The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5046] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr John Bennet / Regarding: Mr George Milne (Mill) (Patient) / 7 May 1785 / (Outgoing)
Reply [almost certainly to McNaughton Hunter] headed 'For George Milnes Esqr.'.
- 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 | 5046 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/18/29 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 7 May 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 [almost certainly to McNaughton Hunter] headed 'For George Milnes Esqr.'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1659] |
Case of Mr George Mill (Milne and Milnes) who is given a detailed regimen and advised to take an aperient for what might be a skin condition which Cullen thinks may be hereditary. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3671] | Addressee | Mr John Bennet |
| [PERS ID:3757] | Patient | Mr George Milne (Mill) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2578] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr McNaughtan Hunter (MacNachtan Hunter; MacNaughtane Hunter) |
| [PERS ID:3671] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Bennet |
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 | Montrose | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For George Milnes Esqr.
Sir,
I am heartily sorry to find that Mr. Milnes
continues to be distressed so much and so long
but I am persuaded if his Regimen had
always been proper his Ailments would not
have been so obstinate. I am now to offer
him an Advice but must introduce it by
Saying that if he does not live very
temperately both in Eating & Drinking
that medicine can be of no Avail.
What I think is the most promi¬
sing for him at this Season is the full
use of the Antiscorbutic Juices which
I have no doubt Dr. Hunter will take
care to have prepared for him in the most
[Page 2]
proper manner and I have only to Say [that?]
are always the better the more recently expressed.
He may begin with two Spoonfuls for a
dose two or three times a day but he
should go on constantly increasing the dose
to what his Stomach will easily bear
and I hope he may great length to three
or four Ounces.
I would not propose any other
medicine at present except it should
happen that the Juices do not keep
his Belly regular and in that case
I would have him to take twice a week
as much Polychrest or Rochelle Salt
as may move his belly two or three times
but no more.
[Page 3]
After he has taken the Juices for
a few days he should begin the use of Tepid
Bathing. The Bath should never exceed
90º in Farenheits Thermometer and
he should endeavour to remain in it
from half an hour or (↑to↑) an hour or more
if he bears it easily taking care to
keep up some heat in the Bath by
pouring in from time to time some hot
water by the side of the vessel. While
he remains in the Bath he should have
another Persons hand go over his
whole Skin rubbing off his scales
but in the very gentlest manner.
The best time of Bathing will be about
[Page 4]
Six oClok in the Evening and when he comes
out of the Bath he should be very well dried
with soft Napkins and put on his ordinary
Cloaths and rather somewhat more and
should keep his Chamber for the rest of
the Evening. While he takes the Juices
he should take a Bath three times a week
or at least every third day.
If he finds that a Liniment pre¬
vents the Chopping of his Skin and makes
the crust and Scales fall off more readily
and with less itching he may use a lini¬
ment made of four Ounces of best Olive
Oil and half an Ounce of Spermaceti
and as much of white wax. If any part
of his Skin should be more itchy than
[Page 5]
↑and got {illeg}thicker crusts upon it than↑ the rest I am still of opinion that the
Citrinum and Hogs Lard as formerly
advised may be of great service and
no report have for the Anodyne and
Antimonial joined together gave any relief
to the itching in the night time but
if it gave any at all it may be repeated
frequently and with increased doses.
I have nothing to add but that
a disease of this kind cannot be con¬
quered but by an exact perseverance
in remedies and Regimen for some
length of M time
William Cullen
Edinburgh 7th. May
1785
Diplomatic Text
For George Milnes Esqr.
Sir,
I am heartily sorry to find that Mr. Milnes
continues to be distressed so much and so long
but I am persuaded if his Regimen had
always been proper his Ailments would not
have been so obstinate. I am now to offer
him an Advice but must introduce it by
Saying that if he does not live very
temperately both in Eating & Drinking
that medicine can be of no Avail.
What I think is the most promi¬
sing for him at this Season is the full
use of the Antiscorbutic Juices which
I have no doubt Dr. Hunter will take
care to have prepared for him in the most
[Page 2]
proper manner and I have only to Say [that?]
are always the better the more recently expressed.
He may begin with two Spoonfuls for a
dose two or three times a day but he
should go on constantly increasing the dose
to what his Stomach will easily bear
and I hope he may great length to three
or four Ounces.
I would not propose any other
medicine at present except it should
happen that the Juices do not keep
his Belly regular and in that case
I would have him to take twice a week
as much Polychrest or Rochelle Salt
as may move his belly two or three times
but no more.
[Page 3]
After he has taken the Juices for
a few days he should begin the use of Tepid
Bathing. The Bath should never exceed
90º in Farenheits Thermometer and
he should endeavour to remain in it
from half an hour or (↑to↑) an hour or more
if he bears it easily taking care to
keep up some heat in the Bath by
pouring in from time to time some hot
water by the side of the vessel. While
he remains in the Bath he should have
another Persons hand go over his
whole Skin rubbing off his scales
but in the very gentlest manner.
The best time of Bathing will be about
[Page 4]
Six oClok in the Evening and when he comes
out of the Bath he should be very well dried
with soft Napkins and put on his ordinary
Cloaths and rather somewhat more and
should keep his Chamber for the rest of
the Evening. While he takes the Juices
he should take a Bath three times a week
or at least every third day.
If he finds that a Liniment pre¬
vents the Chopping of his Skin and makes
the crust and Scales fall off more readily
and with less itching he may use a lini¬
ment made of four Ounces of best Olive
Oil and half an Ounce of Spermaceti
and as much of white wax. If any part
of his Skin should be more itchy than
[Page 5]
↑and got {illeg}thicker crusts upon it than↑ the rest I am still of opinion that the
Citrinum and Hogs Lard as formerly
advised may be of great service and
no report have for the Anodyne and
Antimonial joined together gave any relief
to the itching in the night time but
if it gave any at all it may be repeated
frequently and with increased doses.
I have nothing to add but that
a disease of this kind cannot be con¬
quered but by an exact perseverance
in remedies and Regimen for some
length of M time
William Cullen
Edinr. 7th. May
1785
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