The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4697] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr James Hamilton / Regarding: Mr Alexander? Drysdale (Patient) / 20 August 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply to James Hamilton concerning the case of Mr Drysdale, whom Cullen has recently see.. He recommends a voyage to London on one of the fishing smacks that travel between Dunbar and London, and gives dietary advice for such a journey. Cullen also mentions receiving a letter from Mrs Drysdale about the case [not traced].
- 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 | 4697 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/16/101 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 20 August 1783 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply to James Hamilton concerning the case of Mr Drysdale, whom Cullen has recently see.. He recommends a voyage to London on one of the fishing smacks that travel between Dunbar and London, and gives dietary advice for such a journey. Cullen also mentions receiving a letter from Mrs Drysdale about the case [not traced]. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:648] |
Case of Mr Drysdale declining from a feverish chest complaint and 'a putrid ulcer in his chest'. |
7 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:812] | Addressee | Dr James Hamilton |
| [PERS ID:3001] | Patient | Mr Alexander? Drysdale |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:812] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr James Hamilton |
| [PERS ID:3014] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Drysdale |
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 | Dunbar | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | London | London and South-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Dunbar | Borders | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Mr Drysdale
Your Patient Mr. Drysdale in returning
from the South has called upon me here and I think
it proper for me to let you know, now what I think
of the case and what I have am now to propose for
him which however I will not do but in concert
with you.
I think he has been the better for the Journey
but it has not done so much as I wished, he still
has a Cough and a spitting of a suspicious nature but
he has still no symptoms of affected Hectic and I have
had several instances of persons recovering entirely
from such a state. Such recoveries however have
never been made by the use of medicines at home
but always by either a Journey or a Voyage and espe¬
cially by the latter. From my not knowing what
convenient opportunity he might have for a Voyage
I advised a Journey and though it has not done
[Page 2]
so much as I wished I would not cease to attempt
his further relief by a Voyage and more especially
now that he informs me that he can make it
with great conveniency, In one of the Lobster
Smacks that are frequently going between Dunbar
and London. it is my opinion that he should
immediately set out in one of these Vessels and
return again by the very first opportunity. It is
very necessary to make a point with them on
the latter measure as walking about at London
would readily do more harm than the Voyage
could do good.
With respect to the conduct of the Voyage
I have nothing to advise but that he take great
care to avoid cold without at the same time being
too closely confined in a Small Cabbin. By judging
the weather in time of day he may be much on
Deck and by proper Cloathing he may guard
against any bad effects from it. The good effects
[Page 3]
of the Voyage will depend somewhat upon his diet
I would still forbid all Animal food except
a little weak broth made of Vegetable Soup, for
the rest he should provide himself with every
variety of the farinacea with such fresh Vegetables
as will keep during the short Voyage and par¬
ticularly with every variety of fruit, dried or
fresh that he can at this season command
and by a various combination and dressings of
farinacea and fruit he may have constantly a
sufficiently a varied and agreeable diet and
which I find is at present quite agreeable
to his taste.
Upon the Voyage and this diet I depend
upon his recovery as far as it is possible and
if the execution of it is easy I would not have
him satisfied with one Voyage but to repeat
it as often as the Season will admitt.
[Page 4]
Upon this occasion I am not disposed to prescribe
any medicines for his breast but as upon the Journey
he was troubled with Costiveness he is likely to be
more so upon his Voyage and therefore he should
carry along with him the Castor Oil as formerly
advised or some other gentle laxative.
As he is likely to rest now some days at
Dunbar you will have an opportunity of obser¬
ving the state of his symptoms more exactly. I
wish you would particularly take some pains to
examine his spitting and if any thing occurrs that
leads you to propose any medicine or measure
I shall be ready to concur with you in it being
with great regard
Your most obedient Servant
1783
Mrs Drysdale writes me that the fits of coughing which
Mr Drysdale has in the morning frequently bring on a reaching.
Please tell her that there is ↑no↑ harm in that and that it will cease with
the coughing [itself?]
Diplomatic Text
Mr Drysdale
Your Patient Mr. Drysdale in returning
from the South has called upon me here and I think
it proper for me to let you know, now what I think
of the case and what I have am now to propose for
him which however I will not do but in concert
with you.
I think he has been the better for the Journey
but it has not done so much as I wished, he still
has a Cough and a spitting of a suspicious nature but
he has still no symptoms of affected Hectic and I have
had several instances of persons recovering entirely
from such a state. Such recoveries however have
never been made by the use of medicines at home
but always by either a Journey or a Voyage and espe¬
cially by the latter. From my not knowing what
convenient opportunity he might have for a Voyage
I advised a Journey and though it has not done
[Page 2]
so much as I wished I would not cease to attempt
his further relief by a Voyage and more especially
now that he informs me that he can make it
with great conveniency, In one of the Lobster
Smacks that are frequently going between Dunbar
and London. it is my opinion that he should
immediately set out in one of these Vessels and
return again by the very first opportunity. It is
very necessary to make a point with them on
the latter measure as walking about at London
would readily do more harm than the Voyage
could do good.
With respect to the conduct of the Voyage
I have nothing to advise but that he take great
care to avoid cold without at the same time being
too closely confined in a Small Cabbin. By judging
the weather in time of day he may be much on
Deck and by proper Cloathing he may guard
against any bad effects from it. The good effects
[Page 3]
of the Voyage will depend somewhat upon his diet
I would still forbid all Animal food except
a little weak broth made of Vegetable Soup, for
the rest he should provide himself with every
variety of the farinacea with such fresh Vegetables
as will keep during the short Voyage and par¬
ticularly with every variety of fruit, dried or
fresh that he can at this season command
and by a various combination and dressings of
farinacea and fruit he may have constantly a
sufficiently a varied and agreeable diet and
which I find is at present quite agreeable
to his taste.
Upon the Voyage and this diet I depend
upon his recovery as far as it is possible and
if the execution of it is easy I would not have
him satisfied with one Voyage but to repeat
it as often as the Season will admitt.
[Page 4]
Upon this occasion I am not disposed to prescribe
any medicines for his breast but as upon ye Journey
he was troubled with Costiveness he is likely to be
more so upon his Voyage and therefore he should
carry along with him the Castor Oil as formerly
advised or some other gentle laxative.
As he is likely to rest now some days at
Dunbar you will have an opportunity of obser¬
ving the state of his symptoms more exactly. I
wish you would particularly take some pains to
examine his spitting and if any thing occurrs that
leads you to propose any medicine or measure
I shall be ready to concur with you in it being
with great regard
Your most obedient Servant
1783
Mrs Drysdale writes me that the fits of coughing which
Mr Drysdale has in the morning frequently bring on a reaching.
Please tell her that there is ↑no↑ harm in that and that it will cease with
the coughing [itself?]
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