Letter 0168

Patient Details

• Patient info
  Name: Mr. Campbell
  Gender:
  Age:63 years
• Description

  Mr Campbell had indulged his palate and rarely exercised as his business was very sedentary. However, he was temperate in his drinking habits. After a difficult water journey from Dublin to London (mainly across the water) he began to have trouble urinating. His urine smelled foul and sometimes he voided slime. His urine was also sometimes hot and burning. It hurt to sit on horseback or in a chair. He also had pain and blockages in his bladder. Eventually the symptoms subsided but returned in two years. He consulted with Dr Cuming and Dr Smith. He also suffered from distemper. The slime returned and his urine was thick and muddy. He got some relief from using the catheter. His complexion was muddy, yellowish and his tongue was foul and dry. His legs were swelled and sore. His pulse was quick and he tended to sweat in the morning. And his urine was foul and turbid, gray, ropy and tough and streaks of blood. It hurt to urinate.

• Diagnosis
• Treatment
  Previous Treatment:

  Campbell ordered an unknown prescription from the King's Apothecary. Sloane had also prescribed some medicine but Campbell failed to take it. In 1685 he contracted the clap which caused him to have trouble urinating for some time after.

  
  Ongoing Treatment:

  To relieve the blockage in his bladder and relieve his symptoms the above three doctors undertook a regimen of care. They bled him and then purged him with 'Cammomel Sexies Sublimal: et pulveral:' and then again with just Cammomel. He is also drinking ass's milk in the morning and before bed. They tried German spa waters and 'balsalm capivi' but it did not pass well so they switched to Permont waters. He was also drinking almond milk made with either Bristol water or syrup of Delthea. They wanted to give him 'tincture of Cantharides Aethiop Mineralis' -- a defensive healing injection but Campbell has an aversion to drugs of all kinds. Sloane's prescription: Elect. cum. lache asinmo. Laq Bristol haugh cathart. pro ne nda. haught. hysrist. pro re nalc.

  
  Response:

  The treatment has made some differences. His tongue was clean and his pulse quieter. His legs were no longer swollen. He has less pain during urination. The slime had also lessened and his appetite and digestion were very good. At night he slept about an hour and fifteen minutes before he had to get up to urinate, which exhausted him. Mr. William Hamilton, Campbell's surgeon was brought in to look at the urine

• More information
• Medical problem reference
  Venereal complaints, Urinary, Age, Pain