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from your generall Character
in this Country, & the Oppinion I entertain
of you I am very disirous of having your
sentiments on my own case. I shall be
as particular as I can but if I am not
sufficiently so you will impute it to
my want of experience in these matters.
I am about 44 years of age with dark
hair a darkish Complexion & a warm temper
of the middle size as to height or rather
less than that, but of a very Corpulent
habit. My Father, who was of your
profession, was also very Corpulent,
& in that I take after him for I began
to grow fat before I was turnd 20 tho
in my early years I was rather thin.
At the begining of last winter I weighd
18 stones two pounds, but I was then
seized with a cough & repeatedly got
fresh colds, so that it continued till
the warm weather came in, at which
time I only weighd 16 stone, so I had lost
two by my illness. My Cough was very
troblesome, particularly in a morning
& evning tho I had frequent fits of
Coughing thro the day, & in the nights with
Considerable expectoration of phlegm.
I was often very much stuffd in my
breast & had great difficulty of breathing,
but no pain, nor any thing like an
asthma fit. I consulted several gentlemen

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of the Faculty, by whose advice I was bled
twice took some physic, opiates, Squill
pills, &cc. I was feverish at times & had
no apitite, therefore I livd low during my
illness, but did not stove my self up
nor keep very hot. As soon as the warm
weather came in I was advised into the
country, my Cough intirely left me, & in
a short time I was quite free from it. My
Physician, whome I consider as a cautious
experienced man, advised me to endeavour
to reduce my corpulency, least my disorder
should retturn again & be more troblesome
to me if I continued very fat as I had
lost 28 Pounds in weight, he thought
I should not gain them again by indulgence
(for my apitite & degestion are both very
good) but that I should use gradually
a good deal of exercise by walking this
Summer time in the morning & evning,
which I had been accustomed, & that
at dinner I should moderate my apitite
& confine myself to one dish of meat
& a little pudding or tart, for that changes
of this nature should be made slow. I
have followed his advice steadily, & instead
of gaining any weight I am 7 or 8 pounds
lighter than 16 stones. I now walk
generally 4 miles before breakfast, & 2
or 3 in the evning, & I have moderated my
diet. I am very well in my self & feel
stronger & more active. When my Cough
was quite gone. I bathed in Dr Hunters
buxton bath ¹ which I approve ↑of↑ very much,

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& afterwards it was gradually reduced to
the coldness of river water in summer, &
then I venturd into a moderate cold bath
& I continue bathing every other day as it
agrees well with me. I drink small beer
& a Glass or two of wine after meals, but
no ale or Porter. I must not forget to
tell you that I am tolerably regular, &
that I am seldom bound in my bo[wels.?]
The question I wish you to determine
upon is whether or no you would advise
me to continue the plan I am upon to
reduce my corpulency, till I am in a
moderate state viz till I may weigh about
12 stones instead of 15 & odd Pounds; &
whether such a plan ↑will↑ be safe & of service
to my health & to the prevention of further
coughs & stuffing in my breast.

My Physician [&?]Apothecary concur in
advising me to consult you.

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To
Dr Cullen
Professor of Medicine
in Edinburgh

✍
Mrs Jane Webster.
September
XI. p. 69 –– ✍