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Doctor Monroe & I have visited Mrs Hodge¬
son & carefully examined the tumour in her breast. We are
of opinion that it is such a tumour as may continue long
without giving her any trouble but at the same time
we cannot positively promise upon that as we know
well that such tumours tho' at first indolent become
[afterwards?] violently painful & [formerly?] cancerogenous. If we may
trust to Mrs Hodgeson's report of her feelings & that she has
already felt pains in the tumour & had shooting into the axilla
& that there is already formed a small tumour in the axilla.
we cannot be clear in making a favourable prog¬
nostic in this case. We have spoken very favou¬
rably of it to Mrs Hodgeson herself but we think it proper
to give you our doubts to be communicated
to her friends as your discretion shall suggest. From
the danger we apprehend we think it necessary
to urge every precaution that can be useful in preventing
it. We are not certain but extirpation even might be proper
supporting that with the tumour in her breast that likewise
in the arm pit to be taken away, but considering
the doubtfullness of the propriety & success of
such an attempt & particularly considering the temper
of Mrs Hodgeson's mind we neither propose nor advise
such a measure. What ever therefore can be done
must be done by medicine & that too of the internal
kind for it is (↑we are↑) clear that no external can be applied

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with safety & that your application of a piece of soft woolly
flannel is the only proper one. With regard to the inter¬
nal medicines that your Cerevisia e lignis &c may be
very properly continued but we have had success &
have dependance on the Cicuta & therefore advise
it for Hodgeson The most convenient form for using it is in
the dry powder made with mucilage of Gummi Arabicum into
proper pills. The Plant is just now in very good
condition but very particular care must be taken in
the drying of it. It must be dried by a pretty
sudden heat so that the colour & even the odour of that
fresh plant may be entirely preserved in the
dried. In this condition you may begin with a
dose of grams ij but must afterwards encrease it to what
ever may be necessary to produce sensible effects
such as some degree of sickness, giddiness or tremor
& at such a dose you must continue for a great length
of time giving it 2 or 3 times a day. At the same
time we think it may be usefull to give her
every day half a grain of crude mercury
or like so as to operate as an alternative only &
therefore to occasion no confinement Along with these
medicines we think she should avoid every thing
acid or heating in her diet & she should frequently
ride exercise upon horseback & at all times to
avoid cold.