The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:696] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr John Heysham / Regarding: Mrs Langton (Patient) / 9 January 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply, 'Dr Heysham C[oncerning] a Lady'. Cullen believes the patient is 'strongly threatened with a Phthisis'.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 696 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/15/183 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 9 January 1783 |
| 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, 'Dr Heysham C[oncerning] a Lady'. Cullen believes the patient is 'strongly threatened with a Phthisis'. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1623] |
Case of Mrs Langton, a patient of Dr Heysham's who is 'strongly threatened with a Phthisis'. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:477] | Addressee | Dr John Heysham |
| [PERS ID:4350] | Patient | Mrs Langton |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:477] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr John Heysham |
| [PERS ID:544] | Other | Dr Henry Cullen (Harry, Dr Henry, "the young doctor" ) |
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 | Carlisle | North-West | England | Europe | inferred |
Normalized Text
Dr Heysham Concerning a Lady.
I have considered your patients case
with all possible attention and am sorry to observe that she
is strongly threatened with a Phthisis. However if it should
actually come on you cannot be blamed for I think you have
taken every precaution that could have been taken in the same
time. While the pulse continued frequent and the blood appea¬
ring sizy, your repeated bleedings were the remedies to be de¬
pended upon, and I am of opinion they must be repeated still
tho not in same quantity as before and I believe that in
such cases, frequent small bleedings do better than a large one
I hope your prescription of a blister was complied with for
I think it a very necessary remedy and I would have an
Issue or constant drain of that kind established but it [must?]
not be on the pained part of the side where I [suspect the?]
blister would be laid, and this part {illeg}
fresh blister and therefore let {illeg}
or {illeg} behind the left sh{illeg} {illeg}
{illeg}
[Page 2]
draughts you have ordered and while these continue to
agree with her stomach they may be continued but if a
change is required let her take the following as often as it
can be found agreeable to her stomach
Take half an ounce of Mucilage of Gum Arabic, two drachms each of Elderberry Rob and balsamic Syrup, and one ounce of rose Water. Mix to make a Draught.
In such cases Diet is a chief remedy and I think you
have ordered it very properly. Tho you do not mention -
farinacea I dare say they make a great part of it. There
is also another remedy which I think of importance and
I am certain you have not overlooked, that is a flannel shirt
against cold is the sine qua non in the cure of this disease.
It is indeed what puzzles me with respect to Winter Exercise
while properly managed I find sometimes of great service but
I find it so difficult to get people to be so scrupulously exact
and attentive that as I wish that they frequently do mischief.
In the present Case I submit the matter to your consideration.
In such cases I have a great favour for vomiting, but
more is a peculiarity in this Ladys case of her having been for
{illeg} liable to fits of vomiting which may have shown how
[Page 3]
far she bears artificial vomiting and by this I allow you to
be governed but with this observation that vomiting gently
is the best expectorant that I have seen employed.
My son Harry joins me in best wishes for your happiness
at all seasons and I am with most sincere regard
Dear Dr.
your most obedient servant
Edinburgh 9th. January
1783
Tho your letter is dated the 5th.
it did not come to my hand till yesterday.
Diplomatic Text
Dr Heysham C a Lady.
I have considered your patients case
with all possible attention and am sorry to observe that she
is strongly threatened with a Phthisis. However if it should
actually come on you cannot be blamed for I think you have
taken every precaution that could have been taken in the same
time. While the pulse continued frequent and the blood appea¬
ring sizy, your repeated bleedings were the remedies to be de¬
pended upon, and I am of opinion they must be repeated still
tho not in same quantity as before and I believe that in
such cases, frequent small bleedings do better than a large one
I hope your prescription of a blister was complied with for
I think it a very necessary remedy and I would have an
Issue or constant drain of that kind established but it [must?]
not be on the pained part of the side where I [suspect the?]
blister would be laid, and this part {illeg}
fresh blister and therefore let {illeg}
or {illeg} behind the left sh{illeg} {illeg}
{illeg}
[Page 2]
draughts you have ordered and while these continue to
agree with her stomach they may be continued but if a
change is required let her take the following as often as it
can be found agreeable to her stomach
℞ Mucil. G. Arab. ℥ſs
Rob Sambuc. Syr. balsam. @ ʒij Aq. rosar. ℥j ℳ. f. Hausta
In such cases Diet is a chief remedy and I think you
have ordered it very properly. Tho you do not mention -
farinacea I dare say they make a great part of it. There
is also another remedy which I think of importance and
I am certain you have not overlooked, that is a flannel shirt
against cold is the sine qua non in the cure of this disease.
It is indeed what puzzles me with respect to Winter Exercise
while properly managed I find sometimes of great service but
I find it so difficult to get people to be so scrupulously exact
and attentive that as I wish that they frequently do mischief.
In the present Case I submit the matter to your consideration.
In such cases I have a great favour for vomiting, but
more is a peculiarity in this Ladys case of her having been for
{illeg} liable to fits of vomiting which may have shown how
[Page 3]
far she bears artificial vomiting and by this I allow you to
be governed but with this observation that vomiting gently
is the best expectorant that I have seen employed.
My son Harry joins me in best wishes for your happiness
at all seasons and I am with most sincere regard
Dear Dr.
your most obedient servant
Edinr. 9th. Janry.
1783
Tho your letter is dated the 5th.
it did not come to my hand till yesterday.
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