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I was favored with your obliging letter from my
friend Mr. Greig; by being called from home the morning he
set out from Edinr. was the reason of my not writing you with him
as was intended. Mr Greig is a worthy man, and has for
many years past been much distressed with an Eruption on
his hands, similar to what you have now prescribed for.

Tho I have for some time past attended Mr. Greigs family
he never till lately, advised with me seriously about himself.

My answer was, To take your opinion, and as he meant to
visit his friends in Edinr., to delay it till then, when you woud
be better able of judge of his case, by being present. –– He had
some years ago consulted a Physician, who recommended a course
of Antiscorbutic, and Diaphoretic medicines, which I find
consisted of Sarsaparilla. & the Antimonial wine –– In that
course he persisted for some time but without effect.

Tho the eruption has chiefly appeard, and distressed
him in summer, it has often continued thro' the winter; Till
this summer it never spred farther than his hands, and
used to appear at first in pustles, spreading in the form you
saw it. Upon his showing me the dry appearance upon
the Axillæ, and on his arms, and the boills appearing
around his neck, with swelled glands, I began to suspect

Mr Greigs chearful disposition makes him sometimes
exceed when with his friends, and he is sensible that all
kinds of spiritous Liquors hurt his complaint. Tho I
think the present eruption not altogather a cutaneous disease
I have found from Experience, that by allowing an eruption
to continue for a few years upon the hands, or on any other
part, it often degenerates into an appearance of something
worse, at the same time that it has been safely carried
off by outward application, after the Patient had been
torturd with medicines. ––

Your present advice for Mr. Greig seems to be per¬
fectly proper: He enjoys good health, and finds his hands
growing better. He takes the Diaphoretic mixture, and
his salts as prescribed, and I expect will persevere in
the warm Bath as he has begun. The doses prescribed
answer your intention, and the ointment is certainly taking
effect. –– You shall be informed from time to time of
its success, and every hint from you shall be gratefully

As Mr Joseph Bell in passing thro this place called
upon me, I carried him to see your young friend Mr Mc.¬
Kenzie, and as he saw, and examined all his complaints
he woud inform you particularly about him. –– Mr Bell
promised to inform you that in consequence of his being here, I
wou'd not trouble you with a letter sooner than this week.

Mr Bob was going on extremely well till one unlucky
day last week, that his Ponie started a little and he fell
–– Tho not hurt, from his extreme weakness and irritability
it has certainly affected his spirits very much. For two
days, he had a return of the pains in the fleshy parts of his
Thighs; but these have disappeared again, and yesterday
and this day he is free of pain, and sleeps well –– His
chieff ailment is his walking – In that he makes a poor
appearance, and I begin to fear his shape, in consequence
of his bending so much forward, may suffer, tho there is yet
no visible appearance in any of the vertebrae of the Back.

Every thing is done that can be suggested to remedy it, and
he is at every pains himself to support himself erect –– The
fullness upon the sternum is decreasing, and his complaints
upon his cheek doing well. His appetite tolerable, and
his pulse decreasing. –– His chieff complaint is great

He continues to drink his Bottle of mineral water
and digests it easily, eating a roll for breakfast

I sincerely wish something could be thought off to
rileive these sudden startings that he is seized with upon
attempting to rise or walk, and which seem to be spasms
in the fleshy parts of his Thighs. –– The [oill?] is still applied
there. Miss Ord joins me in compliments to you, and I
am most respectfully Dear Sir