[Page 1]

I was favoured with yours & am much
obliged to you for the civilities you shewed
my friend Mr. Daws --- Our Patient in con¬
sequence of your advice, set off yesterday
for Buxton, but as she means only to make
a very short stay, begged I would write to you
immediately to know what plan she ought
to pursue to render the good effects of the
waters permanent. I was extremely sorry
that the account I sent you of the young Ladys
situation did not afford you all the infor¬
mation you would have wished, & I am still
more so, to inform you that it is not in my
power to add much to what I have already
said. I can only give you an account of what

---

[Page 2]

has been done for her since she came under my
care, which is only a few months. From the
Duration of her indigestion, & the number
of Physicians she has employed, there is reason
to believe that almost all the medicines, you
mention, have been tried in some shape or
other; but whether all, or any of them, have
had a fair trial, is a question I cannot pre¬
tend to solve with any degree of certainty;
but am rather inclined to think they have
not for as she has neither retained ↑upon her stomach↑ food or
medicine, for several years, beyond the space
of a few hours, it is highly probable she would
not persevere long in taking the same medicines
at least time she has been under my care, her
natural aversion to medicines, joint to a want
of confidence in their efficacy from their not
producing any immediate good effect, made her
unwilling to persevere in the use of any above
eight or ten days at most. I have given her

---

[Page 3]

Bark, aromatics, chalybeates, alkalines, neutrals
absorbents in various forms, as long as I would
prevail upon her to take them, but, ↑in↑ no shape
in which I have yet given them, did they
produce any sensible effect. Acids, unless the
mineral, I have never tried, & only have given
opiates ↑occasionally↑ to relieve any urgent symptom. But
as the obstinate costiveness, under which she
has so long laboured, is ↑now↑ considerably ren{illeg}
there is reason to hope that medicines
which disagreed before, may do so no longer. As
nothing ↑then↑ has had a fair trial, you may, I
think, safely proceed, as if not nothing had ever
been attempted --- I sincerely thank you for your
readiness in assisting me in the affair of the R. Society
but believe all you will have to do, will be to sign
a common form of Petition in my favour. ¹ I shall
this day see the Revd. Dr. Cooper, Sir Grey's Brother, who
wishes much to see me a member & has promised
to take all the trouble upon him self. I beg therefore
you may give yourself no farther trouble till I trans¬
mit you my Petition to be signed. I beg you'll excuse this
hasty scrawl & believe me with sincere respect

---

[Page 4]

D.r Cullen
Edinburgh

✍
P. D. Leslie
Query
A young Lady.
July August 1780.
XI. p.58.