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Miss Irving of Gribton.

Some asthmas are relieved by heat, others by cold. I am
sorry to find yours are not by either. I own yours cannot per¬
haps be entirely removed but may be greatly relieved.
In the intervals of fits & tolerable weather take gentle
exercise on horseback as much as convenient. As I
imagine your fits can be foreseen by a considerable
disorder in your Stomach, a gentle vomit at that time
might break the neck of the following fit. When your
difficulty of breathing comes on, employ the pills in the
receipt below & I hope they will give you relief in bringing
away sooner from your breast the phlegm. Or if upon
occasion your breathing should be extremely difficult I should
not be afraid to employ a blister as it will surely not
prevent that cough & spitting which is to give you more
entire relief. Laudanum tho exposed to inconven¬
iences I cannot dissuade you from; but you must re¬
move the costiveness; either by flowers of sulphur or oleum
ricini if this agree with your Stomach. To try it:
take ℥ij of best Castor oil; put it into a phial with a
table spoonful in the morning. Shake the phial
well before pouring out the dose. You will soon find, in
case your stomach bear it, by trial or two whether the
dose should be increased or diminished. Purging is unnecess¬
ary. Keep only a regular belly . You need not come to Edinburgh
for I understand your case as well as if you were here :