The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:5835] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Taylor (Sanders) / Regarding: Mr Neil Sommerville (Somervill) (Patient) / 14 June 1789 / (Outgoing)
Reply to Dr Taylor concerning the case of Mr Sommerville,who has gout. Cullen send his compliments to the patient's mother who is his old acquaintance.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 6 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
[Page 5]
[Page 6]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 5835 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/21/107 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 14 June 1789 |
| 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 to Dr Taylor concerning the case of Mr Sommerville,who has gout. Cullen send his compliments to the patient's mother who is his old acquaintance. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:2307] |
Case of Mr Neil Sommerville who has a long history of the gout and disorders of the stomach. |
6 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:207] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Taylor (Sanders) |
| [PERS ID:4624] | Patient | Mr Neil Sommerville (Somervill) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:207] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Taylor (Sanders) |
| [PERS ID:4628] | Other | Mrs John Sommerville |
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 | Paisley | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Walkinshaw | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Dr. Taylor Concerning Mr. Sommervile
Dear Dr.
I am this forenoon favoured with
yours concerning Mr. Somerville at Walkinshaw
It comes inclosed in one from his Lady
but I think is most proper to address
my answer to you, leaving it to you to com¬
municate so much as you may think
proper to the Lady.
There can be no doubt here of the nature
of the disease, and you have always appre¬
hended it were properly and in the 1787 gave
very proper advice and directions for the
management of it. Since that time it
seems to have appeared more considerably
both in his head and stomach, and much
less in his feet than could have been
wished, and it is our business at present
to obviate as well as we can the conse¬
quences in the head and stomach, and I
[Page 2]
hope the pains that within these few days
have come into his feet with {illeg}
measures, but these ↑pains↑ are not as much to [be]
depended on, as to supersede the measure
that I would propose. When you appre¬
hended a fulness in the vessels of his head
you were right in [restricting?] his diet and
strong drink, but I must observe that
the symptoms, both in his head and
stomach depend more upon atony than
Plethora and you have had a singular
proof of it in his drops taking down
the frequency of his pulse, and I am clear
that we must endeavour to support the
tone of the System, and therefore that
you have done very right in restraining
his animal food and Toddy, but the ma¬
nagement of that must be left to your
discretion according to circumstances {illeg}
[Page 3]
only a person upon the spot can properly
judge of. I am of opinion that when he has
any appetite, he should take every day at
dinner a portion of the lighter animal
foods, and after it a portion of Toddy more
or less, and stronger or weaker as you shall
judge proper. I think Wine is an {illeg}
remedy, as it often does more harm by
its acescency than service by its spirits.
For preserving the tone of the stomach
and System I trust much to guaiacum
and I advise it in the foll↑ow↑ing manner
Take two drachms of Gum guaiacum and two drachms of very hard white Sugar. You will crush them together into a fine powder, to which you add one and a half ounces of Mucilage of raw gum Arabic. You will crush them again, and add, little by little, one ounce of compounded Tincture of Senna, three and a half ounces of simple cinnamon Water and three and a half ounces of peppermint Water. Mix. Label: Diaphoretic mixture, a tablespoon to be taken every night and morning, taking care always to shake the phial before pouring out.
[Page 4]
If this medicine in the dose proposed
keeps the belly regular, it is enough, but
if it does not, the dose may be two table
spoonfuls at bed time, and possible that
dose may supersede the morning dose al¬
together. If however you do not find the
guaiacum sufficiently laxative, you may add
still to the Evening dose a table spoonful
of the Tinct. Sennæ comp. I think it
absolutely necessary to keep the belly tole¬
rably regular, but purging I should think
very improper.
You certainly judge right in thinking
some drain near the head a proper remedy
and I would advise some drain in the
way of issue to be established, but as I
dont think ↑a↑ large evacuations to be necessary
I would make it in the easiest manner
possible, and I hope a perpetual issue
[Page 5]
on the Crown of the head may answer the
purpose.
You have very properly injoined Exer¬
cise on horseback or in a Chaise, and I would
earnestly recommend his taking as much
as he conveniently can in a Single horse
Chaise, which is safer than Riding to
giddy man, and more useful than a
close Carriage.
As he has had so much gout in his feet
lately, I cannot well advise Cold bathing
nor would I advise Chalybeates till the
Atonic state shall became more considerable
I think you do well in continuing your
drops, and the pushing of them more or less
I leave to your discretion, but I am clear
that at present there is no room
[Page 6]
for Bark or Bitters.
I beg my respectful compliments to
all ↑at↑ Walkinshaw, and particularly to my
pretty old acquaintance your Patients
Mother, and whom if it was not to affront
her, as a wanter 1 I would have called
my Cotemporary with whom I have passed
many a pleasant hour.
I am with very great regard
Dear Dr.
your most obedient servant
William Cullen
Edinburgh 14th. June
1789 -
P.S. I should have said above that when the gout
is entirely out of his feet I believe the use of the
Flesh brush may be very beneficial.
Notes:
1: Cullen is probably trying to be gallant here as the implication seems to be that she is a little younger than he is, so he would risk hurting her pride by addressing her as his 'cotemporary'.
Diplomatic Text
Dr. Taylor C. Mr. Sommervile
Dear Dr.
I am this forenoon favoured with
yours concerning Mr. Somerville at Walkinshaw
It comes inclosed in one from his Lady
but I think is most proper to address
my answer to you, leaving it to you to com¬
municate so much as you may think
proper to the Lady.
There can be no doubt here of the nature
of the disease, and you have always appre¬
hended it were properly and in the 1787 gave
very proper advice and directions for the
management of it. Since that time it
seems to have appeared more considerably
both in his head and stomach, and much
less in his feet than could have been
wished, and it is our business at present
to obviate as well as we can the conse¬
quences in the head and stomach, and I
[Page 2]
hope the pains that within these few days
have come into his feet with {illeg}
measures, but these ↑pains↑ are not as much to [be]
depended on, as to supersede the measure
that I would propose. When you appre¬
hended a fulness in the vessels of his head
you were right in [restricting?] his diet and
strong drink, but I must observe that
the symptoms, both in his head and
stomach depend more upon atony than
Plethora and you have had a singular
proof of it in his drops taking down
the frequency of his pulse, and I am clear
that we must endeavour to support the
tone of the System, and therefore that
you have done very right in restraining
his animal food and Toddy, but the ma¬
nagement of that must be left to your
discretion according to circumstances {illeg}
[Page 3]
only a person upon the spot can properly
judge of. I am of opinion that when he has
any appetite, he should take every day at
dinner a portion of the lighter animal
foods, and after it a portion of Toddy more
or less, and stronger or weaker as you shall
judge proper. I think Wine is an {illeg}
remedy, as it often does more harm by
its acescency than service by its spirits.
For preserving the tone of the stomach
and System I trust much to guaiacum
and I advise it in the foll↑ow↑ing manner
℞ Gum. guaiac.
Sacchar. alb. duriss. @ ʒij
Terito simul in pulverem tenuem cui adde
Mucilag. g. Arab. crass. ℥jſs
Terito iterum diligenter et paulatim adde
Tinct. Senn. comp. ℥j
Aq. cinnam. simpl.
--- menth. pip. @ ℥iijſS
ℳ. Sig. Diaphoretic mixture a Table spoonful
to be taken every night and morning, taking care
always to shake the Phial well before
pouring out.
[Page 4]
If this medicine in the dose proposed
keeps the belly regular, it is enough, but
if it does not, the dose may be two table
spoonfuls at bed time, and possible that
dose may supersede the morning dose al¬
together. If however you do not find the
guaiacum sufficiently laxative, you may add
still to the Evening dose a table spoonful
of the Tinct. Sennæ comp. I think it
absolutely necessary to keep the belly tole¬
rably regular, but purging I should think
very improper.
You certainly judge right in thinking
some drain near the head a proper remedy
and I would advise some drain in the
way of issue to be established, but as I
dont think ↑a↑ large evacuations to be necessary
I would make it in the easiest manner
possible, and I hope a perpetual issue
[Page 5]
on the Crown of the head may answer the
purpose.
You have very properly injoined Exer¬
cise on horseback or in a Chaise, and I would
earnestly recommend his taking as much
as he conveniently can in a Single horse
Chaise, which is safer than Riding to
giddy man, and more useful than a
close Carriage.
As he has had so much gout in his feet
lately, I cannot well advise Cold bathing
nor would I advise Chalybeates till the
Atonic state shall became more considerable
I think you do well in continuing your
drops, and the pushing of them more or less
I leave to your discretion, but I am clear
that at present there is no room
[Page 6]
for Bark or Bitters.
I beg my respectful compliments to
all ↑at↑ Walkinshaw, and particularly to my
pretty old acquaintance your Patients
Mother, and whom if it was not to affront
her, as a wanter 1 I would have called
my Cotemporary with whom I have passed
many a pleasant hour.
I am with very great regard
Dear Dr.
your most obedient servant
William Cullen
Edinr. 14th. June
1789 -
P.S. I should have said above that when the gout
is entirely out of his feet I believe the use of the
Flesh brush may be very beneficial.
Notes:
1: Cullen is probably trying to be gallant here as the implication seems to be that she is a little younger than he is, so he would risk hurting her pride by addressing her as his 'cotemporary'.
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