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The many favours & civilities I have already received
from your hands & the readiness you have always
shewn in indulging your Pupils encourage me
at present to ask your advice concerning an affair
that has lately given me some concern. Without
further apology I shall state the case in as true & concise
a manner as possible & leave you to judge whether
my conduct was deserving of censure. Some time
ago I was desired to visit a young lady who had
laboured under a Typhus about 14 days & had been
affected with delerium &c. Before I saw her she had taken
an Emetic, the saline Mixture, Emuls. Com. & had
had a blister applied to her back. I found her extremely
weak but perfectly sensible. Her Pulse 130 sometimes
135 very weak but regular, thirst moderate, tongue
covered with a dark brown crust. She was also affected
with a tickling cough, breathed rather quick, expec¬
torated freely & complained neither of pain in her
side, head or any other part of her body. Belly regular
urine not very high coloured. Skin moist. So weak
that she was scarcely able to sit up in bed.

August. 29 I immediately applied a blister to each leg &
ordered her to take every 4 hours a Bolus of Confect. card.
Ten Drops & Rad. serpent. virg. Five Drops & sal. ammon. vol. Four Drops with
a glass of red port & a little warm water & a free circulation
of air was kept in the room. August. 30 she rested a
little in the night was pretty easy, had sweat a little
& the breathing was not so frequent. The Blister rose
well & she said the wine was gratefull to her stomach
& refreshed her much. Pulse 120 sometimes 125. The
Bolus was omitted & she took two spoonfulls of Infus.
Cort. Peruv. & a glass of wine & every 4 hours
& was ordered to eat as much fruit as she pleased &
to take a little of the Emuls. Com. when the cough
troubled her. August 31st. slept tolerably in the night
breathes with more ease, has some appetite for food,
drunk some tea in the morning & a bason of Broth
at noon & eat several Plumbs. Pulse as before.

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September 1st the cough in some measure prevented her from
sleeping & in the morning she was affected with a looseness
upon which she took five drops of L. L. in every other dose
of the Infus. Cort. sat up two hours, appetite tolerable
had a bason of Broth & a Gelly. Pulse still frequent.
At night she took 60 drops of Elix. Paregor. September 2d.
slept very well during the night, the looseness abated
breathed easy & expectorated freely. Continued the Infus. Cort.
wine, fruit & the Haust anodyne at bedtime. 3d September
very well, sat up for 4 or 5 hours complained of nothing
but weakness & the cough which was trouble some
but the expectoration free. Pulse 115 & 120. September 4th
as before sat up several ours & eat some sago Gruel.
I was now under a necessity of leaving Town for a week
or more. Ordered the Blister on her back to be kept
open & as the Infus. Cort. agree'd with her I desired the
surgeon to give next day half a drachm of Pulv. Cort. Peruv.
every 4 hours & to continue it if it agree'd with
her seemed to increase her strength & did not stop
the expectoration & increase her cough.

September 12 before I got home a Physician accidentally called
& in a very ungenerous manner said she had been very
improperly treated & if the bark was continued it would
kill her as it would immediately stop the cough & expecto¬
ration. This day September 14th. I arrived & shall state the
case as it appears at present. She is 24 years of age, of
a sanguine temperament, & has a narrowish chest.
Is affected with a frequent troublesome cough. In the morning
expectorates freely a considerable quantity of a rather yellow¬
ish stuff which has neither bad taste or smell & swims
in water, during the day it is a clear mucus. Has
no pain in her side or breast except when the cough
is very violent. Breathes rather quickler than natural.
Pulse still weak & 115 sometimes 120. Appetite pretty to¬
lerable, Belly regular urine natural in color & quantity
thirst moderate tongue covered with a brownish
crust. She is able to sit up 7 or 8 hours & walk over
the floor. Her legs are a little swelled towards evening.
Has always been subject to a cold cough upon catching
cold. Her back is kept open, her diet fruit, Milk, Beef
tea, she takes the common Emulsion with Infus. fol.

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Tussilag. & is recommended when her strength will
permit to go in to the country. N. B. she sweats
little or none during the night & her feet & legs
are rather cold. If you will be kind enough
to favour me with a line the first opportunity with
your opinion concerning the treatment & any me¬
thod that may be followed with advantage to my
Patient it will afford me much consolation &

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Dr. Cullen
Edinburgh

✍

Heysham at Carlisle
Query
A Lady convalescent
September 1778.
9. p. 50.