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As I have been troubled with a wind
on my Stomach / though without the least degree
of Pain / for some years, attended at times with
an Acidness which last indeed I have had but
little off these 8 or 9 months owing to the ease
of my Diet and Drink since last summer

I beg leave to insert to you its Rise and
progress as nigh as I can remember at this
distance, which may be very defective as I did
not mind it for some time being otherwise of
a pretty stout constitution, considering I was
upon fifteen years in North America from the
age of 16 to 31 -- But as I propose to deliver
this myself whatever it may be deficient in
I shall endeavour to make up from my answers
to any questions you may think proper to ask
me ~ ~ ~

I therefore date its commencement in
Summer 1767 when I was with my family in
the Country at a house about a computed
Mile distance from this to and from which I
constantly went a foot, as I keept no horse, &
frequently in the very heat of the day to dinner

At that time I eat, and in Short admir'd
every thing of the Vegetable food, never choosing
to sitt down to dinner without Barlay Broth
& the more blades the better, with any other Garden
stuff and Roots in Season, making up my
Dinner from choice with any kind of boiled
meat rather than Roasted -- which last in
eating I always inclined to have of the best & fattest
/as well as the boiled/ with the Richest Sauces
In short no table coud furnish Beeff too fatt &
Rich for me ~ ~ At Tea time after dinner
I generally drank double the usual quantity of
Tea, rather of the Green than Bohea, at which
I seldom or ever broke bread, {illeg} from any drought
that might be upon me /as I seldom or never was
dry betwixt meals, excepting when eating salt meat

Thus I have gone through the manner I
lived and from inclination ---

My Belching still continued and encreased &
at last I discovered an acidness on my Stomach
at times which also Grew on me

I was advised by my Surgeon to leave off
eating Broth &c, which I coud not think of doing,
Going into a Cold Bath, which indeed I could not
for want of conveniency -- Doing less business
and taking more exercise by Riding --- My
Business must be done and did continue doing
it --- But took at times some more recreation
by Riding out when my business & the Weather
woud permitt which indeed was but seldom

I find I neglected above to mention my

In fall 69 to 70 I left off tea in the morning
and eat a ↑new↑ egg - taking for Drink a Little Water
with a dash of Red Port or Brandy - but which I
was obliged to leave off in spring 70 owing to my

During the whole of the above Processes
the wind on my Stomach Still continued & I
think encreased --

About a year agoe I got a machine made
for Bathing myself in a Room over the head,
which I used also without perceeving any Senceable
Service till early last august when I took a Ride
through some of the Northern Countys of England

When at York I consulted Doctr. Dealtry
there -- who gave me the annexed prescription
Recommending me to use Harrowgate Water as
the best thing for me - during which {illeg} I coud
only Remain at Harrowgate a few days I was
to take only One dose of the Medicine a day, and

Copy of the Prescription

As Doctr. Dealtrys hand writing is very difficult to Read
/though no complaints of it in England/ My surgeon on
my coming down has complained he coud with
difficulty make out some of the things - And
accordingly I find the above in the first Article differ
from an explanation made to me since by another
surgeon who calls it the salt of Wormwood instead
of Tartar as above -

Doctr. Dealtry Recommended to me in conversation
on account of the Wind on my Stomach, and the Acidness
still complained Off ~ Abstenance form all drink except
when absolutely necessary or Regimed and then Only of the
best strong Wine, Preferring Madaira to Port - And of {illeg}
not more than 2 or 3 Glasses -- that I might use at
times Wine & Water to my Victualls, or a Draught of Water
Porter out of the Cask. -- To avoid all Young Meats

Tea, Coffee or Chocolate may be taken to break¬
fast -- and Soops to dinner if free from any kind
of vegetables -- No fish of any kind --
Brandy & Water forbid as the brandy Separated from the
Stomac Water in the Stomach and occasioned the
Relaxness then complained off

Not to ride after a full Stomach, Recommended
riding 15 or 20 miles before dinner & 6 or 8 miles
in the Evening when on my Journey

If my Stomach at any time shoud be very
uneasy, to take a little warm brandy & water as
hott as I coud drink it of about '5 of the best &
strongest brandy -- but to be avoided if possible --

Agreeable to which I began that day the
23 of Augt to take my medicine, and Got to Harrowgate
next day where I continued 2 days drinking the Waters
every morning, during which time I took only one
dose of the Medicine a day, after which I took two doses
a day morning and Evening as I had it made up at
every mercat Toun in which manner I conti¬
nued taking it till the Violent heat prevented me
from the Medicine working and [flying?] in my Pocket

On my Return I gave in Dealtrys prescription
to my Surgeon, desiring him to have made up for
me Some doses - on looking at it, he said he was a good
deal surprised at the prescription and advised me to let it
alone, I made answer I was determined to try its
Effect patiently and to have it made up accordingly, he
then told me he woud be obliged to send to Edr. {illeg} for some of
the medicines as they were not to be had in Glasgow, at
which I testified my surprise, as I found them in every
mercat town in England -- he made answer they
certainly then did not make up the medicine agreeable
to the prescription -- In about three weeks I think
however, I began to the Medicine, which I found to be
indeed totally different from that I had as such in

On talking to my Surgeon he attributed the
Stupidity I was siezed with to the Spiceries contain'd
in the medicine, or rather to the antimony -- I am
off myself rather apt to believe it was owing to the
former ↑&↑ especially the nutmeg as I know I took
duly the 15 Gutts of antimony Separate from the Medicine
during my continuance in England, without any Effect
whatever, I am the more certain of this as I had
a Viol containing the antimony Separate from the
Medicine of which I dropt the 15 Guts myself into
every dose on taking it -- this deprivation of my
Sences I found in a Similar degree next day --

As I had Suffered so much and run such a
great Risque from this Medicine I easily determin'd
with myself to take no more of it, and which I have
accordingly not touched since -- But determined
to try what Good Effects I should Reap by a Steady Plan
laid down agreeable to Dialtrys Sentiments of Eating
and drinking -- I accordingly confined myself to
a moderate quantity of Tea in the morning with dry
Bread or hard Biscuit -- at Dinner nothing but
Solids, avoiding fatt, at which I woud now & then drink
a little wine and water, and with a constancy two &
not exceeding three full Glasses of Good Madaira &
about two Glasses of the Same at night at

I must here notice that I am Seldom or
ever troubled with the least Belching of wind from my
going into Bed till I Rise in the morning

By the care I have taken in my Drink in
taking nothing of the Wine kind but what is perfectly
Good & Sound {illeg}Madaira and Sourd Strong
bodyed Port - With wine and water - Brandy & water
& Toddie to my Dinner, I cannot say I have found
any thing Acid on my Stomach for some time, at
least extreamly Seldom

I had almost forgot to notice that Doctr.
Dealtry told me the Cold Bath, on asking him,
would do neither good or harm to my disorder because
my Complaint was from the Inwards which a
Bath could not reach -------

I will beg leave here to put a question to you
Quere - As my appetite and digestion has been as good
this Twelve moneth as ever I was in my Remembrance
-- What can the loss of flesh be occasioned by

If by the Change of Diet -- Or by the drinking
of the Harrowgate water last summer, which though

Thus I have gone through the whole of
my Case so far as I an, which you could consider
off with attention and Give me your Opinion of in
full in writing accordingly - And to enable you
to do which with more propriety I Send this to you
by Post this Evening, and will waite on you on
Sunday or Munday Evening next on my Coming
into Edinburgh, that you may then have the
opportunity of asking me any other questions
necessary -- After which you can make out
your opinion to me with diliberation, at your
Leisure and with the greatest circumspection
and Pointedness peculiar to you -----

Mr Hice is my surgeon here, shoud you

I hope Mr Duncanson in Virginia will
Receive great benefit from your Opinion to him
last summer --- --- I am with my
great Regard

✍
1771