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Mr. Munro aged about sixty Eight years, formerly of a full
plethoric (not a very corpulent) habit & healthy constitution,
was in September 1774 suddenly ↑seized↑ in his bed, with a hemi¬
plegia of his right side, after being obliged to preach in
the fields for two or more years while his Church was
rebuilding, this at first went entirely off in about half
an hour thereafter, but before twelve of the clock of the same
day returned again, & has continued ever since: No medical
assistance could be got for about a week or two after his
being seized with it, but after that Dr. William Sinclair,
and I, who at that time had just served my apprenticeship,
attended him: when he was vomited, physicked, got dover's
powders, antimonial Wine in small doses morning & even¬
ing, Mustard Seed, decoction of the woods, & Valerian; was
blister'd, had the parts often rubbed with a flesh brush, & warm
cloths, but all with very little relief. About a month
therafter he began to have spasms in his arm & leg,
and a great itching over his whole body, these were believed
to be favourable symptoms, & it was hoped he might
still recover the use of his Limbs: the same medicines
were advised to be continued, but in a little time he began
to weary of taking medicines, & took very few during
the winter following. Dr. Sinclair advised sea bathing in
the summer, this I hear was tried for two days by pour¬
ing salt water over his whole body in the house, as he
could not be got to the sea, but on the second night he
turned very sick, & was much distressed with an inclination
to vomit, & the bathing was on that acct. discontinued.

In the beginning of Winter 1775/6, there came on a
whitlow in the big toe of his left foot, which inflamed
his whole leg, & was so violent & painfull with fungous
flesh shouting from it, that he could not bear the
weight of the bedcloaths; he therefore sat continually
in an easy chair night & day, untill about a month
since that I have got him perswaded to go to bed again
- As I did not see him from October 1774 untill the latter
end of Summer last, my information cannot be so full

I saw Mr. Munro in the latter end of Summer last,
for the first time after returning from Edinr., when I found
both his legs very much swelled & inflamed, of a dark
red colour, with a number of watery vesicles, & some small
red pustules on the feet; the vesicles had broke in some places
& were discharging a large quantity of thin matter, & had
changed into a hard white sloughy crust, threatening a
gangrene; but as I was informed they had been much
in the same way for some time before, I /at that time/ only
advised the broken parts to be dressed with basilicon,
and washed with antiseptic fomentations twice a day.
As they keept much the same appearance, I heard
nothing more of them untill the latter end of Janr. last
that I was called; at which time there was an open Ulcer,
pretty deep, about three inches long & one broad, across the
Tendo Achillis of the left leg with mortified spots on it,
and discharging a thin sanious matter, his toe was whole,
but both legs were very much swelled & inflamed & still
retained the white sloughy appearance; his pulse inter¬
mitted about every ninth stroke, & he had a drowsiness
for some days; I dressed the Ulcer & the sloughy parts
with warm digestives, gave him the bark pretty freely
with elixir of Vitriol & wine; by this means the mor¬
tified spots in the Ulcer, & a new mortification of about
an inch in diameter, above the outer ankle of the same
leg, began to cast off, they now discharge a very good
pus, & are healing up very well; I likewise made them
continue washing his legs with antiseptic fomentations,
& apply poultices of vinegar & meal over the dressings, &
now the swelling & inflammation are almost gone.

His present complaints & situation is as follows viz
violent spasms of the flexor muscles of his Right or paraly¬
tic leg, the want of voluntary motion both of his right
arm & leg with a great itching at times in both; his
appetite rather bad, his memory impaired, his thirst great

I would be glad to know if you think blooding might
be admissible, or of service, in mitigating the spasms? 'Tis true,
his pulse is not frequent, but generally full & hard, & very
much so, when the spasms are severe; & also if Dover's powders
might be used for making a greater determination to the
surface, & relieving his spasms & itching? These spasms
continued since Octr. 1774 without one full days intermission

After writing the above Mr. Munro informs me that in
Febr. last, & the preceeding Spring, he had two nephritic
fits, in the the former of which he was bled, & found himselfe
in general easier in his other complaints for some time:
at present he has some difficulty in making Urine, does it
for most part in small quantities, has often an inclination
when he does none; but has no pains in his bladder nor
kidnies, & knew neither of his parents, nor any of his rela¬
tions troubled with gravel, nor had he himselfe any com¬
plaints of that kind but these two: as I live at a distance
from him, & see him but seldom, I never had any opportu¬
nity of observing sand in his Urine & cannot say whether

The above is as full & Just a representation of Mr. Munro's
case, as I can collect from his & Mrs. Munro's information
at presentl I wish you may be pleased with it: It will
be presented to you by Lady Reay, to whom it is inclosed, &
who will satisfy your demand -- Do me the Justice to
believe me, with the outmost esteem,

To
Doctor William Cullen Professor of
the Practice of Physic in the
University of
Edinr.