Cullen

The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

 

[ID:726] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: [ADDRESSEE UNKNOWN] / Regarding: Mr Gillespie (Patient) / 20 March 1783 / (Outgoing)

Letter to a physician regarding the case of his patient, annotated as being a 'Mrs Gillespie', but this appears to be incorrect as the letter itself refers to a Mr Gillespie who is being blistered for sciatica. Also mentions Dr Boerhaave treating himself.

Facsimile

There are 2 images for this document.

[Page 1]


 

[Page 2]


 
 

Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 726
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/1/15/213
Main Language English
Document Direction Outgoing
Date20 March 1783
Annotation None
TypeMachine scribal copy
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter to a physician regarding the case of his patient, annotated as being a 'Mrs Gillespie', but this appears to be incorrect as the letter itself refers to a Mr Gillespie who is being blistered for sciatica. Also mentions Dr Boerhaave treating himself.
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting No

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:1590]
Case of Mr Gillespie who requires blistering.
1


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:1]AuthorDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:4995]PatientMr Gillespie
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:4996]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr Wood
[PERS ID:925]OtherDr Herman Boerhaave

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

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
Mrs Gillespie
Dear Sir,


I am obliged to you for giving me account
of Mr.. Gillespie whose singular case I am very well
willing to advise in without [either?] fee or reward and
therefore shall grudge no trouble you may give me
on the subject.


I am much disappointed by the failure of
the Bark but I think you have given it a fair trial
and I cannot insist upon it further. The next remedy
I would try is Blistering his head. I would apply a
large over the whole Scalp and let it ly on for
twenty four hours taking care in the meantime by his
Drinking plentifully of watery liquore to obviate
Strangury. Let the Blister be healed up in course
without any attempt to keep it open but as soon as the
skin is join enough to bear a Razor let the head be
Shaved again and a fresh Blister applied in the same
[manner?] as before. [This?] I would even have repeated for
a third or perhaps a fourth time as the effects of [the?]



[Page 2]

first Blistering shall [direct?]. I believe Dr. Wood and
you had Blistering before without effect but the
repetition is what I now depend upon. Dr. [Boerhaave?]
had to Blister himself four times successfully before he
could get relief from his Sciatic. I wish Mr. Gillespie
may submitt to this trial and whether he does or not
I beg to hear from you and if necessary I shall give
what further advice I possibly can and am


Sir,
Your most Obedient Servant
William Cullen

Edinburgh 20th. March
1783/

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
Mrs Gillespie
Dear Sir,


I am obliged to you for giving me account
of Mr.. Gillespie whose singular case I am very well
willing to advise in without [either?] fee or reward and
therefore shall grudge no trouble you may give me
on the subject.


I am much disappointed by the failure of
the Bark but I think you have given it a fair trial
and I cannot insist upon it further. The next remedy
I would try is Blistering his head. I would apply a
large over the whole Scalp and let it ly on for
twenty four hours taking care in the meantime by his
Drinking plentifully of watery liquore to obviate
Strangury. Let the Blister be healed up in course
without any attempt to keep it open but as soon as the
skin is join enough to bear a Razor let the head be
Shaved again and a fresh Blister applied in the same
[manner?] as before. [This?] I would even have repeated for
a third or perhaps a fourth time as the effects of [the?]



[Page 2]

first Blistering shall [direct?]. I believe Dr. Wood and
you had Blistering before without effect but the
repetition is what I now depend upon. Dr. [Boerhaave?]
had to Blister himself four times successfully before he
could get relief from his Sciatic. I wish Mr. Gillespie
may submitt to this trial and whether he does or not
I beg to hear from you and if necessary I shall give
what further advice I possibly can and am


Sir,
Your most Obedient Servant
William Cullen

Edinr. 20th. March
1783/

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