The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4840] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Gilbert Laurie / Regarding: Miss Laurie (Patient) / 29 May 1784 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Miss Laurie'. Although the letter is signed only by Cullen, the 'we' used to throughout refers to both him and Alexander Wood.
- 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 | 4840 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/17/36 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 29 May 1784 |
| 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, 'Miss Laurie'. Although the letter is signed only by Cullen, the 'we' used to throughout refers to both him and Alexander Wood. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1743] |
Case of Miss Laurie who is poorly with a feverish cough, especially at night, and a menstrual irregularity. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2240] | Addressee | Mr Gilbert Laurie |
| [PERS ID:3305] | Patient | Miss Laurie |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:588] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Alexander Wood |
| [PERS ID:2240] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Gilbert Laurie |
| [PERS ID:588] | Supplemental Author | Mr Alexander Wood |
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 | Polmont | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Miss Laurie
We have considered very fully and attentively
the whole of your letter and all that one of us knew
before of your Daughters Case. We must own that
we are much disappointed in her not receiving from
the measure Pursued in the Country more benefit
than She has done and are sorry to find that
some other measures will be necessary.
We propose in the first place that a little
blood should be taken from her Arm about four
and at most Six Ounces and when it is taken
let her be laid along upon a bed that she may
bear it the better.
The day after the bleeding let her have
a gentle Vomit of from five to ten grains of Ipeca¬
cuanha more or less as it is known that she is
more or less easy to Vomit. Let her take it in
the Evening that she may go to bed soon after
[Page 2]
it.
If these measures do not relieve her thirst and
breathing and render her Cough easier and more loose
in a day or two after a blister must be applied between
her shoulders. It may be about four inches broad
at top and as long but tapering from the top to the
bottom and while this lies on, let her drink freely
of Arabic Emulsion.
With a view both to her Breast complaints ↑and obstructions↑
we have sent you a Box of Pectoral pills of which
she is to take two every night at bed time.
These are the new remedies we have at
present to propose but desire by all means she
should continue her Asses milk and her Riding
as she does at present, only if the Easterly winds
continue she must be cautious of going abroad in
the Evening.
Although her appetite were better we
[Page 3]
would not wish her to take more Animal food than
the Calfs foot jelly and perhaps a little broth at
dinner. We dont think the glass of wine in her jelly
is too much and we would not willingly take away
her Claret while she can be engaged to take a bit of
bread along with it. We do not find it necessary to
make any alteration either in her Breakfast or
Supperr This is all that occurrs to us at present
and when any thing new occurrs you
may depend upon the utmost attention
from
Dear Sir
Your most Obedient Servants
Edinburgh 29th. May
1784
[Page 4]
For Miss Laurie
Take three drachms of Extract of Liquorice and one drachm of the best Myrrh. Into the extract, in tiny amounts, pour a sufficient quantity of hot water to soften it to a pulp, bruise, then add the myrrh, ground into a fine powder, with a sufficient quantity of water to form a mass to be divided into single pills of five grains. Label: Pectoral Pills. Two to be taken every night at bedtime.
29th May
1784.
Diplomatic Text
Miss Laurie
We have considered very fully and attentively
the whole of your letter and all that one of us knew
before of your Daughters Case. We must own that
we are much disappointed in her not receiving from
the measure Pursued in the Country more benefit
than She has done and are sorry to find that
some other measures will be necessary.
We propose in the first place that a little
blood should be taken from her Arm about four
and at most Six Ounces and when it is taken
let her be laid along upon a bed that she may
bear it the better.
The day after the bleeding let her have
a gentle Vomit of from five to ten grains of Ipeca¬
cuanha more or less as it is known that she is
more or less easy to Vomit. Let her take it in
the Evening that she may go to bed soon after
[Page 2]
it.
If these measures do not relieve her thirst and
breathing and render her Cough easier and more loose
in a day or two after a blister must be applied between
her shoulders. It may be about four inches broad
at top and as long but tapering from the top to the
bottom and while this lies on, let her drink freely
of Arabic Emulsion.
With a view both to her Breast complaints ↑and obstructions↑
we have sent you a Box of Pectoral pills of which
she is to take two every night at bed time.
These are the new remedies we have at
present to propose but desire by all means she
should continue her Asses milk and her Riding
as she does at present, only if the Easterly winds
continue she must be cautious of going abroad in
the Evening.
Although her appetite were better we
[Page 3]
would not wish her to take more Animal food than
the Calfs foot jelly and perhaps a little broth at
dinner. We dont think the glass of wine in her jelly
is too much and we would not willingly take away
her Claret while she can be engaged to take a bit of
bread along with it. We do not find it necessary to
make any alteration either in her Breakfast or
Supperr This is all that occurrs to us at present
and when any thing new occurrs you
may depend upon the utmost attention
from
Dear Sir
Your most Obedient Servants
Edinr. 29th. May
1784
[Page 4]
For Miss Laurie
℞ Extract. Glycyrrhiz. ʒiij
Myrrh. opt. ʒj
Extracto in frustula conciso affunde
aquæ ferventis q. s. ut mollescat et in
pulpam contundatur cui adde myrrham
in pulverem tenuem tritam et cum
aquæ q. s. f. massa dividenda in
pilulas sing. gr. V.
Signa Pectoral Pills two to be taken
every night at bedtime.
29th May
1784.
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