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To Mr. John Stevenson Surgeon at Arbroath _
concerning Captn. Ramsay.

I have receiv'd your account of Captn. Ramsay, which I find
in every part to be very distinct & sensible. – There is no sort of doubt about the disease,
& I am confident there is nothing in it but Jaundice, which is sometimes slow, but I hope we
shall soon get the better of it. Hitherto I think you have treated it very properly, and par¬
ticularly think the bleedings were well tim'd. As his Pulse is now come down as well, I hope
there will be no occasion for more bleeding, but if either his pulse rises, or he gets any pain
about the Liver, some more bleeding may still be necessary –– The vomits seem also to have been
useful & if either any spontaneous vomiting comes on without fever, or if his appetite again
falls off, the vomit must be repeated. In every circumstance it is necessary to keep his
belly open, & your decoction seems to answer very well, but it is not necessary to purge him
much, & perhaps one or two of the pills order'd below taken every night at bed-time may
answer the purpose without giving him much trouble. Your Soap pills are very properly
intended, but I would leave out the Cream of Tartar, & make them as I have directed below,
& besides these I would disturb his Stomach with no other medicines, for it will not
easily bear any –– I am sorry he is so weaken'd as not to bear Exercise, for
there is nothing more likely to be of service to him, but I hope what he

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calls weakness is only the laziness of the Disease, & I wish he would try to bear
first the Carriage, & as he improves in Spirits & strength, to go on Horse-back. –– It is
very proper for Captn. Ramsay to give attention to his Diet. He must be very sparing of
Milk & Vegetables. Some Broth without the last will be very proper every day at dinner,
& besides this he may take a bit of any plain meat avoiding only very fat meats. Let
him take care never to make a full meal of meat, but to make it up with some
light pudding. Fish he must take seldom & sparingly, & no eggs but what go into
his pudding. He should take no meat at supper, & in place of it Barley, Sago,
or such like. At Breakfast he may take Tea, or Water Gruel, & with either bread
& butter, but the last moderately. His ordinary drink may be water with a little
of Madeira, or other strong wine in it, & while his pulse keeps so slow as at pre¬
sent, he may take two or three glasses of wine at dinner, & of any kind he likes
best. Malt liquor of all kinds I think bad for him. If he discerns that
wine is in the least liable to become sour upon his stomach, he should let it alone,
& take some Spirits & water. This is all that occurs to me at present, but I am
extreamly anxious to be of use to Capt.n Ramsay, & if you will be so good as to let me
know how he goes on, I shall be ready to advise, as well as I can –I beg my respect¬
full Compliments to Lord Panmure, & Capt.n Ramsay,