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Having now had a full account of Mr Gillies ail¬
ment and having considered it with great attention I am
of opinion that it does not in any degree threaten his
life but it is a disease that is very liable to return and
if it should do so frequently it may render his life uncom¬
fortable as it may render him unfit for the duties of life.
It is an ailment therefore that demands every precaution
and for some time Mr Gillies ought to direct his whole con¬
duct with that view. The following measures seem to
me the most promising

1. He should moderate his application to study. It is not
necessary for him to renounce it altogether but he should
never sit long at one time nor spend much of the day in
it and he ought to make a choice of the subject of his study
avoiding whatever requires intense and anxious attention
and choosing what tho engaging some attention and there¬
fore amusing leads however to no train of thinking. Of
all studies that of composing is ready to give the greatest

Instead of study Mr Gillies should employ much of
his time in gentle exercise and that as often as the weather
allows of it in the open Air. A great deal of walking is
very allowable but it should be always at leisure and
on level ground & whatever kind of walking heats him is
in danger of hurting him. The exercise which of all
others will do him most service is going in a single horse
which he drives himself. In this exercise some care is
to be taken to avoid cold and moisture, but he will
be in more danger still from travelling in the heat
of the sun. Moderate speaking is a wholsome
exercise & there is no occasion for Mr Gillies avoiding
moderate preaching but preaching with earnestness and
vehemence and preaching long at one time may be
exceedingly hurtfull. I would say the same of speaking
in debate & with regard to this it is particularly to be

In diet he should live low. At dinner he may take
a little animal food but it should be of the lighter
kinds and always in very moderate quantity making up
his meal with broth, pudding and vegetables. Fish of
any kind is hardly safe and the heavier kinds as Salmon
and Herring are particularly improper. At breakfast
and Supper he should take some kinds of milkmeat or
vegetables. Tea unless taken very weak is improper and
Coffee is no safer.

For ordinary drink, if he is not costive, he may take
plain water but if he is disposed to be costive he should
take porter ↑mixed↑ with two or three parts of water. No kind

Late hours at night or lying long abed in the morning
are both very bad for him.

These are the particulars of regimen which I recom¬
mend and for preserving Mr Gillies health I trust more
to this regimen than I do to any regimen m medicines
but I hope he may also receive some benefit from these
and I have therefore prescribed some on a separate paper
with directions for the use of them.