[Page 1]

I arrived in this port yesterday Morning after
a tolerable good passage of five weeks, I often
despaired of being ever able to reach this
port alive, nor do I find myself anything better
since my arrival, Its true, I can walk about
the Town, & eat a little, but then every Evening
particularly, I am ready to die every Instant,
the Wind is so powerfull in my stomach, &
when I can't bring it up, it suffocates me, & am
panting for Breath, & in danger of expiring
momently, it would be idle in me to describe to you
how my Head is affected, after telling you, the
Operations of the Wind otherwise, & my stomach
& Bowels are now become so weak as to be scarce
able to expel the Wind with the assistance of the
strongest aromaticks, such as Ginger, Essence
of Peppermint &c. I do suppose that my being
worse in the Evening & night is owing to the

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Weakness of the digestive Powers after my Dinner
& during the Time of Digestion, upon the whole
I am in a Deplorable situation, quite Emaciated
& changed – The Phisitians abroad are of Opinion,
that my Disorder is nervous, owing to an
over sensibility of the nerves, & this attended
with a Relaxation at same Time, they may
be right, as my Mind has suffered much
of late – it has encreased my Disorder, & I
must not forget to tell you that it first came
upon me last January or February 12 Months, with the
Loss of my Ideas & Memory (tho' not of my Reason)
for about half an Hour, & had a Return of the
same for much the same Period, last October
& was often in Danger of an attack of it at
different Times, & frequently ready to tumble
down; my Head being much affected always,
more or less like a Dizyness or Meagrim, in
short, beyond Description, how'eer I am
resolved to take no Medicines, having already
in the West Indies tryed almost all nervous
Medicines, Tonics, Bitters, & the cold Bath &c. to

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no manner of purpose, If this Climate with the
waters of Bristol, Bath or Spaw &c. & wih a proper
Regimen won't relieve me, I shall go no
farther, suppose you consult your ablest
Physician in your City upon it, all right,
I have not as yet applied to any Gentleman of the
Faculty here, nor do I believe there is any
man of Eminence in this City –

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✍
Mr Shiell's Case
June 22d 1776
Vol. Vth p.96

23.2
16.1.8
39"3"8

125"7
27"4
98"13 - July
244"6"8
125"17":
118"9"8
39"3"8
79"6": - Aug