Cullen

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

 

[ID:812] From: Mrs Sophia Dunbar (Campbell) (Mrs Dunbar of Grange and Burgie House) / To: Mr Alexander Campbell / Regarding: Mr Lewis Dunbar ('Lewie') (Patient) / 3 May 1771 / (Incoming)

Letter from Sophia Dunbar to her brother, Alexander Campbell, who is staying in Edinburgh, regarding the case of her young son, Lewis. She has not yet seen any improvement in his case, although does not expect 'that medicine can work like a charm or remove it all at once.' This letter was passed on to Cullen accompanied by a cover letter written by Sophia Dunbar's brother, Alexander Campbell (Letter 811).

Facsimile

There are 4 images for this document.

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Metadata

FieldData
DOC ID 812
RCPE Catalogue Number CUL/1/2/80b
Main Language English
Document Direction Incoming
Date3 May 1771
Annotation None
TypeAuthorial original
Enclosure(s) No enclosure(s)
Autopsy No
Recipe No
Regimen No
Letter of Introduction No
Case Note No
Summary Letter from Sophia Dunbar to her brother, Alexander Campbell, who is staying in Edinburgh, regarding the case of her young son, Lewis. She has not yet seen any improvement in his case, although does not expect 'that medicine can work like a charm or remove it all at once.' This letter was passed on to Cullen accompanied by a cover letter written by Sophia Dunbar's brother, Alexander Campbell (Letter 811).
Manuscript Incomplete? No
Evidence of Commercial Posting Yes

Case

Cases that this document belongs to:

Case ID Description Num Docs
[Case ID:82]
Case of Lewis 'Lewie" Dunbar suffering from frequent 'fits'.
3


People linked to this document

Person IDRole in documentPerson
[PERS ID:332]AuthorMrs Sophia Dunbar (Mrs Dunbar of Grange and Burgie House)
[PERS ID:916]AddresseeMr Alexander Campbell
[PERS ID:917]PatientMr Lewis Dunbar ('Lewie')
[PERS ID:148]Patient's Physician / Surgeon / ApothecaryDr John Alves
[PERS ID:1]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendDr William Cullen (Professor Cullen)
[PERS ID:332]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMrs Sophia Dunbar (Mrs Dunbar of Grange and Burgie House)
[PERS ID:916]Patient's Relative / Spouse / FriendMr Alexander Campbell
[PERS ID:918]OtherMrs Grant
[PERS ID:920]OtherMr Boswell

Places linked to this document

Role in document Specific Place Settlements / Areas Region Country Global Region Confidence
Place of Writing Belnies Banchory East Highlands Scotland Europe certain
Destination of Letter Edinburgh Edinburgh and East Scotland Europe inferred
Mentioned / Other Inverness North Highlands Scotland Europe certain

Normalized Text

[Page 1]
My Dear Brother
Belnies 3d May 1771


I received yours by the saturday's post
covering Doctor Cullens oppinion & emediately sent
for Doctor Alves who came here on Munday to put
on the Issue on my dear boys head & begin the
medicine prescribed, which has been carefully
continued since tuesday morning & all the other
prescriptions pointedly observed except the ride¬
ing which the coldness of the weather with the
childs head being new sheaved made us affraid to
venture till this day that it seems to be a
little more mild & we are to try it, ------


the medicine order'd by Doctor Cullen
has hitherto proved more a diuretick then a
purgative but I hope it may have the intended
effect when it is a little longer used but it
has yet only occasion'd one motion & that the
third day after it was begun, it was given exactly
in the manner derected Doctor Alves himself gave
the first two days begining with two spoonfulls the



[Page 2]

first day the second three & these two days last
four & he shall continue to encrease or deminish
the dose according to the effect of it, but it
creates a most extraordinary thirst in the
mornings which is very uneasy to the child
thus you ↑see↑ all Doctor Cullens prescriptions have
been carefully follow'd but I'm sorrie to tell
you that their is yet no appearance of any
change to the better, surely I don't expect when
a disorder has been of such a long standing
that medicines can work like a charm or
remove it all at once but it wou'd make me
happie if I can'd see the least sign that in
the smallest degree any of the symptoms of his
trouble had got a turn but alas! I don't yet
percieve it god grant how soon I may ---


The reachings are considerably increasing
dayly for he will now have about thirty or
near it in a day & the evenings that used to be
his greatest relief are not now without them either
& the costiveness is still the same so that upon the
whole I may say he is rather worse then when I sent
for the consultation. I wish you wou'd let Doctor Cullen



[Page 3]

know of the quack that was employ'd & the medicine
he gave as I don't want any thing shu'd be conceal'd
from the physician who has the care of my child so
I think it's best to tell him the whole story, & if it
were possible to get notice from Mr. Boswell what
age he was when he had the ailment that occasiond
his geting that medicin, how long his complaint had
continued before he got it, what were the symptoms
he felt, how he got the medicin & if he was perfect¬
ly cured by it, these things I wou'd be glad to know
if you can possibly find them out as the young
gentlemans case I shu'd think wou'd be mor {illeg}
el to Lewies then Mrs. Grants tho hers may {illeg} 1
resemble it, -- I need not now trouble you with a
longer letter as Doctor Alves shall write to Doctor
Cullen at the time he desires & I shall take
care that he be properly inform'd from time to
time of my dear boys case which I hope the
good man will give due attention to as he has
the whole charge of him for it seems you thought
it unnecessary to employ any other, -- I have nothing
farther to add but to beg you'll come north as
soon as you possibly can for your presence &
advice at home is of much greater service to us
here then your staying there & I was sorrie
you did it a moment longer then you got -
Doctor Cullens oppinion as a correspondance now
with him is of more consequence then anything else.


[Page 4]

so we will certainly expect you home next week
might you ask D: Cullen if blodding Lewie wou'd be
safe or proper I want much to know --

the kind love & best wishes of all here attends
you & I ever am Dear Br. most affectionately yours
Sophia Dunbar


To
Alexr. Campbell Esqr. ---
Sherriff of Inverness to be Left
at the Exchange Coffee House
Edinburgh

Notes:

1: Missing word is probably "not".

Diplomatic Text

[Page 1]
My Dear Brother
Belnies 3d May 1771


I recd. yours by the saturday's post
covering Doctor Cullens oppinion & emediately sent
for Doctor Alves who came here on Munday to put
on the Issue on my dear boys head & begin the
medicine prescribed, which has been carefully
continued since tuesday morning & all the other
prescriptions pointedly observed except the ride¬
ing which the coldness of the weather with the
childs head being new sheaved made us affraid to
venture till this day that it seems to be a
little more mild & we are to try it, ------


the medicine order'd by Doctor Cullen
has hitherto proved more a diuretick then a
purgative but I hope it may have the intended
effect when it is a little longer used but it
has yet only occasion'd one motion & that the
third day after it was begun, it was given exactly
in the manner derected Doctor Alves himself gave
the first two days begining with two spoonfulls the



[Page 2]

first day the second three & these two days last
four & he shall continue to encrease or deminish
the dose according to the effect of it, but it
creates a most extraordinary thirst in the
mornings which is very uneasy to the child
thus you ↑see↑ all Doctor Cullens prescriptions have
been carefully follow'd but I'm sorrie to tell
you that their is yet no appearance of any
change to the better, surely I don't expect when
a disorder has been of such a long standing
that medicines can work like a charm or
remove it all at once but it wou'd make me
happie if I can'd see the least sign that in
the smallest degree any of the symptoms of his
trouble had got a turn but alas! I don't yet
percieve it god grant how soon I may ---


The reachings are considerably increasing
dayly for he will now have about thirty or
near it in a day & the evenings that used to be
his greatest relief are not now without them either
& the costiveness is still the same so that upon the
whole I may say he is rather worse then when I sent
for the consultation. I wish you wou'd let Doctor Cullen



[Page 3]

know of the quack that was employ'd & the medicine
he gave as I don't want any thing shu'd be conceal'd
from the physician who has the care of my child so
I think it's best to tell him the whole story, & if it
were possible to get notice from Mr. Boswell what
age he was when he had the ailment that occasiond
his geting that medicin, how long his complaint had
continued before he got it, what were the symptoms
he felt, how he got the medicin & if he was perfect¬
ly cured by it, these things I wou'd be glad to know
if you can possibly find them out as the young
gentlemans case I shu'd think wou'd be mor {illeg}
el to Lewies then Mrs. Grants tho hers may {illeg} 1
resemble it, -- I need not now trouble you with a
longer letter as Doctor Alves shall write to Doctor
Cullen at the time he desires & I shall take
care that he be properly inform'd from time to
time of my dear boys case which I hope the
good man will give due attention to as he has
the whole charge of him for it seems you thought
it unnecessary to employ any other, -- I have nothing
farther to add but to beg you'll come north as
soon as you possibly can for your presence &
advice at home is of much greater service to us
here then your staying there & I was sorrie
you did it a moment longer then you got -
Doctor Cullens oppinion as a correspondance now
with him is of more consequence then anything else.


[Page 4]

so we will certainly expect you home next week
might you ask D: Cullen if blodding Lewie wou'd be
safe or proper I want much to know --

the kind love & best wishes of all here attends
you & I ever am Dear Br. most affectly yours
Sophia Dunbar


To
Alexr. Campbell Esqr. ---
Sherriff of Inverness to be Left
at the Exchange Coffee House
Edinburgh

Notes:

1: Missing word is probably "not".

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