The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5450] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mrs Hamilton / Regarding: Mrs Hamilton (Patient) / 8 May 1787 / (Outgoing)
Reply, for 'Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw'. Cullen believes both Mrs Hamilton and Miss Hamilton would receive benefit from a journey to Harrogate and taking the waters there. Cullen gives Mrs Hamilton detailed directions on taking the waters, on diet, and exercise.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5450 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/20/70 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 8 May 1787 |
| 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 'Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw'. Cullen believes both Mrs Hamilton and Miss Hamilton would receive benefit from a journey to Harrogate and taking the waters there. Cullen gives Mrs Hamilton detailed directions on taking the waters, on diet, and exercise. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1866] |
Case of Mrs Hamilton of Wishaw who is thought to have no disease, just the effects of a 'nervous shock'. |
5 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:3624] | Addressee | Mrs Hamilton |
| [PERS ID:3624] | Patient | Mrs Hamilton |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:5905] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Miss Hamilton |
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 | Wishaw | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Harrogate | North-East | England | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Wishaw | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw
Madam
After all I know your constitution
I am clear that you will be the better for the
Journey to Harrowgate, and possibly also for drinking
some of the waters there. This however will require
some caution and particularly the entering upon
the use of them by degrees. For the first day you
should not take more than a quarter of a pint
but every second day after you may increase
the dose a little, till by degrees you can take
half a pint, and how much further you may go
depends upon the operation of the water. If it
moves your belly once a day it is enough, and
you should never go further, but if it does not
move you at all, you may go further, and till
it has some effect, once a day. It will be for
the safety of your Stomach, if you mix an
equal part of {illeg} spring water with the Mi¬
neral water that you take, and this you
[Page 2]
should do till you have occasion to take more than
half a pint of the mineral, but after that in proportion
as you increase the Mineral, you may diminish
the Spring water.
You should take your water always in the
morning before breakfast, and whatever water
you take, you should always take it in divide[d]
draughts, one at half an hour after another
and you should delay breakfast, for at least
half an hour after finishing the water.
In diet you may take any ordinary fare
but you should be very sparing of Roots, green
or other things from the garden. At dinner
every day you may take two or three glasses
of any wine you like best, but if you can
perceive that any kind turns sour on your
stomach, that you should carefully avoid. You
should take no kind of Malt liquor either
[Page 3]
strong or weak, and for your ordinary drink it
should be either plain water, or with a small
quantity of Rum or Brandy in it.
I wish you could get quit of your Evening
pills, and I think you might by dropping apart
of them every two or three nights, till you can
get quite of them altogether, but this I must leave
to your own discretion and feelings.
The Swelling of your leg will require Walking
neither too much nor too little, but at all
times you must practise Rubbing (as I formerly
directed, and always wear Stockings as tight
as you can easily bear. A great deal of exercise
in a Carriage will be of service to your health.
I am well persuaded that Miss Hamilton
may be the better for taking some of the Harrowgate
water, but I have no particular directions to
give, but this, that She should enter upon drinking
it by degrees, and never go further than what
[Page 4]
moves her easily once a day. To this length continued
for two three weeks it may be of service, but much
purging might hurt her constitution.
Wishing you heartily in every respect
Success I have the honour to be
Madam
Your Most Obedient humble Servant
William Cullen
Edinburgh 8th. May
1787 -
Diplomatic Text
Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw
Madam
After all I know your constitution
I am clear that you will be the better for the
Journey to Harrowgate, and possibly also for drinking
some of the waters there. This however will require
some caution and particularly the entering upon
the use of them by degrees. For the first day you
should not take more than a quarter of a pint
but every second day after you may increase
the dose a little, till by degrees you can take
half a pint, and how much further you may go
depends upon the operation of the water. If it
moves your belly once a day it is enough, and
you should never go further, but if it does not
move you at all, you may go further, and till
it has some effect, once a day. It will be for
the safety of your Stomach, if you mix an
equal part of {illeg} spring water with the Mi¬
neral water that you take, and this you
[Page 2]
should do till you have occasion to take more than
half a pint of the mineral, but after that in proportion
as you increase the Mineral, you may diminish
the Spring water.
You should take your water always in the
morning before breakfast, and whatever water
you take, you should always take it in divide[d]
draughts, one at half an hour after another
and you should delay breakfast, for at least
half an hour after finishing the water.
In diet you may take any ordinary fare
but you should be very sparing of Roots, green
or other things from the garden. At dinner
every day you may take two or three glasses
of any wine you like best, but if you can
perceive that any kind turns sour on your
stomach, that you should carefully avoid. You
should take no kind of Malt liquor either
[Page 3]
strong or weak, and for your ordinary drink it
should be either plain water, or with a small
quantity of Rum or Brandy in it.
I wish you could get quit of your Evening
pills, and I think you might by dropping apart
of them every two or three nights, till you can
get quite of them altogether, but this I must leave
to your own discretion and feelings.
The Swelling of your leg will require Walking
neither too much nor too little, but at all
times you must practise Rubbing (as I formerly
directed, and always wear Stockings as tight
as you can easily bear. A great deal of exercise
in a Carriage will be of service to your health.
I am well persuaded that Miss Hamilton
may be the better for taking some of the Harrowgate
water, but I have no particular directions to
give, but this, that She should enter upon drinking
it by degrees, and never go further than what
[Page 4]
moves her easily once a day. To this length continued
for two three weeks it may be of service, but much
purging might hurt her constitution.
Wishing you heartily in every respect
Success I have the honour to be
Madam
Your Most Obedient humble Servant
William Cullen
Edinr. 8th. May
1787 -
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