The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:731] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Mr John Goodsir / Regarding: Mrs Anne Bethune (Bethune) (of Balfour and Kilconquhar) (Patient) / 29 March 1783 / (Outgoing)
Reply to Mr Goodsir regarding the case of Mrs Bethune, who has had some kind of unspecified transitory 'attack', which has been treated with a blister . Cullen writes 'there is some tendency to the disease in her constitution and that she is not as absolutely secure against a considerable return as to allow either we or her friends to neglect any precaution that can be safely taken'. He suggests a change of air, and asks whether Kilconquhar is warmer in winter and spring than Balfour, where she is presumably currently residing.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 3 images for this document.
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[Page 2]
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Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 731 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/15/218 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 29 March 1783 |
| 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 to Mr Goodsir regarding the case of Mrs Bethune, who has had some kind of unspecified transitory 'attack', which has been treated with a blister . Cullen writes 'there is some tendency to the disease in her constitution and that she is not as absolutely secure against a considerable return as to allow either we or her friends to neglect any precaution that can be safely taken'. He suggests a change of air, and asks whether Kilconquhar is warmer in winter and spring than Balfour, where she is presumably currently residing. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:1670] |
Case of Mrs Anne Bethune of Balfour and Kilconquhar, who in 1783 has largely recovered from a recent disorder but needs to take precautions, but by 1785 she has a bleeding wound on her breast. Goodsir and Cullen discuss dressing it. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1301] | Addressee | Mr John Goodsir |
| [PERS ID:1307] | Patient | Mrs Anne Bethune (of Balfour and Kilconquhar) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:1301] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Mr John Goodsir |
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 | Largo | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Mentioned / Other | Balfour House / Milton of Balgonie | Glenrothes | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Mentioned / Other | Kilconquhar House | Kilconquhar | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Mrs Bethune
I am favoured with yours yesterday and
am happy to find that Mrs. Bethune has gone on
so very well. The attack on Monday though slight
and transitory shows that there is some tendency
to the disease in her constitution and that she is not
so absolutely secure against a considerable return
as to allow either us or her friends to neglect any
precaution that can be safely taken. I think
therefore that you did very properly in applying
the Blister on Monday night and certainly it
would be very proper for you to pursue all the
other measures proposed before. I think the threat¬
ning she had on Monday should give her so
much suspicion of her danger as to make her
submitt to every probable measure and therefore
particularly to the Pea Issue and you will
[Page 2]
let her know that I have again put you in mind of it.
I think the keeping her belly open an absolutely ne¬
cessary measure and while the mustard will do the
business I shall not insist on any thing else but when
the mustard fails I would greatly prefer the cooling
Electuary to the heating and Aloetic pill. It is probable
that when she tried the former the dose of it was not
sufficiently large. I need not say that the infusion shoud
be continued or though it may be sometimes discontinued
it should be for a short time only. I regrete extremely
that the weather has been such as to confine her entirely
I own that for the most part it has been too cold but
about a fortnight ago there were some days that might
have allowed her to go abroad. I hope we shall have
such weather again soon and then I hope she will
not neglect it. I think that she might even be the
better for a Change of air and I would ask you a
[Page 3]
question which you can answer better than I can
Is not Kilconquar in a warmer situation and a warmer
House than Balfour and is not Kilconquar the place
which for a great part of her life always occupied during
the Winter and Spring. I would have Mrs. Bethune and
you consider this and manage as you shall see fit.
With respectful Compliments and best wishes to Mrs.
Bethune and friends I am with great regard
Your most Obedient Servant
1783
Mr. Goodsir
Diplomatic Text
Mrs Bethune
I am favoured with yours yesterday and
am happy to find that Mrs. Bethune has gone on
so very well. The attack on Monday though slight
and transitory shows that there is some tendency
to the disease in her constitution and that she is not
so absolutely secure against a considerable return
as to allow either us or her friends to neglect any
precaution that can be safely taken. I think
therefore that you did very properly in applying
the Blister on Monday night and certainly it
would be very proper for you to pursue all the
other measures proposed before. I think the threat¬
ning she had on Monday should give her so
much suspicion of her danger as to make her
submitt to every probable measure and therefore
particularly to the Pea Issue and you will
[Page 2]
let her know that I have again put you in mind of it.
I think the keeping her belly open an absolutely ne¬
cessary measure and while the mustard will do the
business I shall not insist on any thing else but when
the mustard fails I would greatly prefer the cooling
Electuary to the heating and Aloetic pill. It is probable
that when she tried the former the dose of it was not
sufficiently large. I need not say that the infusion shoud
be continued or though it may be sometimes discontinued
it should be for a short time only. I regrete extremely
that the weather has been such as to confine her entirely
I own that for the most part it has been too cold but
about a fortnight ago there were some days that might
have allowed her to go abroad. I hope we shall have
such weather again soon and then I hope she will
not neglect it. I think that she might even be the
better for a Change of air and I would ask you a
[Page 3]
question which you can answer better than I can
Is not Kilconquar in a warmer situation and a warmer
House than Balfour and is not Kilconquar the place
which for a great part of her life always occupied during
the Winter and Spring. I would have Mrs. Bethune and
you consider this and manage as you shall see fit.
With respectful Compliments and best wishes to Mrs.
Bethune and friends I am with great regard
Your most Obedient Servant
1783
Mr. Goodsir
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