The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4731] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Reverend James Moffat (Dr; of Newlands) / Regarding: Reverend James Moffat (Dr; of Newlands) (Patient) / 19 October 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'The Revd Dr Moffat'
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 5 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
[Page 5]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4731 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/16/135 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 19 October 1783 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine scribal copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'The Revd Dr Moffat' |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1568] |
Case of the Revd Dr Moffat who suffers from a very painful stomach disorder. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3775] | Addressee | Reverend James Moffat (Dr; of Newlands) |
| [PERS ID:3775] | Patient | Reverend James Moffat (Dr; of Newlands) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3770] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Johnstone |
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 | Moffat | Borders | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
The Revd Dr Moffat.
I remember you very well and have a
regard both for your connexions and your own
merit. I shall be very ready to do you all the
service in my power.
I am very sorry to find that the ailments of your
stomach have subsisted so long and have proved
so obstinate and these circumstances render it
difficult to say positively what may be the cause
but I am disposed to believe that it is rather
some general fault in your whole System
than any fixed local affection. Upon the for¬
mer supposition you have had some very pro¬
per remedies pout proposed to you particularly
Riding on horseback and drinking the Hartfeld
Spaw but I do not perceive what benefit
you are to expect from Warm bathing and
[Page 2]
unless you have already experienced the benefit of
it I would not advise you to continue it.
What I would especially advise you is a
medicine that may fortify your stomach, support
your perspiration and push the Circulation to the
extremities. Such a prescription I have given
in the paper inclosed and if it does not prove
too heating it will certainly be of service but
I must here observe that your information
is very deficient as it has not told me what
is the present or usual state of your pulse.
It seems to me very necessary for you
to keep your belly regular and I expect that
my prescription will answer this purpose
but if it should not you must take occasionally
the Sacred Elixir or other laxative that will
open your belly without purging. I dont doubt
[Page 3]
but the bark and bitters you have frequently taken
may have been of service but they seem to have
had no durable effect and I would have you to
lay them aside for sometime.
There is a medicine which you do not men¬
tion to have been employed, that is, Opium from
which in cases of pain and want of sleep I should
expect benefit from. I dare say I would wish to
know in what manner or with what effects
you have seen to have frequently employed
Vomiting and I believe it may be occasionally
very necessary but its effects are not very
permanent and the frequent repetition may
be hurtful. I would therefore have you employ
it only when necessity seems to require it.
With respect to Diet I dare say your
[Page 4]
own experience has taught you to avoid acescent
and flatulent food and how far your stomach
is able to bear solid but I must leave you to that
experience, but with regard to Drink must say
that the advice you have got with regard to wine
seems to be very proper and it it neither troubles
you with sourness on your stomach or by heating
your body you may certainly take it with
advantage.
I have now given you the best advice
I can upon the information I have received but
that information is in many respects too imper¬
fect to allow me to advise so clearly as I could wish.
If you write again I wish that Dr. Johnstone would
do it for you. In whatever shape you do it, you may de¬
pend upon all the attention in the power of
Dear Sir
your most Obedient Servant
Edinburgh 19th. October
1783
[Page 5]
For The Revd. Dr Moffat
Take two drachms each of gum guajacum and very hard white sugar. Crush together into a fine powder then add two ounces of mucilage of raw gum Arabic. Crush again carefully, and little by little add an ounce of simple syrup, two ounces each of Daffy's Elixir and simple cinnamon water, three ounces of rose water. Mix and label Stomachic Solution a table spoonfull, more or less, to be taken twice a day once an hour or two before dinner and again at bedtime taking always to shake the phial very well before pouring out
19th October
1783.
Diplomatic Text
The Revd Dr Moffat.
I remember you very well and have a
regard both for your connexions and your own
merit. I shall be very ready to do you all the
service in my power.
I am very sorry to find that the ailments of your
stomach have subsisted so long and have proved
so obstinate and these circumstances render it
difficult to say positively what may be the cause
but I am disposed to believe that it is rather
some general fault in your whole System
than any fixed local affection. Upon the for¬
mer supposition you have had some very pro¬
per remedies pout proposed to you particularly
Riding on horseback and drinking the Hartfeld
Spaw but I do not perceive what benefit
you are to expect from Warm bathing and
[Page 2]
unless you have already experienced the benefit of
it I would not advise you to continue it.
What I would especially advise you is a
medicine that may fortify your stomach, support
your perspiration and push the Circulation to the
extremities. Such a prescription I have given
in the paper inclosed and if it does not prove
too heating it will certainly be of service but
I must here observe that your information
is very deficient as it has not told me what
is the present or usual state of your pulse.
It seems to me very necessary for you
to keep your belly regular and I expect that
my prescription will answer this purpose
but if it should not you must take occasionally
the Sacred Elixir or other laxative that will
open your belly without purging. I dont doubt
[Page 3]
but the bark and bitters you have frequently taken
may have been of service but they seem to have
had no durable effect and I would have you to
lay them aside for sometime.
There is a medicine which you do not men¬
tion to have been employed, that is, Opium from
which in cases of pain and want of sleep I should
expect benefit from. I dare say I would wish to
know in what manner or with what effects
you have seen to have frequently employed
Vomiting and I believe it may be occasionally
very necessary but its effects are not very
permanent and the frequent repetition may
be hurtful. I would therefore have you employ
it only when necessity seems to require it.
With respect to Diet I dare say your
[Page 4]
own experience has taught you to avoid acescent
and flatulent food and how far your stomach
is able to bear solid but I must leave you to that
experience, but with regard to Drink must say
that the advice you have got with regard to wine
seems to be very proper and it it neither troubles
you with sourness on your stomach or by heating
your body you may certainly take it with
advantage.
I have now given you the best advice
I can upon the information I have received but
that information is in many respects too imper¬
fect to allow me to advise so clearly as I could wish.
If you write again I wish that Dr. Johnstone would
do it for you. In whatever shape you do it, you may de¬
pend upon all the attention in the power of
Dear Sir
your most Obedient Servant
Edinr. 19th. Octr.
1783
[Page 5]
For The Revd. Dr Moffat
℞ Gum. guajac.
Sacchar. alb. duriss. @ Ʒij
Terito simul in pulverem tenuem et adde
Mucilag. G. Arabic. crass. ℥ij
Terito iterum diligenter et paulatin affunde
Syr. Simplic. ℥j
Tinct. senn. comp.
Aq. cinnam. simpl. @ ℥ij
--- rosar. ℥iij
ℳ. Sig. Stomachic Solution a table spoonfull,
more or less, to be taken twice a day once an hour
or two before dinner and again at bedtime taking
always to shake the phial very well before pouring
out
19th Octor.
1783.
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