Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:533] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr James Burnet (Burnett, of Countesswells) / Regarding: Mr James Burnet (Burnett, of Countesswells) (Patient) / 27 April 1782 / (Outgoing)

Reply, 'Mr Burnet of Counterswells'. Cullen says he 'would at first view have considered the Case as Phthistical', but is doubtful given its long persistence without worsening. He gives recommendations for diet, exercise and the avoidance of cold, and suggests 'an easy but long journey in Summer'. The first page is a copy made in a scribal hand, with the rest by Cullen.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 533
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/15/16
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date27 April 1782
Annotation None
TypeMachine copy
Enclosure(s) Enclosure(s) present
Autopsy No
Recipe Yes
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Reply, 'Mr Burnet of Counterswells'. Cullen says he 'would at first view have considered the Case as Phthistical', but is doubtful given its long persistence without worsening. He gives recommendations for diet, exercise and the avoidance of cold, and suggests 'an easy but long journey in Summer'. The first page is a copy made in a scribal hand, with the rest by Cullen.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1450]
Case of James Burnet [Burnett] of Countesswells, who has a pectoral complaint (or pthisis).
5


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:3454]AddresseeMr James Burnet (Burnett, of Countesswells)
[PERS ID:3454]PatientMr James Burnet (Burnett, of Countesswells)
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:1473]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Grant
[PERS ID:3455]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMrs Burnet

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 Countesswells House / Counterswells Aberdeen East Highlands Scotland Europe inferred
Therapeutic Recommendation Bristol South-West England Europe certain
Mentioned / Other Countesswells House / Counterswells Aberdeen East Highlands Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Mr Burnet of Counterswells.
Sir.


Upon considering with the utmost atten¬
tion every thing you was pleased to tell me and
every thing I could observe about you I sat down to
give you my best advice; but must own that I am
a little at a loss to give it with a sufficient clearness
and confidence. I should at first view have con¬
sidered the Case as Phthisical, but considering
how often you have suffered under such complain¬
ts and how long you have followed the manner
of living you told me of without more violent
consequencis, I must think that the Phthisical
state has not proceeded so far as we might appre¬
hend & therefore that as you have escaped hitherto
so you may escape still. I hope you shall, but
in the meantime if I am to give you my advice it
must be very entirely with a view to guard against
the tendency to Consumption. To this purpose you
have already got some very good advice from Dr Grant
& I regret very much that you did not follow his advice
in going to Bristol but you have now missed the



[Page 2]

✍ missed the proper opportunity and must for some time ma¬
nage at home as well as you can.


It is my opinion that you must expect relief from
your regimen rather than from any medicines. In such
cases I would advise a diet entirely of milk and grain and a
very entire abstinence from animal food but this is not suit¬
able to your habits & in your case therefore I cannot advise the
latter but still I would advise your choosing the lighter kinds
of animal food only and taking even these moderately, even
at dinner and at supper I am certain you should take none at
all. It seems that formerly your stomach did not digest ↑milk↑ easily
but I am glad to find that you bear the Asses milk very well and
I think you should continue to take it every morning to the quantity
that your stomach easily bears. I hope you may also take Cows
Milk if you will please to take it always with an equal part of
barley water, sweetening the whole very well with honey or sugar.
This mixture you may use with bread, rice, barley or sago in



[Page 3]

the same manner as you would do with plain milk, only you
must not boil the mixed milk with any of these grains but must
only heat the mixed milk and pour it upon the Rice, Barley or
Sago separately boiled. The more of these milkmeats you can
introduce into your diet I expect you will be the better for it.
Garden things while young and tender when they first come in sea¬
son you may take but I would not have you take freely or largely
of any of these as they are ↑ready↑ to disagree with a milk diet.


In drinking you must go on as you have done in taking
some wine but I am perswaded you ought always to be very mo¬
derate in it and should take no more than you find absolutely
necessary to (↑from↑) former habits to support the tone of your stomach
and spirits.


What exercise you can easily bear will always be one of
the best remedies for you. At present both on account of the
weather and of your weakness I think you cannot employ either
walking or riding and must therefore be confined to a carriage,
but this I think you should employ as often and as much as you
conveniently and easily can.


I am certain that it is cold which has especially brought on



[Page 4]

all your ailments and that cold now admitted will certainly
increase them. It will therefore be necessary to guard against it
with the utmost care. You should always be well cloathed and
with flannels every where next your skin. You should carefully
avoid all damp and moisture and all draughts or what we
call sifting airs.


By attention to these particulars of regimen I hope you
shall have better health but to restore you entirely you must
employ an easy but long journey in summer and take betimes
to a southern climate for the next winter.


At present I will advise but two medicines for you
both intended to relieve your breast and alleviate your cough
and as the prescription must go to an Apothecary I give it
on a separate paper here inclosed.


Wishing heartily your better health, with respectfull
Compliments to Mrs Burnet I am


Sir
your most obedient humble servant
William Cullen

Edinburgh 27th April
1782. ---



[Page 5]
For Mr Burnet of Counterswells

Take two drachms of very good liquorice extract; once made into small pieces add enough boiling water to soften it and crush until it makes a light pulp, to which add a scruple each of balsam of Tolu and very good myrrh, sixteen grams of dried opium, crushed and in small pieces, two scruples of very hard white sugar. Mix accurately to a thin powder, and with enough water to make a mass to be divided into forty-eight pills. Label Pectoral Pills, two to be taken every night at bedtime.

Take an ounce of gum Arabic, four ounces of boiling water. Dissolve, and to the strained liquid add six drachms of simple cinnamon water, half an ounce of lemon syrup, an ounce of balsamic syrup, sixty drops of Laudanum. Mix and label Pectoral Mixture two tablespoonfulls to be taken.

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Mr Burnet of Counterswells.
Sir.


Upon considering with the utmost atten¬
tion every thing you was pleased to tell me and
every thing I could observe about you I sat down to
give you my best advice; but must own that I am
a little at a loss to give it with a sufficient clearness
and confidence. I should at first view have con¬
sidered the Case as Phthisical, but considering
how often you have suffered under such complain¬
ts and how long you have followed the manner
of living you told me of without more violent
consequencis, I must think that the Phthisical
state has not proceeded so far as we might appre¬
hend & therefore that as you have escaped hitherto
so you may escape still. I hope you shall, but
in the meantime if I am to give you my advice it
must be very entirely with a view to guard against
the tendency to Consumption. To this purpose you
have already got some very good advice from Dr Grant
& I regret very much that you did not follow his advice
in going to Bristol but you have now missed the



[Page 2]

✍ missed the proper opportunity and must for some time ma¬
nage at home as well as you can.


It is my opinion that you must expect relief from
your regimen rather than from any medicines. In such
cases I would advise a diet entirely of milk and grain and a
very entire abstinence from animal food but this is not suit¬
able to your habits & in your case therefore I cannot advise the
latter but still I would advise your choosing the lighter kinds
of animal food only and taking even these moderately, even
at dinner and at supper I am certain you should take none at
all. It seems that formerly your stomach did not digest ↑milk↑ easily
but I am glad to find that you bear the Asses milk very well and
I think you should continue to take it every morning to the quantity
that your stomach easily bears. I hope you may also take Cows
Milk if you will please to take it always with an equal part of
barley water, sweetening the whole very well with honey or sugar.
This mixture you may use with bread, rice, barley or sago in



[Page 3]

the same manner as you would do with plain milk, only you
must not boil the mixed milk with any of these grains but must
only heat the mixed milk and pour it upon the Rice, Barley or
Sago separately boiled. The more of these milkmeats you can
introduce into your diet I expect you will be the better for it.
Garden things while young and tender when they first come in sea¬
son you may take but I would not have you take freely or largely
of any of these as they are ↑ready↑ to disagree with a milk diet.


In drinking you must go on as you have done in taking
some wine but I am perswaded you ought always to be very mo¬
derate in it and should take no more than you find absolutely
necessary to (↑from↑) former habits to support the tone of your stomach
and spirits.


What exercise you can easily bear will always be one of
the best remedies for you. At present both on account of the
weather and of your weakness I think you cannot employ either
walking or riding and must therefore be confined to a carriage,
but this I think you should employ as often and as much as you
conveniently and easily can.


I am certain that it is cold which has especially brought on



[Page 4]

all your ailments and that cold now admitted will certainly
increase them. It will therefore be necessary to guard against it
with the utmost care. You should always be well cloathed and
with flannels every where next your skin. You should carefully
avoid all damp and moisture and all draughts or what we
call sifting airs.


By attention to these particulars of regimen I hope you
shall have better health but to restore you entirely you must
employ an easy but long journey in summer and take betimes
to a southern climate for the next winter.


At present I will advise but two medicines for you
both intended to relieve your breast and alleviate your cough
and as the prescription must go to an Apothecary I give it
on a separate paper here inclosed.


Wishing heartily your better health, with respectfull
Compliments to Mrs Burnet I am


Sir
your most obedt. humble servant
William Cullen

Edinr. 27th April
1782. ---



[Page 5]
For Mr Burnet of Counterswells


Extract. glycyrrh. opt. Ʒij
In frustula conciso affunde aqua fervent. q. s. ut mollescat et
contundatur in pulpam laevem cui adde
Balsam. Tolutan.
Myrrh. opt. @ ℈j
Opij concis. et parum siccat. gr. xvi
Sacchar. alb. duriss. ℈ij
in pulverem tenuem trita et accurate commista et cum aqua
q. s. fiat massa dividenda in pill pilulas quadraginta octo.
Sig. Pectoral Pills two to be taken every night at bedtime.


Gum. Arabic. ℥j
Aq. fervent. ℥iv
Solve et colato adde
Aqua cinnam. simpl. Ʒvi
Syr. limon. ℥ſs
--- balsam. ℥j
Tinct. Thebaic. gtt. LX,
ℳ. Sig. Pectoral Mixture two tablespoonfulls to be taken

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