The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5399] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Wemyss (of Pitkenny) / Regarding: Mrs Jamieson (Patient) / 25 January 1787 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Mrs Jamieson', to an unnamed physician (probably Alexander Wemyss in Kirkcaldy), advising that her breast 'could not be subjected to an operation with any advantage or even with safety'. Cullen recommends the use of an issue and prescribes pills and a lotion to bathe the nipple. He mentions that he is writing separately to the surgeons of Dysart.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5399 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/20/19 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 25 January 1787 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | Yes |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply, 'For Mrs Jamieson', to an unnamed physician (probably Alexander Wemyss in Kirkcaldy), advising that her breast 'could not be subjected to an operation with any advantage or even with safety'. Cullen recommends the use of an issue and prescribes pills and a lotion to bathe the nipple. He mentions that he is writing separately to the surgeons of Dysart. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:2072] |
Case of Mrs Jamieson in Dysart, who has a breast condition which Cullen thinks is beyond any potential benefit from amputation. |
2 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:325] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Wemyss (of Pitkenny) |
| [PERS ID:5359] | Patient | Mrs Jamieson |
| [PERS ID:5360] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:325] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Wemyss (of Pitkenny) |
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 | Kirkcaldy | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Dysart | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
For Mrs. Jamieson
We have examined very carefully and have con¬
sidered very fully the state of Mrs. Jamiesons breast
and hope it is a case that may admit of relief, but
we are clearly of opinion that in its present
state it could not be subjected to an operation
with any advantage or even with safety.
We believe it was very proper to make
the trials that were made of Mercurial medi¬
cines, but after these trials, we do not expect
so much benefit from them, as to propose,
insisting on them. We believe though not very
confidently that an issue may be of service, but
we judge it might be very inconvenient in the
side, and we would propose it to be a pea issue
put in behind the shoulder. A medicine we are
disposed to depend upon is what we shall
mention in our Letter to the Surgeons of Dysart
but doubting that could be readily procured
[Page 2]
at Dysart we have got it prepared here. It is in
the form of pills and there are two separate boxes
of these marked №. 1 and №. 2. Mrs. Jamieson
is to begin with those of №. 1. and proceed afterwards
to those of №. 2. in the manner that shall be
directed by the Gentlemen at Dysart.
She is to continue to keep her breast easy, soft
and warm, but there is no application to be made
to it, but at the Nipple, and the parts immediately
near it, and these parts she is to bathe ↑or wash↑ every
night and morning with the Lotion prescribed
on the inclosed paper.
Mrs. Jamiesons diet is to be of a mild kind
and she must take no salted meat or any thing
high seasoned. We would wish to give her a good
deal of Vegetable food, but we suspect that garden
things will not be easily digested by her stomach
and that she can hardly take any vegetables
but ↑those of↑ the farinaceous kind. If her stomach digests
fresh Cows milk very [easily, it?] may with the
[Page 3]
farinacea make a great part of her diet. She may
take Barley broth without greens every day, and
she may also take a portion of animal food, but it
should be always very moderately, and she should
very seldom take any kind of fish.
Her only safe drink will be plain water and
no kind of Malt liquor will be safe for her, but a
little good Porter with one or two parts of water.
She may also take a little of any kind of wine she
likes best, but always very moderately, and she
should not taste any kind of spirituous liquor.
If it is convenient for Mrs. Jamieson to go
out either in a carriage or on horseback, her doing
so frequently may be of service to her health, and
she may also be the better for walking out some
times into the fresh air, but care must be taken
that her walking is never so much as to heat her
1787/
[Page 4]
For Mrs. Jamieson
Take six grains of Powdered Belladonna leaves, fifteen grains of Extract of gentian and a sufficient quantity of Mucilage of arabic gum to make a mass to be divided into six pills. Label: Specific pills.
Take eight ounces of distilled spring Water and two scruples of Sugar of Lead. Dissolve, and strain after settling, and, when the most severe pains come on, to it can be added from two to four drachms of Thebaic Tincture. Mix. Label: Lotion for the Nipple and parts adjoining.
W.C.
25th. January
1787
Diplomatic Text
For Mrs. Jamieson
We have examined very carefully and have con¬
sidered very fully the state of Mrs. Jamiesons breast
and hope it is a case that may admit of relief, but
we are clearly of opinion that in its present
state it could not be subjected to an operation
with any advantage or even with safety.
We believe it was very proper to make
the trials that were made of Mercurial medi¬
cines, but after these trials, we do not expect
so much benefit from them, as to propose,
insisting on them. We believe though not very
confidently that an issue may be of service, but
we judge it might be very inconvenient in the
side, and we would propose it to be a pea issue
put in behind the shoulder. A medicine we are
disposed to depend upon is what we shall
mention in our Letter to the Surgeons of Dysart
but doubting that could be readily procured
[Page 2]
at Dysart we have got it prepared here. It is in
the form of pills and there are two separate boxes
of these marked №. 1 and №. 2. Mrs. Jamieson
is to begin with those of №. 1. and proceed afterwards
to those of №. 2. in the manner that shall be
directed by the Gentlemen at Dysart.
She is to continue to keep her breast easy, soft
and warm, but there is no application to be made
to it, but at the Nipple, and the parts immediately
near it, and these parts she is to bathe ↑or wash↑ every
night and morning with the Lotion prescribed
on the inclosed paper.
Mrs. Jamiesons diet is to be of a mild kind
and she must take no salted meat or any thing
high seasoned. We would wish to give her a good
deal of Vegetable food, but we suspect that garden
things will not be easily digested by her stomach
and that she can hardly take any vegetables
but ↑those of↑ the farinaceous kind. If her stomach digests
fresh Cows milk very [easily, it?] may with the
[Page 3]
farinacea make a great part of her diet. She may
take Barley broth without greens every day, and
she may also take a portion of animal food, but it
should be always very moderately, and she should
very seldom take any kind of fish.
Her only safe drink will be plain water and
no kind of Malt liquor will be safe for her, but a
little good Porter with one or two parts of water.
She may also take a little of any kind of wine she
likes best, but always very moderately, and she
should not taste any kind of spirituous liquor.
If it is convenient for Mrs. Jamieson to go
out either in a carriage or on horseback, her doing
so frequently may be of service to her health, and
she may also be the better for walking out some
times into the fresh air, but care must be taken
that her walking is never so much as to heat her
1787/
[Page 4]
For Mrs. Jamieson
℞ Pulv. folior. Belladon. gr. vj
Extract. gent. gr. xv
Mucilag. g. arab. q. s. ut
f. massa dividenda in pil.
№. vi
Sig. Specific pills
℞ Aq. font. destill. ℥viij
Sacchar. Sat. ℈ij
Solve et post subsidentiam cola
et cum plurimum doloris ad¬
fuerit adde potest
Tinct. Theb. a ʒij ad ʒiv
ℳ Sig. Lotion for the
nipple and parts adjoining
W.C.
25th. Jany.
1787
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