The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5007] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Robert Ochiltree / Regarding: Miss Campbell (of Dunstaffnage) (Patient) / 17 March 1785 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Miss Campbell of Dunstaffnage'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5007 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/17/201 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 17 March 1785 |
| 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, 'For Miss Campbell of Dunstaffnage'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:512] |
Case of Miss Campbell of Dunstaffnage who is suffering from severe headaches and pains in her side since developing an ulcer after ignoring a scratch on her shin. |
15 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1241] | Addressee | Mr Robert Ochiltree |
| [PERS ID:2705] | Patient | Miss Campbell (of Dunstaffnage) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1241] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr Robert Ochiltree |
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 |
Normalized Text
For Miss Campbell of Dunstaffnage
From an attentive consideration of the accurate
and full account of her complaints it appears to me
that in her Constitution there is a strong disposition
to Spasmodic affections for I think the whole of
her complaints have been since May last and
are still of that kind. They seem to be remarkably
obstinate as they have baffled many of the most
judicious remedies which could have been employed.
In the present circumstances I would
depend especially upon the two most powerful Anti¬
spasmodics that I know of which are Opium
and Musk. The first must be employed very
constantly and in large doses. If her Stomach will
retain it I would employ the Tinctura Thebaica
in doses even at first of fifty or Sixty drops but
if her stomach is apt to reject it I would give
in place of the Tinctura two grains of solid
[Page 2]
Opium and if even that should be liable to be thrown
up let the Opiate be tried only by injection. The best
method of this is to take three drams of Gum Arabica
dissolved in three Ounces of warm water and when
Strained, add one hundred drops of the Tinctura
Thebaica and inject it at a very moderate warmth.
I {illeg} that Miss Campbell has taken an
aversion to injections but please let her know
from me that they may be absolutely necessary
to save her life and that Opiates given in this
shape are less liable to give her headachs than
in any other. The proper time for exhibiting the
Opiate in one way or other, is, in the Evenings but
an hour before the Spasmodic fitts are expectd
to come on and please observe that it will not
be enough by one exhibition to have obtained [an?]
interval, or one good night but that the medi¬
cine must be repeated for several nights following
and with this further observation that if the
[Page 3]
doses I have mentioned either appear to be small
with respect to what she has formerly been accus¬
tomed to, or appear now not to be sufficiently effectual
they are to be increased without reserve as such diseases
commonly require the opiate in uncommonly large
doses.
To assist in this Case I propose [another?]
medicine the Musk and I have taken good care
as I can to have some of the best kind transmitted
to Dunstaffnage. I propose it to be employed at
first in a dose of ten grains to be rubbed well with
a little Sugar and made into a small draught
with a little Brandy and water. This draught
is to be given pretty early in the morning and
{illeg} young Lady is to lie a bed for some
hours after taking it. The good effects of it are
to appear by its disposing to Sleep and some
Sweat and especially by its intermitting the
course and violence of her Spasms. If these
[Page 4]
effects appear the medicine may be repeated for se[veral]
mornings Successively, or if the first dose seems [to have]
little effect, and at the same time gives no d{illeg}
it may be increased the second day to fifteen [grains]
perhaps on the third or fourth to twenty gra[ins]
I have nothing further to propose at pre[sent]
but that if the Opiates occasion Costiveness [this]
must be obviated by an Aloetic pill or other {illeg}
and preferably to either by injections. I wo[uld]
not at present insist either upon Bathing {illeg}
upon Bark but if the remedies I have [proposed]
shall as I expect break the force of her dis[ease]
and discuss it very much I may upon a [report]
of this give some further advice for confir[ming?]
and preserving her health.
William Cull[en]
Edinburgh 17th. March
1785
Diplomatic Text
For Miss Campbell of Dunstaffnage
From an attentive consideration of the accurate
and full account of her complaints it appears to me
that in her Constitution there is a strong disposition
to Spasmodic affections for I think the whole of
her complaints have been since May last and
are still of that kind. They seem to be remarkably
obstinate as they have baffled many of the most
judicious remedies which could have been employed.
In the present circumstances I would
depend especially upon the two most powerful Anti¬
spasmodics that I know of which are Opium
and Musk. The first must be employed very
constantly and in large doses. If her Stomach will
retain it I would employ the Tinctura Thebaica
in doses even at first of fifty or Sixty drops but
if her stomach is apt to reject it I would give
in place of the Tinctura two grains of solid
[Page 2]
Opium and if even that should be liable to be thrown
up let the Opiate be tried only by injection. The best
method of this is to take three drams of Gum Arabica
dissolved in three Ounces of warm water and when
Strained, add one hundred drops of the Tinctura
Thebaica and inject it at a very moderate warmth.
I {illeg} that Miss Campbell has taken an
aversion to injections but please let her know
from me that they may be absolutely necessary
to save her life and that Opiates given in this
shape are less liable to give her headachs than
in any other. The proper time for exhibiting the
Opiate in one way or other, is, in the Evenings but
an hour before the Spasmodic fitts are expectd
to come on and please observe that it will not
be enough by one exhibition to have obtained [an?]
interval, or one good night but that the medi¬
cine must be repeated for several nights following
and with this further observation that if the
[Page 3]
doses I have mentioned either appear to be small
with respect to what she has formerly been accus¬
tomed to, or appear now not to be sufficiently effectual
they are to be increased without reserve as such diseases
commonly require the opiate in uncommonly large
doses.
To assist in this Case I propose [another?]
medicine the Musk and I have taken good care
as I can to have some of the best kind transmitted
to Dunstaffnage. I propose it to be employed at
first in a dose of ten grains to be rubbed well with
a little Sugar and made into a small draught
with a little Brandy and water. This draught
is to be given pretty early in the morning and
{illeg} young Lady is to lie a bed for some
hours after taking it. The good effects of it are
to appear by its disposing to Sleep and some
Sweat and especially by its intermitting the
course and violence of her Spasms. If these
[Page 4]
effects appear the medicine may be repeated for se[veral]
mornings Successively, or if the first dose seems [to have]
little effect, and at the same time gives no d{illeg}
it may be increased the second day to fifteen [grains]
perhaps on the third or fourth to twenty gra[ins]
I have nothing further to propose at pre[sent]
but that if the Opiates occasion Costiveness [this]
must be obviated by an Aloetic pill or other {illeg}
and preferably to either by injections. I wo[uld]
not at present insist either upon Bathing {illeg}
upon Bark but if the remedies I have [proposed]
shall as I expect break the force of her dis[ease]
and discuss it very much I may upon a [report]
of this give some further advice for confir[ming?]
and preserving her health.
William Cull[en]
Edinr. 17th. March
1785
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