
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4906] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Reverend Archibald Stevenson (of St Madoes) (Patient) / 3 September 1784 / (Outgoing)
Reply, for 'Dr C. Robertson C(once)r(ning) Mr Stevenson'. Despite the the Reverend Mr Stevenson's pulse not exceeding 80, Cullen thinks a diagnosis of fever should not be ruled out.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.

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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 4906 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/17/101 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 3 September 1784 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Machine scribal copy |
Enclosure(s) | Enclosure(s) present |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | Yes |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Reply, for 'Dr C. Robertson C(once)r(ning) Mr Stevenson'. Despite the the Reverend Mr Stevenson's pulse not exceeding 80, Cullen thinks a diagnosis of fever should not be ruled out. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:1691] |
Case of the Revd. Archibald Stevenson, who has an eruption all over his body stemming from an issue applied to his shoulders to treat his rheumatism in his neck and head. He subsequently becomes weak with a flux. |
9 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:3882] | Patient | Reverend Archibald Stevenson (of St Madoes) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:2177] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Colin Robertsone (Robertson) |
[PERS ID:3883] | Other Physician / Surgeon | Mr James Stevenson |
[PERS ID:3883] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr James Stevenson |
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 | Perth | Mid Scotland | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Dr C. Robertson Concerning Mr Stevenson
I am favoured with yours concerning The Revd
Mr. Stevenson and shall be glad to give you all the
assistance in my power for his relief but must own
the cause of such an affection is to me not very evident
and I am therefore more doubtful in giving my
advice. You observe that the Eruption was not
preceded by any fever and that notwithstanding
the irritation, the state of his skin might be
supposed to give his pulse does not exceed 80.
I agree with you that no considerable fever
but the irritation evident, the sizyness of his
blood and even the number of his pulse will not
allow me to think there is no fever at all and
therefore I think that his Brother and you
have done right both in bleeding and giving
doses of Glauber Salt and in employing the
Vitriolic acid and I am clear that these Antiphlo¬
gistic remedies and a regimen of the same kind
[Page 2]
should be continued as circumstances may seem to
require and from the same consideration of a
Phlogistic diathesis present I am rather averse
to the use of the peruvian Bark and not very
fond unless you had given me more reason than
you have done to apprehend a debility of the
System. I am not either very fond of opiates but
believe that these may be very necessary to
relieve the irritation from the skin which proba¬
bly interrupts his sleep and if care is taken by
cooling laxatives to obviate Costiveness good quiet
sleep will do more good than the opiate can do
harm. I am hopeful that under an Antiphlogistic
course this disease will gradually decline and
I would willingly let alone proposing any other
remedy than what I have prescribed on other page.
But if upon the decline of all fever any affection
of the skin should remain I shall be ready upon your
report to suggest some other remedies. I am with the
utmost regard
obedient
[Page 3]
For The Revd Mr Stevenson
Take [three?] ounces of rose Water, one ounce each of the best Wine vinegar and Syrup of cloves, and one drachm of Sodium carbonate. Mix. Label: Cooling Mixture two table spoonfulls to be taken every three or four hours
3d September
1784.
Diplomatic Text
Dr C. Robertson Cr Mr Stevenson
I am favoured with yours concerning The Revd
Mr. Stevenson and shall be glad to give you all the
assistance in my power for his relief but must own
the cause of such an affection is to me not very evident
and I am therefore more doubtful in giving my
advice. You observe that the Eruption was not
preceded by any fever and that notwithstanding
the irritation, the state of his skin might be
supposed to give his pulse does not exceed 80.
I agree with you that no considerable fever
but the irritation evident, the sizyness of his
blood and even the number of his pulse will not
allow me to think there is no fever at all and
therefore I think that his Brother and you
have done right both in bleeding and giving
doses of Glauber Salt and in employing the
Vitriolic acid and I am clear that these Antiphlo¬
gistic remedies and a regimen of the same kind
[Page 2]
should be continued as circumstances may seem to
require and from the same consideration of a
Phlogistic diathesis present I am rather averse
to the use of the peruvian Bark and not very
fond unless you had given me more reason than
you have done to apprehend a debility of the
System. I am not either very fond of opiates but
believe that these may be very necessary to
relieve the irritation from the skin which proba¬
bly interrupts his sleep and if care is taken by
cooling laxatives to obviate Costiveness good quiet
sleep will do more good than the opiate can do
harm. I am hopeful that under an Antiphlogistic
course this disease will gradually decline and
I would willingly let alone proposing any other
remedy than what I have prescribed on other page.
But if upon the decline of all fever any affection
of the skin should remain I shall be ready upon your
report to suggest some other remedies. I am with the
utmost regard
obedient
[Page 3]
For The Revd Mr Stevenson
℞ Aq. rosar ℥[iij?]
Acet. vin. opt.
Syr. caryophyll. @ ℥j
Sal. nitri. ʒj
ℳ. Sig. Cooling Mixture two table spoonfulls
to be taken every three or four hours
3d Septr.
1784.
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