Critical Edition: Cullen's First Lines of the Practice of Physic

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A comprehensive hybrid (print and digital) critical edition of William Cullen's First Lines of the Practice of Physic (1776-1784), the most influential medical textbook of the late eighteenth century.

About First Lines of the Practice of Physic

William Cullen's First Lines was the defining textbook of systematic medicine for nearly half a century. First published in four volumes between 1777 and 1784, it went through numerous editions, translations, and abridgments, shaping medical education from Edinburgh to Philadelphia to Calcutta.

Translations and editions:

English editions: 1776-1827 (numerous)
Latin translation: 1777-1784
French translation: 1785-1789
German translation: 1778-1784
Italian translation: 1793-1796
Spanish translation: 1791-1794

Why a New Critical Edition?

No modern scholarly edition exists. Previous editions:

18th-century printings full of errors and variations
19th-century reprints lack critical apparatus
No systematic collation of editions
No comprehensive annotation explaining Cullen's sources
No index of diseases and treatments adequate for modern research

This edition addresses all of these gaps.

Edition Features

Print Edition

Complete text from the 4-voume fourth edition (1784), with:

Critical introduction (80-100 pages)
Textual apparatus showing significant variants across editions
Explanatory annotations identifying Cullen's sources
Biographical notes on referenced physicians and authors
Glossary of medical terms
Bibliography of works cited by Cullen
Comprehensive index of diseases, symptoms, and treatments

Appendices:

Cullen's prefatory materials from all editions
Contemporary reviews
Student responses and critiques
Reception history through 1840

Digital Edition

Enhanced online platform providing:

1. Multiple Reading Modes

Clean reading text (HTML)
Diplomatic transcription showing original pagination
Side-by-side comparison of editions
Searchable full text

2. Interactive Annotations

Pop-up glossary definitions
Biographical information on click
Links to referenced works (where digitized)
Modern medical commentary (optional layer)

3. Advanced Search & Discovery

Search by disease, symptom, treatment
Filter by nosological class
Find all references to specific authors or works
Cross-reference with Cullen's other writings

4. Comparison Tools

Compare English editions (1777 vs. 1784 vs. 1796 etc.)
Compare with contemporary textbooks (Boerhaave, etc.)
Track changes across translations
Identify additions and deletions

5. Citation Network

Visual network of Cullen's sources
Authors cited most frequently
Trace influence of specific works
Chronological citation analysis

6. Data Export

Download annotations as CSV
Export bibliography in multiple formats
Generate custom reading lists
API access for computational analysis

Cullen's Medical System

First Lines presented Cullen's systematic approach to medicine:

Nosology: Disease classification based on symptoms Four classes:

Pyrexiae (fevers)
Neuroses (nervous diseases)
Cachexiae (systemic diseases)
Locales (local diseases)

Theoretical foundations:

Nervous system as seat of many diseases
Spasm and atony as fundamental pathological states
Moderate stimulation as therapeutic principle
Emphasis on clinical observation over theory

Reception and Influence

First Lines shaped medical thinking for decades:

In Britain:

Standard textbook at Edinburgh and other medical schools
Influenced generations of practitioners
Cited in legal/medical disputes

In America:

Benjamin Rush taught from it at Pennsylvania
Basis for American medical textbooks
Standard reference through 1820s

On the Continent:

Widely translated and adapted
Discussed in medical journals
Influenced European nosological systems

Related Resources

Cullen's other major works:

Synopsis Nosologiae Methodicae (1769) - disease classification
Materia Medica (2 vols., 1789) - pharmacology
Institutions of Medicine (1772) - physiology
Lecture notes and manuscripts (Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh)

Contemporary medical textbooks:

Boerhaave, Herman. Institutiones Medicae (1708)
Hoffmann, Friedrich. Medicina Rationalis Systematica (1718-1740)

Technical Details

Print edition specifications:

4 volumes, approx. 2,000 pages total
Critical apparatus at foot of page
Explanatory notes in endnotes
Publisher: [Under discussion]
Target publication: 2027-2028

Digital edition:

Open access (Creative Commons license)
Sustainable, standards-compliant (TEI XML)
Accessible (WCAG 2.1 AA compliance)
Long-term preservation (deposited in institutional repository)

Research Applications

This edition enables:

Precise citation of Cullen's text
Tracking evolution of his medical thought
Identifying his intellectual sources systematically
Comparing with contemporary medical works
Teaching history of medicine
Computational analysis of medical terminology

Project Status

Current progress:

✅ All editions located and digitized
✅ Collation methodology established
⏳ Textual apparatus preparation
⏳ Annotation in progress (Volume 1)
⏳ Seeking publisher for print edition
⏳ Digital platform development

Target publication:

Print edition: 2029-2030 (if accepted by a publisher)
Digital edition: 2027 (rolling publication by volume)

How to Cite (When Published)

Print: Cullen, William. First Lines of the Practice of Physic. Edited by [Editor Name]. 4 vols. [Publisher], 2027-2028.

Digital: Cullen, William. First Lines of the Practice of Physic. Digital critical edition. Edited by [Editor Name]. [URL], 2027.