The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:4969] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr John Alves / Regarding: Mrs Jane Fraser (of Relick) (Patient) / 15 January 1785 / (Outgoing)
Reply, for 'Mrs Fraser'. Cullen is disposed to consider Mrs Fraser's breathlessness as part of a 'Spasmodic Asthma' and the pain of her side to 'an external Rheumatic affection'. He advises Mrs Fraser guard against cold and recommends the use of opiates to palliate the fits of asthma.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 4969 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/17/163 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 15 January 1785 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, for 'Mrs Fraser'. Cullen is disposed to consider Mrs Fraser's breathlessness as part of a 'Spasmodic Asthma' and the pain of her side to 'an external Rheumatic affection'. He advises Mrs Fraser guard against cold and recommends the use of opiates to palliate the fits of asthma. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:788] |
Case of Mrs [Jane] Fraser of Relict [Relig/Reelig], who suffers from breathlessness and pain in her side; she subsequently falls down stairs, becomes pregnant and is then dissuaded from suckling her child for fear of her catching milk fever and a cold. |
21 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:148] | Addressee | Dr John Alves |
| [PERS ID:857] | Patient | Mrs Jane Fraser (of Relick) |
| [PERS ID:148] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Alves |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:858] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Fraser (of Relick) |
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 | Inverness | North Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Mrs. Fraser
I cannot hear of any of Mrs. Frasers Com¬
plaints without uneasiness and concern but at the
same time on considering every circumstance I am
much disposed to think favourably of her Case and
the oftener I think of it I am the more persuaded
of its not being Phthisical. Her breathlessness
I think is part of a Spasmodic Asthma and if
her Cough is especially excited by this it gives no
reason to suppose a tubercle. The pain of her
side however is a little puzzling but there are
many circumstances which show it to be an
external Rheumatic affection and I have known
such continue more ot less for many years with
out any consequence. There is nothing more
remarkable in Mrs. Frasers Constitution than
her Sensibility to cold and this will account
for the returns of all her Complaints and I
hope may persuade us that there is no fixed
[Page 2]
Labes Phthisica at bottom. This is the View I wish
to take of the Case and I present it to you who have
all the circumstances more under your Eye, for
this particular purpose that you may consider
my opinion and give me your remarks upon
it.
In the meantime there is nothing I would
advise as anxiously and earnestly as her avoiding
cold and even not permitting the winds of Heaven
to visit her face too roughly. She must not
only not go abroad for a long time to come, but
She must not even go from one Chamber to
another without being very well covered. It may
possibly happen that as the Season advances
such mild weather may come on, such as may
render it safe for her to go abroad on her Carriage
but it must be very fine weather indeed that
will allow her to make any Visits which
to persons of delicacy are at all times hazardous
[Page 3]
and I would at least insist that Mrs. Fraser
should not visit any one of her neighbours before
this first of June next.
Besides this attention to cold I hope Mrs.
Fraser needs little other advice and I have little to offer.
The blistering you are practising is the only remedy
for the pain of her side amd it should be repeated
if necessary for I prefer that repetition to the
continuance of any issue. The only medicine
I can think of that might be useful is an Opiate
to be employed by your discretion either for the fre¬
quency of Asthma, or of Cough and if an opiate
answers in relieving the Asthma it will show
very clearly the nature of the affection. I hope
it is to be relieved by other means at a better
Season and in the mean time I would use the
opiate only to palliate the violence of it.
Her diet is at present perfectly well
ordered and I have no objection to her taking a bit
of white meat unless it can be perceived that
[Page 4]
it manifestly increases either the frequency of her
pulse or the difficulty of breathing. Bid her be of
good Cheer and assure her that I think there is no
danger in her Case and in the month of July next
She shall either come to me or I will come to her
With best Compliments to Relig and her I am
with great regard
Dear Sir
Your most Obedient Servant
Edinburgh 15th. January
1785
Diplomatic Text
Mrs. Fraser
I cannot hear of any of Mrs. Frasers Com¬
plaints without uneasiness and concern but at the
same time on considering every circumstance I am
much disposed to think favourably of her Case and
the oftener I think of it I am the more persuaded
of its not being Phthisical. Her breathlessness
I think is part of a Spasmodic Asthma and if
her Cough is especially excited by this it gives no
reason to suppose a tubercle. The pain of her
side however is a little puzzling but there are
many circumstances which show it to be an
external Rheumatic affection and I have known
such continue more ot less for many years with
out any consequence. There is nothing more
remarkable in Mrs. Frasers Constitution than
her Sensibility to cold and this will account
for the returns of all her Complaints and I
hope may persuade us that there is no fixed
[Page 2]
Labes Phthisica at bottom. This is the View I wish
to take of the Case and I present it to you who have
all the circumstances more under your Eye, for
this particular purpose that you may consider
my opinion and give me your remarks upon
it.
In the meantime there is nothing I would
advise as anxiously and earnestly as her avoiding
cold and even not permitting the winds of Heaven
to visit her face too roughly. She must not
only not go abroad for a long time to come, but
She must not even go from one Chamber to
another without being very well covered. It may
possibly happen that as the Season advances
such mild weather may come on, such as may
render it safe for her to go abroad on her Carriage
but it must be very fine weather indeed that
will allow her to make any Visits which
to persons of delicacy are at all times hazardous
[Page 3]
and I would at least insist that Mrs. Fraser
should not visit any one of her neighbours before
this first of June next.
Besides this attention to cold I hope Mrs.
F. needs little other advice and I have little to offer.
The blistering you are practising is the only remedy
for the pain of her side amd it should be repeated
if necessary for I prefer that repetition to the
continuance of any issue. The only medicine
I can think of that might be useful is an Opiate
to be employed by your discretion either for the fre¬
quency of Asthma, or of Cough and if an opiate
answers in relieving the Asthma it will show
very clearly the nature of the affection. I hope
it is to be relieved by other means at a better
Season and in the mean time I would use the
opiate only to palliate the violence of it.
Her diet is at present perfectly well
ordered and I have no objection to her taking a bit
of white meat unless it can be perceived that
[Page 4]
it manifestly increases either the frequency of her
pulse or the difficulty of breathing. Bid her be of
good Cheer and assure her that I think there is no
danger in her Case and in the month of July next
She shall either come to me or I will come to her
With best Compliments to Relig and her I am
with great regard
Dear Sir
Your most Obedient Servant
Edinr. 15th. Jany.
1785
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