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1½ oz
2N

Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh

✍

Miss Dunlop
October 1786
V XVIII p.291

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I sit down to write you with that an¬
guish of mind, that I dread the power of be¬
ing distinct, but it I hope in God my anx¬
iety to inform you will enable me to Collect
my self - My Mother was at Edinburgh
with Lady Wallace, when an Aunt of ours
Glasgow being very ill, She came West
to see her, I was at the time in Galloway
and none of the Family here, on my Mother's
coming to Glasgow She found my Aunt
so very will, as to agitate and distress her
much, and her self far form well, She
determin'd to come here for a few days
till She got better, and gave some necessary
directions, and then to return to Edinburgh,
but the night before leaving Glasgow
She was siezed with a very severe Colic

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and after it went off Stomach sickness, that
confined her to bed, but getting easier in
the forenoon, and from my Aunts illness
being distress'd to be confined there, She got
up and came here in the evening, the
House keeper with her, who informs me
my Mother continued sick and Feverish,
She came home on the 4th September, every¬
thing She attempted to eat was disagree¬
able, She could not swallow it, She Sleept
very ↑little↑ was continually costive, her water
excessively thick and high colour'd, the
Weather was very bad and her anxiety
to hear of Mrs Vans and her family who
had Sail'd for Bourdeaux was extreme, so
her spirits very weak, She used to think
it hurt, her so never ↑for many years↑ Drunk any think
stronger than Small Beer, but that
day eight ↑days↑ after She came home some¬

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one being with her, She Drunk two Glass
of Port, and immediately felt her self ea¬
sier, and express'd her confidence her ill¬
ness was a Peutrid Fever, caused [scalled?] a
little more wine on [spiriries?] and Drunk
it, that night the Servants observed my Mother
wander in what she said, and very restless
next day She was worse, and would taste
nothing but the Wine, which She drunk
to the length of a Bottle through the
day, She had wrote for Mr Moore, he
came here on the 14th, from the day
before my Mother had a faltering in her
Tongue, so that many words She could not
pronounce, all this While The House
Mr Moore left the recepies and directions
I inclose, all this While the House-
keeper dayly expecting a change, never
sent to me, or wrote me till the 15th

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when I got here, I found her Pale and reduced
her ideas absolutely deranged, scarce ever
siting still five minutes, I sent for Mr
Moore instantly, I inclose a letter I had
from him, I then entreated I suppli¬
cated her to take the Draught, but in Vain,
as my Mother ever had the most affectionate
friendship for Mr Moore I sent again,
imploring him to come to me, I inclosed
a second letter grom him, just as I
got it my two Brothers came home than
we all tried to prevail with her but it
was impossible, I then gave the Calamel
for during all this while the costivness con¬
tinued and her Water in the same situa¬
tion, 14 hours after it had no effect, I
put 20 grains of Jallop into a little Hot
Port and Water, She was in Bed and drow¬
zy, so Drunk it unperceiv'd, it wrought

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rather severely, after taking the Calamel
my Mother was for about an hour excessive¬
ly sick and a Violent Colic, tho it had no
other effect, since the Jallop She pass'd
a little Blood but very little, She took
the Mustard seed yesterday but immagined
it made her Sick, and is averse to it to day
it, She wish'd to take her self, yesterday
we thought her calmer, She rested better
in the night than since her illness, but to
day is more restless than for two days past,
speaks constantly and her imagination
marking again as strongly her illness --
at first She sent for a Crowd of Work Men
had great part of the House new Painted
and plan'd continually changes, on my
return'd I dismiss'd them saying their
materials requir'd a supply, they would
return as soon as they procured that,

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but She never forgets one ideal improvement
and how ever we may endeavour to amuse
her mind, and lead it to other objects, still
these return to shew the extreme disorder
of her ideas. Her memory is minutely dis¬
tinct both to past, and present occurrences.
her spirits always chierful, and no disposition
either to suspicion, or discontent, She now
will some times read, and some times for a
little talk perfectly rationally, but still nei¬
ther of these effect her feellings at all, She
sees me looks ill, always says She sees
me dying but let me assure her never so strong¬
ly that I am in perfect health, it never alters
her opinion, nor does that opinion give her
one moments uneasiness, which God knows
shows the state of her mind, for several
days the flattering in her speaking is
quite gone, and a tremor that was constant¬
ly in her hand much better -- But I

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believe it proper to mention ever since I
remember, my Mother was subject to severe
headachs, that often occation'd bursts of Cry¬
ing, during my Fathers long illness her
fatigue and attendance was constant, and
She was siezed soon after he was first ill
with a Beelling in her Ears, it return'd
frequently, occation'd much pain andconfu¬
tion in her head, at last occation'd a very
great degree of Deafness, after my Fathers
Death My Mothers Spirits appear'd deeply
affected, and from a disposition to be con¬
stantly engaged, either with some little
work, or a Book, She could amuse or
employ herself in nothing, not hearing
the conversation of those around her
greatly added to the depression of her spi¬
rits, and at this time I often observed
her fore head swell'd, this circumstance I

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know She consulted some Physical people
upon, and took medecines in consequence
of their advice, the Beelling in her Ears
was follow'd by a swelling on them and
the appearance of a scurbutic complain
She was advised for the deafness to sirenge her Ears
night and morningwith warm milk and Water,
She began it, it entirely removed the deafness
She continues it constantly, and at present every
complaint seems quite to have left her Ears
Possibly I have my Dear Sir troubled you with
many unnecessary circumstances, but I had
no guess of what would be of consequence for
you to know, and am fully persuaded I will
meet your indulgence for any trouble of
that kind, I have told my Brother my extreme
anxiety to apply to you, and he joins me
in entreating if it can be any means as¬
sist Your judgement of my Mothers situation
that you would have the goodness to come

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out as soon as You find it in Your power,
I know you would at least say to me what
was my Mothers situation, and what I had to
expect, and I would (↑will↑) have had the only opinion
on Earth Satisfying to my self, my God what
I have endured since the 15th and now I [reproach?]
my self I did not write to you at first, but
my Mothers friendship for Dr Moore determined
me, but while I feell my own confidence
in Doctor Cullen I earnestly pray Heaven for
the preservation of a life, that I so often re¬
flect on as a blessing bestow'd on mankind
and am with every sentiment of regard
and gratitude Dear Sir