may be a part of her diet, but not very largely. In drink of any kind
Mrs. Gordon must be as moderate as possible. All malt liquors are to be entirely
avoided & what ordinary drink she requires must be water with a little white wine in it
Or if she perceives that wine is ready & become sour or windy on her Stomach,
she may take water with a little spirits in it & of the latter Dutch gin is ↑one of↑ the best
for her. She should not at any time take Tea, & for her breakfast she may take a
little Coffee or weak chocolate. With her Coffee she may take bread & butter as usual.
These are the particular of Mrs. Gs. Regimen wcwhich I hope shall contribute to
preserve her health & prevent the increase of her disease & in the way of
medicine I think there is little to be done. The rubbing of the Belly with
oil may sill be continued once a day. The only other medicine I have
to advise is prescribed on a paper apart. It is an Infusion of which 2
or 3 spoonfulls are to be taken 2 or 3 times a day for a fortnight at one



[Page 2]

time, but after laying it aside for a week or two it may be taken
again for a fortnight more & this perhaps to be repeated several
times during the course of winter


W.C.

Edinburgh 24th. October 1777

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]

For Mrs. Gordon


After considering every circumstance I must own that Mrs. Gordons case
is somewhat doubtfull. It has the appearance of Dropsy, but this I cannot find
to be certain & I am clear that the case is not of any immediate Danger nor at
present requires any operation. I am very hopefull that the disease by attention
& care may be prevented from growing any worse & that Mrs. Gordon for a long time to
come may enjoy a tolerable state of health. The measures proper are in ye 1st plan
↑are↑ frequent gentle exercise in ye fresh air, either on horseback or in a carriage suiting the
degree of exercise to what she can easily bear. Walking would do no harm to her
principal ailment, but for another wc. she is affected wt. it is absolutely improper &
she shd. walk no more than what is absolutely necessary, & particularly she
shd. never stand long upon her feet. In taking exercise she must take great care
to avoid cold, & yrfore in ye course of winter she must go abroad only when ye
weather is mild & tolerably fair. She must take particular care to keep her
feet & legs always very warm & dry. It will be a great security agt. cold if she wears
constantly a flanl. shirt next her skin. In diet Mrs. Gordon must avoid much li¬
quid & all flatulent food, & yrfore for the most part she must avoid taking broth
of any kind. Her dinner shd. be a little solid meat rather roasted than boiled. She
may take of Beef mutton veal lamb Rabbit or fowl but should preferr the
younger & lighter meats. Some of the lighter kind of white fish boiled, she may
take, but it shd. not be frequently. Eggs she may also take on the same conditions
Besides those more solid & nourishing foods she may take any made of grain
& she shd. every day take something of that kind to save her taking too much solid
food. Roots greens & oyr Garden things she must take very sparingly, or not at
all. A dry meally potatoe is one of the safest she can try. If she digests milk
easily it may be a part of her diet, but not very largely. In drink of any kind
Mrs. Gordon must be as moderate as possible. All malt liquors are to be entirely
avoided & what ordy drink she requires must be water wt. a little white wine in it
Or if she perceives that wine is ready & become sour or windy on her Stomach,
she may take water wt. a little spirits in it & of the latter Dutch gin is ↑one of↑ the best
for her. She shd. not at any time take Tea, & for her breakfast she may take a
little Coffee or weak chocolate. Wt. her Coffee she may take bread & butter as usual.
These are ye particular of Mrs. Gs. Regimen wcwhich I hope shall contribute to
preserve her health & prevent the increase of her disease & in the way of
medicine I think there is little to be done. The rubbing of the Belly with
oil may sill be continued once a day. The only other medicine I have
to advise is prescribed on a paper apart. It is an Infusion of wc. 2
or 3 spoonfulls are to be taken 2 or 3 times a day for a 4night at one



[Page 2]

time, but after laying it aside for a week or two it may be taken
again for a fortnight more & this perhaps to be repeated several
times during the course of winter


W.C.

Edr. 24th. Octr. 1777

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