The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4588] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Henry Richardson / Regarding: Mrs Isabella Widdrington (Forster) (Isabel) (Patient) / 23 March 1780 / (Outgoing)
Reply 'For Mrs Widdrington', who is ill after nursing her consumptive husband. Cullen observes, 'If it be pure weakness it may be recovered but if she has contracted any phthisical or putrid state from her husband I doubt of her recovery'. He prescribes strengthening and antiseptic treatments.
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- Normalized Text
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[Page 1]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4588 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/12/155 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 23 March 1780 |
| 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 'For Mrs Widdrington', who is ill after nursing her consumptive husband. Cullen observes, 'If it be pure weakness it may be recovered but if she has contracted any phthisical or putrid state from her husband I doubt of her recovery'. He prescribes strengthening and antiseptic treatments. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:479] |
Case of Mrs Widdrington weakened by nursing her husband who died recently. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4] | Addressee | Dr Henry Richardson |
| [PERS ID:689] | Patient | Mrs Isabella Widdrington (Isabel) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:4] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Henry Richardson |
| [PERS ID:775] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr John Widdrington (of Hauxley and of Alnwick) |
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 | Alnwick | North-East | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mrs Widdrington
She is in a very uncertain & perhaps dangerous state. If it be
pure weakness it may be recovered but if she has contracted any
phthisical or putrid state from her husband I doubt of her
recovery. Employ a strengthening & antiseptic course.
I have prescribed below an Antiseptic mixture I hope you
will find useful in supporting appetite & allaying any fever she
may be liable to. So it should be used frequently & almost instead
of drink. The bark infusion prescribed she should also take
as often as her stomach will bear. If she continues free
of cough & fever, to every dose of the Bark I would add
10 or 20 drops of the Steel Tincture & if these make the
Infusion black & disagreable the Drops may be taken in
a little water by themselves or with a dose of the Antiseptic
mixture.
Diet of Milk farinacea & fruit. The Antiseptic mixture
& the milk agree very well, but if you like you may let them be
taken at some interval from each other.
Take 3 ounces of Rosewater, and ½ an ounce each of Syrup of Dried Roses and Thin Vitiolic Spirit. Mix. Label: Antiseptic Mixture, a teaspoonful in a glassful of water several times a day.
Take ½ an ounce of crushed Peruvian Bark, a drachm of crushed Orange Peel, ½ a drachm of crushed Coriander seeds, and a pint of boiling water. Steep for 12 hours and to the strainings add 2 ounces of Peruvian Bark Tincture. Mix. Label: Strengthening Mixture two tablespoonfulls several times a day.
Diplomatic Text
For Mrs Widdrington
She is in a very uncertain & perhaps dangerous state. If it be
pure weakness it may be recovered but if she has contracted any
phthisical or putrid state from her husband I doubt of her
recovery. Employ a strengthening & antiseptic course.
I have prescribed below an Antiseptic mixture I hope you
will find useful in supporting appetite & allaying any fever she
may be liable to. So it should be used frequently & almost instead
of drink. The bark infusion prescribed she should also take
as often as her stomach will bear. If she continues free
of cough & fever, to every dose of the Bark I would add
10 or 20 drops of the Tinctura Martis & if these make the
Infusion black & disagreable the Drops may be taken in
a little water by themselves or with a dose of the Antiseptic
mixture.
Diet of Milk farinacea & fruit. The Antiseptic mixture
& the milk agree very well, but if you like you may let them be
taken at some interval from each other.
℞ Aq. rosar. ℥iij Syr. e ros. sicc. Sp. vitr. ten @ ℥ſs
ℳ. S. Ant. ℳ. a teaspoonful in a glassful of water several times a day.
℞ cort. Peruv. contus. ℥ſs aurant. –––– ʒj Sem. coriandr. –––– ʒſs
Aq. bullient. lbj Digere hor. 12 & colaturæ adde Tinct. cort.
Peruv. ℥ij ℳ. S. Strengtheng ℳ. two tablesp:fulls several times a day.
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