[Page 1]

I was extremeley glad to hear by my Friend
Dr Adam, who will deliver this to you & was lately
in that Country, that you & family were well, & it is
my most sincere wish that you & they may long
continue so.

Sometime ago, Dr Dougal sent you the case of my
of one of my Daughters, then under his care. Gra¬
titude requires my most thankful acknowledg¬
ments, for your very friendly advice with respect
to her-- How soon it came, it was most punctually
followed-- But, alas! your conjecture as to the state
of her lungs was but too well founded, for soon
after, she dyed.-- It has pleased God, of late, to afflict
me by the Death of several of my Children, & alas!
I began to entertain no small fears of another of
them, concerning whom I by leave to ask your
advice, from the confidence I have of the continu¬
ance of your friendship, to which I have been so
often obliged before, in similar cases.- The gene¬
ous frankness, with which you was pleased to
give it, encouraged me to ask it again, & at the

---

[Page 2]

same time to hope you will readily pardon the
trouble I presume to give you. Subjoined is a plain
state of her Case.- I would have caused Dr Dougal
draw it up, but was affraid to alarm her with the
Questions he must necessarily have put to her for in¬
formation.- But from what I have wrote, you will,
I hope, undertstand her situation- I am, with most
Esteem, Dear Sir

Case of Mary Shaw, Daughter of Dr Shaw, Mi¬
nister of Rafford.--

She is a Girl of near 19 years of age,- has
always had a fine Constitution, & still within
these few weeks, enjoyed an almost uninterrup¬
ted state of health.- About a month ago, she
complained, at one time, of a shivering, & at another
time, of a glowing heat, all over her Body. This
we, at first, concluded to be no more than the Heat of
a slight cold she might have got.- But, these

---

[Page 3]

Symptoms continuing, she was vomited & blooded
with Leeches, for, to the Operation of the Lancet, she
has an unconquerable aversion.- In a few days
after these symptoms appeared, she was seized with
a tickling, short, cough, &, in a few days more,
with a pain in her right side, & some swellings
in the mornings- And then she told us, that she
had, for some time past, felt, what she calls, a
Wheeze in her Breast, when she lay on her back
in Bed, which may be said to have given her ra¬
ther an uneasy sensation, than great pain--
These symptoms determined the application of a
Blister betwixt her Shoulders, about ten days
ago. It wrought well & is still kept open. But
still the throat Cough, the pain in her side, &
some sweatings in the morning still continue,--
notwithstanding that, to wear off the latter, she
rises up early in the morning, puts on her Cloths,
& then casts herelf upon her Bed, covered with
no more Blankets than are necessary to prevent

---

[Page 4]

Her catching an additional Cold.- She has been
out twice or thrice in a Chaise, &, when the wea¬
ther admits, on horseback, tho', the last time she
rode out she complained a good deal of the pain
in her side. She has, in a great measure, lost her
appetite for food, but often complains of thirst.-
What food she takes is of the lighest kind.- About
a Month afo, she was regular in her Courses, &
it is hoped they will return about this time. She
rests pretty well the first part of the night, but
generally in the afternoon, she complains of an
uneasiness, which, she says, she cannot describe,
& we think her a little hectic or feverish.-

Since writing the above Mrs Shaw informs me, that
it is upwards of five weeks since our Daughter's
last Courses.- Milk & vegetables are her principal
food.---

---

[Page 5]
✍

Case
of Miss Mary Shaw
September 1783
V. XV. p 263