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Upon considering with the utmost atten¬
tion every thing you was pleased to tell me and
every thing I could observe about you I sat down to
give you my best advice; but must own that I am
a little at a loss to give it with a sufficient clearness
and confidence. I should at first view have con¬
sidered the Case as Phthisical, but considering
how often you have suffered under such complain¬
ts and how long you have followed the manner
of living you told me of without more violent
consequencis, I must think that the Phthisical
state has not proceeded so far as we might appre¬
hend & therefore that as you have escaped hitherto
so you may escape still. I hope you shall, but
in the meantime if I am to give you my advice it
must be very entirely with a view to guard against
the tendency to Consumption. To this purpose you
have already got some very good advice from Dr Grant
& I regret very much that you did not follow his advice
in going to Bristol but you have now missed the

It is my opinion that you must expect relief from
your regimen rather than from any medicines. In such
cases I would advise a diet entirely of milk and grain and a
very entire abstinence from animal food but this is not suit¬
able to your habits & in your case therefore I cannot advise the
latter but still I would advise your choosing the lighter kinds
of animal food only and taking even these moderately, even
at dinner and at supper I am certain you should take none at
all. It seems that formerly your stomach did not digest ↑milk↑ easily
but I am glad to find that you bear the Asses milk very well and
I think you should continue to take it every morning to the quantity
that your stomach easily bears. I hope you may also take Cows
Milk if you will please to take it always with an equal part of
barley water, sweetening the whole very well with honey or sugar.
This mixture you may use with bread, rice, barley or sago in

In drinking you must go on as you have done in taking
some wine but I am perswaded you ought always to be very mo¬
derate in it and should take no more than you find absolutely
necessary to (↑from↑) former habits to support the tone of your stomach
and spirits.

What exercise you can easily bear will always be one of
the best remedies for you. At present both on account of the
weather and of your weakness I think you cannot employ either
walking or riding and must therefore be confined to a carriage,
but this I think you should employ as often and as much as you
conveniently and easily can.

I am certain that it is cold which has especially brought on

By attention to these particulars of regimen I hope you
shall have better health but to restore you entirely you must
employ an easy but long journey in summer and take betimes
to a southern climate for the next winter.

At present I will advise but two medicines for you
both intended to relieve your breast and alleviate your cough
and as the prescription must go to an Apothecary I give it
on a separate paper here inclosed.

Wishing heartily your better health, with respectfull
Compliments to Mrs Burnet I am