[Page 1]
For Mr Malcom Laing

I have considered the full and accurate
account of the young Gentlemans Case &
cannot be positive that the dreg of measles
has no share in the present Complaints but
at the same time I see no evidence of its
having any. I have much disposed to imput[e?]
a great deal to the hurts mentioned and
particularly to the edge of the Door. But
I must own that it may not be quite
safe to suppose that the swellings depend
entirely upon an external cause. It will I
think be prudent to suspect and take precau¬
tions against any toumour the body may

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[Page 2]

be disposed to. The clean and tight constitution
that is alledged may presume that a disposition
is not great and had it not been for the exter¬
nal violence it might never have appeared
But I have too often known a latent toumour
first discovered by an external hurt and the
knot as it is called on the left
leg will not allow me to be so far without
suspicion as to prevent my advising precau¬
tions which may be neglected on another
supposition. I proceed therefore to my
advice first with regard to the management
of the Toumours. According to the latest
account the Tumour on the left leg seems alrea¬
dy to have matter in it and therefore there
is no room for thinking of Discussion and
at the same n time as there is no inflammat¬
ion nor change of colour upon the skin
it appears that the suppuration may be
very slow. While this is the case I find no
benefit in urging the suppuration by
warm emollient poultices I think it is
enough

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[Page 3]

to lay on a soft plaister and to leave the
process to Nature Even tho some softness
and fluctuation is perceived I never apply
Poultices till an evident pointing and redness
of the skin shews the matter nearer at hand
I must observe also that these slow Tumours
are rather the worse for being soon opened and
it is commonly as well to let them break of
themselves. All this is said especially with
respect to the Lump on the middle of the outside
of the right leg, and upon the supposition of its
getting matter in it I hope the swelling on the
ancle is not in the same train but if before this
comes to hand there should be the same appearan¬
ces of matter forming in it it must be treated
in the same manner as above. With regard to
the swelling on the foot. I am confident that it
neither has nor ever will have matter in it as
I take it to be merely a symptom in consequence
of the swelling at the ancle and when this either
discussed or suppurated I expect the {illeg} (↑sw↑)elling
of the foot will disappear.

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[Page 4]

I now take another and more agreable supposition
that all the swellings are capable of being dis¬
cussed without any suppuration and if even
the swelling on the right leg when this comes
to hand does not more distinctly shew the app¬
earance of matter in it I would even treat it
with the application ordered below. I hope
more certainly the swelling of the ancle will ad¬
mit of it and I depend upon it for discussing
the little swelling that this threatens the left leg.
In short the Discutient Liquor ordered below
is found by all our late experience to be the most
effectual means of discussing all such slow
and indolent Tumours as those of Mr Laing
seem to be It may even be applied in Doubtfull
cases that is where there is a suspicion of a
Tendency to matter in the part and it is only
necessary to abstain from it when there is no
longer any Doubt of matters being already in
the Tumours. In case any of these Tumours should
come to break I am desired to mention the proper
Dressing and I willingly do so I am lucky at

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[Page 5]

present some quantity of the ointment which Mr
Broughton at London employs with great success for
many tedious sores and some of it shall be sent
North with proper Directions along with Mr
Laing If when the sores break they shall discharge
a well conditioned matter I hope they shall soon
heal up again and require only a very simple
dressing but if the matter happens not to be of a
very good kind and therefore the sores shew little
disposition to heal it will be proper to dress them
with yellow Basilicon ↑mixed↑ with more or less of red
precipitate. But this ↑is↑ only till Mr Laing [arrives?]
with the other ointment I have now only to add
what it will mend the young Gentlemans habit
in case it appears that any part of the Disease
depends on that and I advise what I hope is
necessary but I know to be safe tho it should not
I have ordered a solution of salts below of which
he is to take a spoonfull or two in a muc↑t↑kin
of spring water every morning he is to take ↑it↑ at
three or four Draughts at the Interval of an
hour between each, but so that the half whole

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[Page 6]

of it may be taken half an hour or more before break¬
fast Let it be observed that the purpose of this so¬
lution is to keep the Belly regular but without
purging and therefore the Dose does either more
or less it must accordingly be diminished or increa¬
sed. The Spring water to the solution is put must
not be warmed but a spoonfull or two of Boiling
water may be put to take of any great Coldness
This solution may be continued for a month or two
provided no particular Disorder as feverishness
or Cough Intervene. At the same time it will
be proper to give some attention to his Diet for
Breakfast and Supper he may take Milk
& meal as young poeple commonly do that is
Milk with Bread Barley Rice Sago or frequen¬
tly with oatmeal porridge tho Milk with well
leavened bread is the best of all Every day at
Dinner he may and Generally should have a
weak broth with a bit of any light meat but
he should not make any thing like a full meal
of meat but should make it up with bread and
Broth pudding and vegetables But he should
not either have much of the latter

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[Page 7]

He may have at times a little white fish boiled
but should not take much of them nor often
He may sometimes at Dinner have an egg instead
of meat but this should not be often Cheese is bad for
him but he may sometimes fill up his dinner with
Bread and Butter but the Last in a small pro¬
portion as he can bear [it with?] I expect he will
have no occasion for Drink but at Dinner and
then he may have water or good small Beer
as he likes best. Tea & Coffee are both bad for
him only if very fond of the first he may have
a little very weak. I observe that the young
Gentlemans Ailments prevent his having any
exercise but this is to the prejudice of his health
I wish he could get some fresh air ↑and exercise↑ in some shape
or other the Best will be in a carriage in which
he need not hang down his Leg when this cannot
be had he may be the better for a chamber
horse within Doors

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[Page 8]
For Mr Malcolm Laing