[Page 1]
To Mr Francis Gordon. Perth

I was sorry that I could not send your advice with
the others sent under Mr Murrays cover on Wednesday
but it was impossible for me & I hope the delay will be of
no consequence. I have considered the case very att¬
tentively & I think it consists entirely in a weakness
of the Stomach which perhaps depends in some measure
on your original constitution but has been increased by
accidents particularly the drench you suffered here in
Edinburgh. However that may be I don’t doubt but your complaints
may be relieved. Your Stomach may perhaps never be so
strong as other peoples but the bad effects of its weakness
may for the most part be obviated by a proper regimen.

In the first place you must study your diet & observe the
effects that you may by these regulate your after condition but
observe that single instances of one effect give no certain
conclusion & it is only repeated observant that can direct
you. I say all this because every stomach has its pecu¬
liarities only to be learned by observation but in
the mean time I can give some general rules. The first is
that the stomach ought always to be kept light withrespect
to quantity & particularly with respect to animal food. Every day at
dinner you should take something of this kind either
fish or flesh but the lightest one to be preferred & in every
kind moderation to be observed. If your stomach bears it
a plain broth without roots or greens is very proper to
save your taking too much meat. At this season when Garden
things are young & tender you may take Pease & Turnip
& Collyflower along with your meat but you must take of them mode¬

---

[Page 2]

rately & all raw cold or windy things you should entirely
abstain from as Lettuce, Cucumber, Cabbage In Winter Potatoes
of a dry mealy kind are safer than any other sort. Pudding
Pancake a great deal of well leavened bread or every thing
made of grain is very proper for you. If your stomach digests
milk it will always be a proper part of your diet. Butter you
may take moderately but a all baked or fryed meats are
improper Cheese you may also take but sparingly. Your
supper may be an Egg if there is nothing particular in your
stomach with regard to them. You must not taste either
Tea or Coffee & at breakfast you must take milk
gruel or Cocoa Tea. With these attentions in diet you will
avoid in a great measure your complaints but at the same time it is
necessary that you should avoid sitting long at business that
you should be often in the fresh Air, take frequent gentle
exercise & be as often as you can on horseback. As
matters stand with you at present I think you should
for 2 or 3 weeks take the powders ordered below & after every dose
you should drink a glass of Hartfell Spaw & at other times
also you should take a glass of this so as to drink about
a mutchkin of it every day. If this water is not
to be had at Perth you may soon get it from hence
I take the state of your Belly to be uncertain sometimes bound
& sometimes loose, both states improper for you but the
first the most hurtfull & therefore to be obviated by a dose
of magnesia now & then as occasion may require
as Dr Wood shall direct & to him you may commu¬
nicate the whole of this paper as it will be proper to allow
his discretion to adapt matters exactly as particular circumstances
may require –