The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4378] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Miss Russell (Y. Z.) (Patient) / 17 February 1779 / (Outgoing)
Reply headed 'For Miss Y. Z.' [can be identified as Miss Russell]; Miss Y. Z's condition possibly caused by 'a deficiency in her monthly affairs' and she is given advice on diet and exercise, while given a medicine to prevent costiveness.
- 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 | 4378 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/11/116 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 17 February 1779 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Scribal copy ( includes Casebook Entry) |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply headed 'For Miss Y. Z.' [can be identified as Miss Russell]; Miss Y. Z's condition possibly caused by 'a deficiency in her monthly affairs' and she is given advice on diet and exercise, while given a medicine to prevent costiveness. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1147] |
Case of 'Miss Y. Z.' (an anonymisation of Miss Russel), a young woman who has had another episode of a previous mental disorder; Cullen considers the case treatable hysteria rather than incurable mania. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:183] | Patient | Miss Russell (Y. Z.) |
| [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 |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Miss Y. Z.
Her ailment depends upon a deficiency in her month
¬ly affairs to which it would seem her constitution is very un¬
favourable. Time & pains will bring every thing right &
for that purpose
Let her abstain from all medicines which are supposed
to bring on the desired effect: as they are all heating &
as there is some spitting of blood it may be uncertain
whether these medicines will throw the blood in to its
proper course or upon the lungs.
The only safe remedy is exercise. Walking freq¬
uently but very gently & never to affect her heating.
The most proper exercise therefore is on horseback or
in a carriage. In mild & fair weather riding; but
in doubtful weather a carriage will be safest as
cold must be always guarded against. The feet and
legs should be kept very warm. In April or
May if matters are not much mended, I advise a journey
in a carriage, or two or three weeks, travelling at the
easy rate of two stages every day or from 24 to 36 weeks.
If this take off the spitting of blood & bring things
into a right course it may be either continued for a longer
[Page 2]
time or after a little interval it should be repeated.
Rub the feet & legs every morning with a flannel,
or which is still better a flesh brush. The rubbing
should be gentle but for a quarter of an hour at least
upon each leg & if it is done before the lady gets out
of bed it will not give her much trouble.
While any spitting of blood remains I dont think
warm bathing a safe remedy.
I will advise no medicines at present except to
keep the belly regular as costiveness will always do harm
& for this purpose I have prescribed below two medicines
The first I should prefer for common use but as it
does not agree with all stomachs & if that should be the
case here I have prescribed another.
A vegetable diet safest, but if the lady has no frequency
of pulse or feverish heat a purely vegetable diet is unne¬
cessary & perhaps improper. I would [allow?] a little of
the lighter kinds of animal food at dinner & if it gives
no load to the stomach, no difficulty of breathing no head¬
ach, no heat or flushing, I would continue such diet every
day, provided it makes but a small part of her meal while
the rest is made up with pudding & vegetables. If the
Lady's stomach digest milk easily & it give no costivness
I would have her take cows milk often both for break¬
fast & supper.
Take four ounces of Castor Oil and half an ounce of the spirit of best Jamaican Sugar and Mix. Label: Laxative oil a tablespoonful in the morning, shaking the phial before pouring it out.
Take one ounce of Crystal Tartar, one drachm powdered Jallop, half an ounce of lenitive Electuary and a sufficient quantity of simple syrup so as to make a soft Electuary. Label: Laxative Electuary a teaspoonful in the morning
Diplomatic Text
For Miss Y. Z.
Her ailment depends upon a deficiency in her month
¬ly affairs to which it would seem her constitution is very un¬
favourable. Time & pains will bring every thing right &
for that purpose
Let her abstain from all medicines wc are supposed
to bring on the desired effect: as they are all heating &
as there is some spitting of blood it may be uncertain
whether these medicines will throw the blood in to its
proper course or upon the lungs.
The only safe remedy is exercise. Walking freq¬
uently but very gently & never to affect her heating.
The most proper exercise therefore is on horseback or
in a carriage. In mild & fair weather riding; but
in doubtful weather a carriage will be safest as
cold must be always guarded against. The feet and
legs should be kept very warm. In April or
May if matters are not much mended, I advise a journey
in a carriage, or two or three weeks, travelling at the
easy rate of two stages every day or from 24 to 36 weeks.
If this take off the spitting of blood & bring things
into a right course it may be either continued for a longer
[Page 2]
time or after a little interval it should be repeated.
Rub the feet & legs every morning with a flannel,
or which is still better a flesh brush. The rubbing
should be gentle but for a quarter of an hour at least
upon each leg & if it is done before the lady gets out
of bed it will not give her much trouble.
While any spitting of blood remains I dont think
warm bathing a safe remedy.
I will advise no medicines at present except to
keep the belly regular as costiveness will always do harm
& for this purpose I have prescribed below two meds
The first I should prefer for common use but as it
does not agree with all stomachs & if that should be the
case here I have prescribed another.
A vegetable diet safest, but if the lady has no frequency
of pulse or feverish heat a purely vegetable diet is unne¬
cessary & perhaps improper. I would [allow?] a little of
the lighter kinds of animal food at dinner & if it gives
no load to the stomach, no difficulty of breathing no head¬
ach, no heat or flushing, I would continue such diet every
day, provided it makes but a small part of her meal while
the rest is made up with pudding & vegetables. If the
Lady's stomach digest milk easily & it give no costivness
I would have her take cows milk often both for break¬
fast & supper.
℞ Ol. Ricin ℥jv Spt.Sacch. Jamaic. opt. ℥ſs. ℳ
S. Laxat oil a tablespoonful in the morning, shakg the
phial before pouring it out.
℞ Cryst. Tart ℥i Pulv. e jal. comp ʒi Electar lenit
℥ſs Syr. simpl. q. s. ut f Elect tenue S. Laxative
Electuary a teaspoonful in the morning
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