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Two ailments in his eyes one an inflammation of the tarsus palpebrarum & as is
commonly, the case it is an affection of the sebaceous glands there. The other is the
muscae volitantes etc. This certainly an affection of the Retina, whether connected with the
external affection is doubtfull but I think not, because the external inflammation
not affecting even the adnata is therefore not the inflammation commonly communi¬
cated to the retina etc etc for another reason that I have seen 100 instances of each but
always separate. After this my notion, sorry to add, that they are both in my ex¬
perience of difficult cure. especialy in one who is obliged to use his eyes much,
but in that case also we are engaged to take the most pains. The external affection
may be supposed to depend upon some fault in the mass of blood but the nature of
that fault very uncertain & the one ↑the↑ most suspicious Viz. a scrophulous taint is of
very difficult cure. But whatever be in this notion about a fault in the blood
this is not the season to mend it but if the disease continue obstinate I shall give
you my opinion about the most proper measures. We may treat it as a local affection
& in that way I have often succeeded. There are 3 sorts of remedies [of?] which I had (ve)
had success i.e. Mercury, lead, copper. I use them all in form of unguentor
Liniment & begin with the mercurial ointment taking care to use one in which no tur¬
pentine or balsam of Sulphur has been used in rubbing the mercury & only s
as has been prepared according to (The) Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia ult. edit. ¹ with suet & lard alone. Even to
this I join at first an equal part of lard. Of that mixture I would have the bigness
of half a small pea put between each of the eyelids towards the outer corner. If
that give no smart, the strength of the ointment maybe increased till it give a
little smarting & that may be continued for a week or two. That time will determine
the effect of the ointment. The [il?] be good, you must not continue it longer at this
season as I suppose that Mr Brown must be a good deal abroad & if the weather
prove very cold this will not agree with the ointment. But if you see good
effects of the ointment, after intermitting it for a week or two especially if the wea¬
ther be favourable you may apply it again for a week or two as you see proper.
In the intervals & especially if the ☿ial seems to have little effect you must em¬
ploy the Saturninium in the same manner. Please take it as in the last Dispensatory ²
which is with half the proportion of saccharum saturni that was in the last & in the first trial

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you may take it down a little with axunge. In short it should smart a little but not
too much. The mercurial ointment must be used only at night but the Saturnine
may be used both night & morning & a little of the lead softens between two warm
fingers may be anointed on the commissura palpebranum closed. With respect to
both ointments please observe that one good affect is to prevent the gluing together
of the eyelids liable to be too troublesome in the morning & to secure that it will be
usefull when he wakes at any time of the night to put a little fresh ointments be¬
tween eyelids or if the ☿ial or ♄ine give much smarting the second unction may be
with the Liniment album (The) London Pharmacopoeia or areum (The) Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia. If the Saturninium do not
seem to answer the purpose you may proceed to the unguent. ex aerugine taking
down the strength of it as you shall think proper. By one or other of these
means I hope Mr Brown shall find relief & till you tell me otherwise I shall
not offer any further advice. The trials will at least put of a part of the winter
& bring us to a season when other trials will be more safe. In the meantime
you must constantly inculcate that it is extremely difficult often impossible
to mend tender eyes when the patient is constantly employing them & he must
therefore take pains to avoid both reading & writing as much as possible. I would
also say that moderate living & strict temperance in drinking, are very proper
for him & even necessary for him in spite of some strange stories that he
tells me, of which you upon the spot may be a better judge than I am. ³

With regard to his muscae volitantes I have to say that I have known
them go off without any remedies & I have known them to continue for life without
ending in amaurosis. However I ↑dont↑ say they are to be neglected & he may
be relieved by sparing his eyes & making a perpetual issue in
his the crown of his head which with a wig gives little inconvenience
issue are to go further it must be by a Mercurial course which neither
his business nor the season will easily admit of now.

I have received all your parcells & have paid your Draught but
as I do not remember of having paid for the parcel received at Kilmar¬
nach ⁴ I added nine shillings to the Sum in your Draught.