| Administrative History | William Cullen was born on 15 April 1710 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. His father was an advocate and agent for the Duke of Hamilton.
He was educated at the local grammar school then attended the University of Glasgow in 1726 where he studied arts. His medical education began when he was briefly apprenticed to a surgeon apothecary called John Paisley. He then moved to London where he became surgeon upon a ship trading between London and the West Indies. He served as assistant apothecary to a Mr Murray in London from 1730 to 1732 before returning to Scotland and setting up as a general practitioner in Shotts, Lanarkshire. During this period, he continued to study, attending the winter sessions at the University of Edinburgh from 1734 to 1736.
In 1736, he moved his practice to Hamilton where the Duke of Hamilton became both patron and patient. Cullen also treated many of the other local gentry. The following year, he gained William Hunter (1718-1783) as a pupil and they did consider going into practice together but this fell through.
In order to practice solely as a physician, he gained his M.D. from the University of Glasgow in 1740. The following year, he married Anna Johnstone, daughter of the minister of Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire, with whom he had seven sons and four daughters.
He moved his practice to Glasgow in 1744 in the hope of both making more money and gaining some teaching experience. He did not achieve the former but by 1746 he was offering lectures on the theory and practice of medicine. The following year, he added lectures on materia medica, botany and chemistry. Joseph Black (1728-1799) was one of his students.
In 1751, he was appointed professor of medicine at the University of Glasgow. He held that post for four years before being invited to share the chair of chemistry at the University of Edinburgh with Andrew Plummer (1697 - 1756) who had had a stroke and was unable to lecture. In 1756, he became the sole occupant of the chair when Plummer died. The following year he began to give clinical lectures at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1766 he was appointed to the chair of the theory of medicine.
Following the death of John Gregory (1724-1773) in 1773, he was appointed to the prestigious chair of the practice of medicine, a post he held until his resignation in 1789. He died on 5 February 1790.
He was renowned for his physiological approach to disease and he emphasised the importance of system in both medicine and science generally. He introduced the term 'neurosis' into medicine, by which he meant any disorder which had no local disease. He was at the forefront of the 18th century thought that the nervous system had a primary role in producing disease and the symptoms of disease.
His publications included 'Synopsis Nosologiae Methodicae' (1769), 'Institutes of Medicine, part one: Physiology' (1772) and 'First Lines of the Practice of Physic' (1777 - 1784).
James Gregory (1753 - 1821) studied medicine in Edinburgh under William Cullen, Alexander Monro secundus, Joseph Black, John Hope, and his father, John Gregory (1724 - 1773) between 1767 and 1774.
His son, James Craufurd Gregory (1801 - 1832) published an edition of Cullen's 'First Lines' ('First Lines of the Practice of Physic: with an appendix; commenced by the late William Cullen, M.D., continued and completed by James Crawford Gregory, M.D.' (Edinburgh, Bell & Bradfute, 1829). |
| Description | Clinical lectures given at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (ERI) by William Cullen taken down by James Gregory.
There are two sets of lecture notes, one dating from 28 November 1772 to post-21 April 1773 (40 lectures) and the second dating from 28 November 1773 to 18 February 1774 (22 lectures).
Lecture series one:
Difficulty in distinguishing diseases (lecture 1, page 1)
Skin Disease - Ann Jackson (lecture 2, page 3)
Vomiting of Blood - Elizabeth Ramsay (lecture 2, page 18 and also lecture 15/16, page 191)
Jaundice - Margaret Bain (lecture 2-3, page 22)
Fever - Margaret Blair (lecture 3, page 28)
Lepra or Ichthyosis - Amelia Fair (lecture 3, page 31)
Rheumatism of Knee - Janet Stewart (lecture 3, page 33 )
Rheumatism of Hip - Isabel Waters (lecture 3/4, page 37)
Fever - Janet Crookshanks (lecture 4, page 39)
Catarrh and Fever - Christian Ross (lecture 4, page 40)
Rheumatism - Isabel Donaldson (lecture 4, page 41)
Fever - Christian Don (lecture 4, page 43)
A variety of violent symptoms including affectations of urinary passages, alimentary canal and colon - Margaret Bain (lecture 4, page 44)
Nephritic disease and Lumbago - Andrew Moffat (lecture 5, page 47)
Chronic Rheumatism - Alexander Sutherland (lecture 5, page 48 and lectures 28 - 30)
Catarrh and Lumbago - John Beaton (lecture 5, page 50)
Patient long accustomed to linger in hospitals but nothing wrong with him - Thomas Williamson (lecture 4, page 50)
Pectoral Disease and Jaundice - James Burns (lecture 4, page 50)
Tumour lodged internally above diaphragm - Alexander Huchan (lecture 5, page 53)
Catarrhal Disease and Erisipelatous - William McKay (lecture 5/6, page 54 and lecture 18)
Smallpox -Child of William McKay (lecture 6, page 55)
Intermittent Fever and Hydropic Diathesis - Alexander Black (lecture 6, page 57)
Smallpox - Archibald Alison (lecture 6, page 58)
Dysenteric condition not linked to contagion - Alexander Nicol (lecture 6, page 61)
Dysentery - Niel Gordon (lecture 6, page 65)
"A Spasmodic Case"/Aura Epileptica - John McFarlane (lecture 7, page 68)
"Anguish Fits"/Catarrh with a little fever - Matthew Oliphant (lecture 7, page 80)
Phythiscal symptoms - John Crookshanks (lecture 8/9, page 81, lecture 18 and lecture 25)
Anasarca - William Bruce (lecture 9, page 101)
Epilepsy - Andrew McPherson (lecture 9, page 103)
Fever - David Panton (lecture 10/11, page 110)
Fever - Janet Sutherland (lecture 11, page 131)
Rheumatism - Elizabeth Sutherland (lecture 11, page 134 and lecture 27)
Nervous Fever (lecture 11, page 136)
Fever - Janet Williamson (lecture 13, page 147)
Inflammatory fever - Ann Ross (lecture 13, page 156)
Fever - William McFarlane (lecture 13, page 159)
Fever - James Imrie(lecture 13, page 161)
Synochus - Catherine McFarlane (lecture 13, page 163)
Critical days in a fever (lecture 14, page 164)
Fever - Christian Don (lecture 14, page 176)
Fever - Margaret Blair (lecture 14, page 178)
Fever - David Panton (lecture 14, page 179)
Catarrhal Fever - Isobel Baird (lecture 15, page 184)
Synochus and a Catarrh - Janet Sutherland (lecture 15, page 186)
Suppression of urine and faeces - Margaret Bain junior (lecture 16)
Catarrhal Fever - Isobel Barclay (lecture 16)
Dysentery or Diarrhoea - Alexander Nicol (lecture 17)
Phythisis - William Boyd (lecture 18)
Phythisis - Duncan MacDonald (lecture 18)
Anguish fits and possible fever - John Cochran (lecture 19)
Jaundice - Robert Baxter(lecture 19)
Dyspepsia, Eructation and Vomiting - John Watt (lecture 20/21)
Hydropic Diatheses - James Millar (lecture 22/23)
Hydrothorax - Margaret Mills (lecture 23)
Nephritic Condition - Isobel Barclay (lecture 24)
Headache which appears rheumatic - George Hume (lecture 25)
Acute Rheumatism - John Sutherland (lecture 26)
Acute Rheumatism - Ann Allison (lecture 27)
Rheumatism - Janet Cameron (lecture 27)
Rheumatism - Jean Smith (lecture 27)
Remedies for Chronic Rheumatism including gum gujac and mercury (lecture 31)
Sciatic condition - Colin Reid (lecture 32)
Sciatic condition -William Lothian (lecture 32)
Acute Rheumatism without inflammatory fever - Jane Webster (lecture 32)
Fever - Hugh Ker (lecture 33)
Fever and Phythisis - David Watson (lecture 33/34)
Fever - John Nicholson (lecture 34)
Fever - Archibald McCall (lecture 34)
Fever - Donald Bain
Fever - William Bain
Fever - Catherine McFarlane
Fever - Elizabeth Weir
Fever - Janet Bain
Fever - Ann Corbett (lecture 35)
Nervous Fever - John Angely
Fever - John Mason (lecture 36)
Fever - Robert Bain
Catarrhal Fever and Rheumatism - Grizel Cockburn
Blood in lungs - Colin Reid (lecture 37)
Fever - Alexis Hutton
Catarrhal Affection - Agnes Johnston
Fever - Helen Norman
Salivation and bad taste in mouth, treated as for Fever - Janet McFie (lecture 38)
Catarrhal Fever - Mary Taylor
Measles - Catherine Henderson
Eye Inflammation - Catherine Campbell junior
Palsy - Janet Grieve (lecture 39)
Overabundant Menstruation and Fluor Albans - Isobel Reid
Cutaneous Affection - Thomas Stout
Alimentary Canal Disorder - John Marshall (lecture 40)
Jaundice - Donald Grant
Contusion in Kidney Area - Robert Glen
Erysipelas and Inflammation of Mouth - Robert Oliphant
Lecture Series Two:
Difficulty in distinguishing diseases (lecture 1)
Skin Disease - Ann Jackson (lecture 2)
Vomiting of Blood - Elizabeth Ramsay (lecture 2)
Jaundice - Margaret Bain (lecture 2-3)
Fever - Margaret Blair (lecture 3)
Lepra or Ichthyosis - Amelia Fair (lecture 3)
Rheumatism of Knee - Janet Stewart (lecture 3)
Rheumatism of Hip - Isabel Waters (lecture 3/4)
Fever - Janet Crookshanks (lecture 4)
Catarrh and Fever - Christian Ross (lecture 4)
Rheumatism - Isabel Donaldson (lecture 4)
Fever - Christian Don (lecture 4)
A variety of violent symptoms including affectations of urinary passages, alimentary canal and colon - Margaret Bain (lecture 4)
Nephritic disease and Lumbago - Andrew Moffat (lecture 5)
Chronic Rheumatism - Alexander Sutherland (lecture 5)
Catarrh and Lumbago - John Beaton (lecture 5)
Pectoral Disease and Jaundice - James Burns (lecture 4)
Tumour lodged internally above diaphragm - Alexander Huchan (lecture 5)
Catarrhal Disease and Erisipelatous - William McKay (lecture 5/6)
Smallpox -Child of William McKay (lecture 6)
Intermittent Fever and Hydropic Diathesis - Alexander Black (lecture 6)
Smallpox - Archibald Alison (lecture 6)
Dysenteric condition not linked to contagion - Alexander Nicol (lecture 6)
Dysentery - Niel Gordon (lecture 6)
Intermittent Fever - Jean Grant (lecture 7)
Inflammatory Fever and Diarrhoea (lecture 7)
Inflammatory Fever and Diarrhoea (lecture 8)
Inflammatory Fever, Diarrhoea and Rheumatic affection - Margaret McKay (lecture 8)
Acute Rheumatism - Christian CHECK LAST NAME! (lecture 8/9)
Acute Rheumatism - Elizabeth MacPherson (lecture 9)
Fever with Rheumatism and Catarrh - Jean Lindsay (lecture 9)
Fever with Rheumatism and Catarrh - Katherine Cameron (lecture 9)
Ascites - Elizabeth Clarke (lecture 10)
Inflammatory Fever with Difficulty Breathing - Ann Monro (lecture 11)
Possible Croup - John MacDonald, aged 45 (lecture 12)
Fever - William Schaw (lecture 12)
Catarrh with very little Fever - Allan Lawrie (lecture 12)
Catarrh with Chronic Rheumatism - Antony Cotner (lecture 12)
Possible Chronic Rheumatism - John Toy (lecture 12)
Suspected feigned disease - Donald McDonald (lecture 12)
Catarrh or the beginning of Phythisis - John Sutherland (lecture 13)
Phythisis Pulmonalis - Donald Murray (lecture 14)
Possible Phythsisis - Peter Anderson (lecture 14)
Opthalmia - John Daws (lecture 14)
Synocha - Dougal Ross (lecture 15)
Catarrhal Fever - Charles Gun (lecture 15)
Fever of Cold - Andrew Forema (lecture 15)
Inconsistent Pleuritic Symptoms - Allan MacDonald (lecture 15)
Epidemic Synocha - Hugh McLean (lecture 15/16)
Fever which was unusual and challenged long held ideas - Daniel Sutherland (lecture 16)
Fever which was unusual and challenged long held ideas - William Johnston (lecture 17)
Fever - David [Holly] (lecture 17)
Difficulty Breathing - Peter Collville (lecture 17)
Dropsy - John Turnbull (lecture 18)
Hysteria - John Craig (lecture 19)
Dropsy - Robert Jamieson (lecture 19)
Erysipelatous Fever with Vomiting and Ulcer of the leg - Andrew Grey (lecture 20)
Worms - Richard Forbes (lecture 20)
Fever (acquired in Cambridge Fens) - William Farquhar (lecture 21)
Fever - George Blair (lecture 21)
Quartan Fever (acquired in Norfolk) - Angus McDonald (lecture 21)
Catarrhal Fever - Hugh McGrew (lecture 21)
Fever - Daniel Cameron (lecture 21)
Fever - Samuel CHECK LAST NAME (lecture 21)
Peripneumonia Fever - John Park (lecture 22)
Catarrhal Fever - Abraham Coleman (lecture 22)
Fever - John Lordale (lecture 22)
Fever - John Tom (lecture 22)
Simple Synocha - Richard Cocking (lecture 22)
Fever - Donald McLeod (lecture 22)
Synochus - Alexander McKenzie (lecture 22)
Cough and Dys…… - Ann Aird (lecture 22)
Opthalmia - Mary McPherson (lecture 22)
Feigned Disease - Jean McKay (lecture 22)
Fever of Cold - Jean Boston (lecture 22)
Fever of Cold - Betty Brown (lecture 22)
Chronic Rheumatism - Ann Urquhart (lecture 22)
Acute Rheumatism - Elizabeth Small (lecture 22)
Catarrhal Fever - Helen Lauder. |