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The fluctuating State of my health and afterwards
an excursion to Paris have been the cause of my delaying so long
to answer your last kind favor - I diminished according to your
directions the dose of the Gum: Guaiac: Mixture which you had
formerly prescribed, but was frequently forced to discontinue the
use of it, by a bowel complaint, which that Mixture encouraged,
but as Soon as that disorder ceased I took again to the Mixture -
My head ache continued at night more or less violent with little
perspiration, till about the beginning of June I was Seized with
a violent pain in the Stomach, which relieved that in the head and
confirmed me in the Idea that it was a gouty humour flying
from the one to the other - I accordingly had recourse to drinking
Madeira Wine to drive it out of the Stomach, and imagined it had
in some measure the desired effect, 'till about the middle of july
I Set out for Paris accompany'd by my Daughter in Law - the journey

as usual agreed very well with me, but some days after my arrival
at Paris I was attacked by a violent bowel complaint attended by a
total loss of apetite, which at first I attributed to the Waters of the
Seine, but discovered at lenth that it was a billious disorder, by
a tendency to reach in the morning and at last throwing up clear
bile -. I then put myself upon a Regimen of Rice diet, refraining
from vegetables & all kinds of Sauces and drinking only Water that
had been boiled with a toast put in it - this last with a crust of
bread was & continues to be my Supper without tasting any Wine
or Punch at night - by this means the bowel complaint ceased
regularly and my apetite grew better - the head ache diminished and
some nights was very Slight, So that the last month I passed at Paris
I enjoyed tollerably good health, but am much fallen away - We
returned home some days ago & Since that time and indeed upon the
Journey my head ache recurred, which however I flatter myself may
be owing to a cold I gote since we left Paris and that it will vanish as

soon as I can rid myself of the cold -. the Perspiration which was in
a great measure Stopped is lately returned and upon the whole I
Sleep tollerable well at nights - while at Paris my right hand
Swelled at the first Index in one night without pain or being
any ways discoloured or inconvenient, except from the Stifness
of it, which Still in some degree continues - I am told t'is
a a Rhumatick Gout -. I have had no other Decided Simptoms
of that disorder since I wrote last - My lungs play more
easily than formerly & the expectoration comes off more freely
when it happens, which is {illeg} Seldom - I have for some
time been rather constupated, which may perhaps render my
taking some gentle laxatives in Some measure necessary -
When your leizure permits to consider this State of my
present Situation I Shall be glade to receive your good
advice for my future conduct - I flatter myself that my
health is now so well confirmed as to admit of my passing the
approaching Season at my own house -.

My Daughter in Law & eldest Son join me in kind Compliments
to you & all your good family - Catharine received within
these few days a Letter from your daughter Miss Peggy dated
in July, which must of consequence have been Somewhere
kept up - She promises to answer it Soon -

Dr William Cullen
Edinburgh

Mr. Gregorie
Octr. 1787
V. XIX. P. 299.