
The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5495] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr Robert Brown (Broun) / Regarding: Mrs Elizabeth Watt (McCall) (of Stranraer) (Patient) / 26? July 1787 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'For Mrs Watt'. Brief advice, probably sent to her relatives the Browns, on diet and rubbing of feet and legs, with recipe for an Electuary. The lower part of the first page is poorly copied.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.

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Metadata
Field | Data |
---|---|
DOC ID | 5495 |
RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/20/115 |
Main Language | English |
Document Direction | Outgoing |
Date | 26? July 1787 |
Annotation | None |
Type | Machine scribal copy |
Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
Autopsy | No |
Recipe | Yes |
Regimen | No |
Letter of Introduction | No |
Case Note | No |
Summary | Reply, 'For Mrs Watt'. Brief advice, probably sent to her relatives the Browns, on diet and rubbing of feet and legs, with recipe for an Electuary. The lower part of the first page is poorly copied. |
Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
---|---|---|
[Case ID:1594] |
Case of Mrs Elizabeth Watt of Stranraer, whose various symptoms over the course of ten years include a chest complaint, a sore mouth, and rheumatism. |
18 |
People linked to this document
Person ID | Role in document | Person |
---|---|---|
[PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:4171] | Addressee | Mr Robert Brown (Broun) |
[PERS ID:2120] | Patient | Mrs Elizabeth Watt (of Stranraer) |
[PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
[PERS ID:3011] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Brown (Broun) |
[PERS ID:4171] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mr Robert Brown (Broun) |
[PERS ID:3011] | Supplemental Addressee | Mrs Brown (Broun) |
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 | St Andrews Street | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
For Mrs.Watt
Let her take a small Tea spoonful of
the Electuary at bed time, and if this sits
easy on her Stomach She may increase the bulk
of her dose to what her Stomach can easily
bear. It is intended to increase her Urine
and if it does so, it will encourage her to
go on in the size of her dose. It may also
happen to prove a little laxative, and if it is
moderately so, it will do no harm, but if
it proves largely Laxative or purging, the
dose must be diminished, and if she must
take instead of a large dose at bedtime Two
small doses every day, One at bedtime, and
another in the forenoon, washing down
each dose with a small glass of Wine
and water.
Her diet should be as {illeg}
{illeg}[this?] {illeg} will admit {illeg}
[Page 2]
must continue to be chiefly water, but always
with a fourth part of Sherry or Lisbon
in it, and every day she may take a small
glass of either of these wines plain two
or three times a day.
Every morning before She comes out
of bed, her feet and legs should be rubbed
with a piece of dry and warm flannel
taking care however that the rubbing is
always from the Toes and Ankles upwards
and never downwards.
The pained part of her side may also
be rubbed with a piece of warm flannel
twice a day, but always very gently.
I should have said above more distinctly
that her Legs are to be rubbed only in the
morning and never at night
Edinburgh 26th. July
1787 –-
[Page 3]
For Mrs.Watt
Take two ounces of powdered tartar Crystals, two drachms of powdered Composite Jalap, two scruples of powdered Ginger, an ounce of lenitive Electuary and enough simple Syrup to make an Electuary. Label: Aperient Electuary A Tea spoonful to be taken for a dose every night at bed time
26th. July
1787 ––
Diplomatic Text
For Mrs.Watt
Let her take a small Tea spoonful of
the Electuary at bed time, and if this sits
easy on her Stomach She may increase the bulk
of her dose to what her Stomach can easily
bear. It is intended to increase her Urine
and if it does so, it will encourage her to
go on in the size of her dose. It may also
happen to prove a little laxative, and if it is
moderately so, it will do no harm, but if
it proves largely Laxative or purging, the
dose must be diminished, and if she must
take instead of a large dose at bedtime Two
small doses every day, One at bedtime, and
another in the forenoon, washing down
each dose with a small glass of Wine
and water.
Her diet should be as {illeg}
{illeg}[this?] {illeg} will admit {illeg}
[Page 2]
must continue to be chiefly water, but always
with a fourth part of Sherry or Lisbon
in it, and every day she may take a small
glass of either of these wines plain two
or three times a day.
Every morning before She comes out
of bed, her feet and legs should be rubbed
with a piece of dry and warm flannel
taking care however that the rubbing is
always from the Toes and Ankles upwards
and never downwards.
The pained part of her side may also
be rubbed with a piece of warm flannel
twice a day, but always very gently.
I should have said above more distinctly
that her Legs are to be rubbed only in the
morning and never at night
Edinr. 26th. July
1787 –-
[Page 3]
For Mrs.Watt
℞ Crystal. tart. pulv. ℥ij
Pulv. e jalap. comp. ʒij
–––– Zingib. ℈ij
Elect. lenitiv. ℥i
Syr. simpl. q. s. ut f.
Electuarium.
Sig. Aperient Electuary
A Tea spoonful to be
taken for a dose every
night at bed time
26th. July
1787 ––
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