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Tho it might not be expected from the Circum¬
stances of the Captain's constitution it is however very
certain that his stomach is at present in a weak and
relaxed state. This I impute to the dregs of the inter¬
mittent fever he was affected with in america and
therefore think it may be more easily mended than if
it had depended upon any original fault in his
Constitution. But whatever it depends upon, it cannot
be mended by medicines alone but will require a
pretty strict attention to a regimen and that too persisted
in for some time. Without this, medicines will be of little
service and if a proper regimen is observed few medicines
will be necessary.

The particulars which I think especially necessary to
be observed are the following

He should take meat every day at Dinner and he
may take of any kind that offers except bacon, Pork or
very fat meat of any kind. Farther choice in the quality
of his meat I do not require but must advise great mo¬
deration in the quaintity. A full meal will always
do harm and especially of meat. When his appetite
therefore is sharp let him fill up his meal with plain
soup and bread or with some kind of pudding. Let his
meat always be plain roasted or boiled avoiding every
thing baked fried or dressed with sauce. He may take
a little white fish boiled and served with a plain sauce
but he should take fish of any kind seldom and the
heavier kinds as salmon herrings or dressed shell¬
fish, he should avoid altogether. He must not avoid ve¬
getables altogether but he must take them sparingly and
cautiously. Any kind of grain or what is made of it he
may take pretty freely and it is garden things only that

At Supper Captain Ramsay should take no kind of meat
and if he requires any supper at all he may take some
kind of grain but no greens. If he digests milk easily
he may take that with bread or some kind of grain –
sweetening the whole with sugar pretty much. Eggs
are bad for Captain Ramsay. A bit of cheese as people
commonly take it after meals is very allowable but
toasted cheese or any kind of maccaroni are very im¬
proper.

At Breakfast or at any other time the Captain
should take no indian tea or coffee but if he requires
something in the shape of tea at Breakfast he may
take balm sage or Rosemary or he may take cocoa
tea or a weak chocolate. Dry toast with a moderate
proportion of butter is allowable but much butter or
buttered toast will be better let alone. Milk with an
equal part of water gruel well sweetened with sugar
will make a very good breakfast with a piece of dry
toast. Jelly, marmalade or honey and all sweetmeats
I think bad for Captain Ramsay and I allow of much
sugar with nothing but milk ––

For ordinary drink, toast water is the best but if
it feels too raw for his stomach he may put a small
proportion of spirits to it. He may take a few glasses
of wine every day at dinner but it must be a few only,
for every, or the least approach to excess will do much
harm. What wine he takes should be of a strong
body as madeira or red Port and even a good sherry,
but this and most other white wines are of uncertain
quality. All kinds of french wines and Rhenish I
hold to be very improper and still more so are all
our home brewed wines and all kinds of malt
liquor even Porter. When he is to take more than two
or three glasses or madeira or Port he should take them
with water If he takes any strong drink after supper
it may be a little weak punch without souring &
with little Sugar and this too he may take at Dinner
but I would not wish it to be frequently his drink.

With this regimen Captain Ramsay should
be much in the fresh air when the weather is not
hot and often in gentle exercise without being
heated or fatigued by it. He should in the mornings
and forenoons be much on horseback but never
soon after Dinner ––

With this Regimen strictly observed few medicines
will be necessary but I must recommend two kinds
to him and the Receipts for them come along with
this. The one is a laxative pill of which he is to
take one or two at bedtime. When he begins to them
he should take them every night for five or six nights
together but after that it will be enough to take
them every second or third night or seldomer and only
when costiveness requires

The other medicine is a Stomachic pill of which
he is to take three a little before dinner and supper
every day for a fortnight.