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Agreeable to Your kind Request, I
here Presume to Trouble You with an Accountt of my former
Complaints, & How they have Gone on dureing the Winter,
after Leaveing Edinburgh we had but a Tedious &
Cross Passage, did not Arrive in Shetland before the 28 of october

It was not [Improable?] but in the Course
of so Long a Passage, Dissagreeable Weather & Events- Con¬
tributed not a Little to awaken them. However I held it
out Pretty well, now and then the Difficulty of Breathing
was more or Less at Times Troublesome and Continued so
till the first if January, when both the Shortness of Breathing
and pain in my side attacked me with Violence, the
former indeed to a Degree I had never before Experienced.
Such as being unable without the Greatest Pain to Ly
in Bed Either on my Left side or back. This Continued
about a forthnight, in the Meantine I applyed the
Blister Repeatedly, to which the pain in my side yeilded,
and at same time Begun a Course of the Medicine You
Prescribed, which I Continued till the Materialls were
above Half Expended, I then Desisted as I thought the
Decoction Clogg'd my Stomach, the same might have
Proceeded from Want of Exercise, which I was Incapable
of Takeing had the season admitted of Going abroad

The Shortness of Breathing

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still Continuing & Rather Encreasing then abateing
to the first if February was at a Loss how to Behave, Haveing
Reaped no Benefitt former Applications here, And my
Distress Truely Great. I Ventured to Try the Effect of the
following, Haveing some Gum Ammoniac by me I Caused
a Pretty Strong Emulsion be made, & Continued the use of it
for a forthnight takeing the Quantity a Gill four times
a day. Not Knowing how faar I was Right, or ought to
Persist, that was laid asside also, Without any Immediate
Benefitt being observed, Till about a Week thereafter
in attempting a short walk in the feilds I found that the
pain in my Breast which formerly oppress'd me, together
with the Difficulty of Breathing was Mutch easier.
I Could not say or Pretend to Judge from what Cause, but
I lookt on it as a favourable Circumstance. And since
Blessed [bei?] Kind Providence I am able to Walk about
with little or no Pain, Either in my Breast, Breathing
or side. Tho I Can not Exert my self in any way
as formerly, The being Relieved of the Acute pain
and Disagreeable feeling I long under went is a
Great Comfort. Thus Dear Sir I have Endeavour'd
to Give You the most Accurate Accountt of my Complaints
in my power, since I left You. If You Judge a
Recruit of the former Medicines Necessary, or any
other, a Note of such from you to Mr Wood the Taylor
who will Dilever this. Will Direct him to a Labo¬
ratory ¹ for them, He will advise You when

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the [Packwch?] ² is to saill. & Wait of You for Your further
Commands. And your Opinion Will be oblidging therwith

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Doctor Cullen
Edinburgh

✍

Mr William Bruce
March. 1779.
9. p.152.