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I have now recollected all the circumstan¬
ces of Mrs Oswalds Constitution & complaints as fully as I can
& have to propose the following measurs.

She will be pleased as soon as convenient to enter on
a Course of the mercurial {illeg} Solution Ordered
below which I have found to Answer better than any other form
of that medicine - The dose to begin with is twenty four
drops which almost contains an eight part of a grain of Mercury

This is to be taken in two table spoonfulls of distilled water
also ordered below. Let these two spoonfulls of the drops be
poured into a tea Cup, & this put into a Bason of Warm water
till the dose is a little warmed.

This dose is to be taken three times a day that is in the
morning before Breakfast, an hour before dinner & again
at going to bed. If the morning dose is disagreable it may be
let alone & a dose may be taken an hour or two before
Supper in place of it

These Doses are to be continued in the same manner
for four of five days that some judgement may be fo↑r↑med
of their effects as I shall say presently but if in five days they
shew no sensible effects the doses are to be increased ↑to↑ thirty
six drops & some days after on the same conditions to
forty eight

It is expected that these drops will Operate chiefly by
perspiration & sweat & if the last appears evident the doses
are enough but if it does not the doses may be increased by
degrees unless other effects in the bowels or in the mouth appear
at the same time - If the doses give a very manifest increase

The most common effect of the Medicine when it
does not go by the skin is to go to the mouth. It may do both
together & if the effects on the mouth are moderated it will give
no Intermission (↑ruption↑) to the Course tho it may limit the Doses.
If therefore after four or five days any taint is percieved in
the breath, any Copper tasted in the mouth & much more still
if any soreness is felt in the Gums or uneasiness in chewing,
the doses must be omitted one, two, or three of them or all
them according to the degree of these effects. - If attention
is given to observe the first taint of the breath it will be
enough to Omit the morning Dose only & next day as the
taint increases to Omit the Noon or afternoon dose unless
it still increases to with other effits for a third day it will
not be necessary to Omit the bedtime dose. I shall think

The length of the Course is not to be determined before trial
It should certainly be so long as to clear the skin very entirely
unless that proves so tedious as either to make us dispair of it
or to exhaust Mrs Oswalds patience or that some circumstances
or accidents render it improper to be continued. The last I do
not forsee with any such probability as to make me mention
mere possibilities. I hope no such thing shall happen but that
the Course shall go on easily & speedily answer the purpose

I do not however expect that any thing shall happen that
less than six weeks or two months will do the business
& if it shall happen that the head & every part of the skin
is cleared sooner I would not advise trusting to that but that
if the Course with any tolerable ease it should at any rate
be continued for two months.

I have now to add the Regimen I think necessary to render
the Course both safe & effectual.

The Bedchamber ought to be large rather than small
& such as Can be kept moderately warm without much
fire liable to no draughs or Sifling ¹ Airs as we call them

In dress Mrs Oswald should take to one she can commit
conveniently keep to during the whole course for changes of
any kind would be hazardous. If her chambers are managed
as I have directed she will need no additional Covers only
let her put feet & legs & her neck & shoulders to be kept well
& uniformly covered let the Carpet be always under her feet
& let a cloath be hung from the bottom of the chair to the floor
that no cold air may come from behind upon her heels
& legs & if she sits between a bed & the fire let a cloath be
hung down from the bedstead to the floor to prevent all
draught from under the bed if the medicine does not affect

During this Course it will be very necessary for Mrs Oswald
to live low for unless the medicine & diet together take down
her body a good deal I shall not expect much good from it.
Let her begin for a week {illeg} ↑or↑ ten days before she takes
the medicine to take down her diet by taking meat only
a day & then to let her take only of the lighter kinds let
her take that also more sparingly & fill up her meal with
pudding for Roots & greens must be taken very cautiously
& seldom. After entering upon the Course I would have her
observe this low diet ↑still↑ more exactly, I do not desire her
to give up meat entirely but if two or three days of the week
are entirely meagre days it will be the better & if it should
happen that the Mercury goes more to the mouth than we
desire with heat swelling & spitting it will be absolutely
then necessary {illeg} to abstain from all meat &
at other times you will understand it ought to be in propor¬
tions every day she may have a Bason of broth made
of chicken or other lean mean but not very strong - At
Breakfast she may take tea as usual with dry toast as
a very little butter upon it. Her supper should be always
some kind of milk meat.

For drink it will be proper for her to take it plenti¬
fully her tea twice a day will be very proper a dish of

I have now only to add that if there can be with

I have yet forgot to speak of the management of sweating
which may occurr. If it proves at time considerable or
if that appears to be the tendency of the Medicine I would have
her have flannel next her skin and if she can possible
bear to ly in Blankets with bed linnen for the sweating
in linnen is exposed to many accidents. However I would
not wish to take the the sweating to be considerable and
I would not employ [the?] means to increase it. If it comes sponta¬
neously it must have it's Course, and it may be dangerous to
check it but when it is disposed to be free I would not
{illeg} (↑a↑) encourage it either by the bed cloathes or
warm drinks, by confining the hands or pinning the bed
cloaths very close above her neck of what sleep sweat
comes on in the time of sleep without much heat may
be of service but there is a sweat that comes in the
morning after waking is of less service is not ↑to↑ be long
encouraged & may even be stopt towards the forenoon with safety

I have proceeded above upon the supposition that Mrs. O.
wears no hair in her head if she does I would have it
entirely cut out for with any sweating it would be troublesome
and Coming is altogether inadmissable