[Page 1]

1758 December 4

Returned from Ormiston-Hall to Hopetoun House
had not got quite free of the Cough and other
effects of the Epidemic, besides the other Com¬
plaints of Lowness and Oppression of Spirits
with restlessness in the night not only continued
But encreased greatly from great Concern
of mind

Tryed Mustard Seed with Rhue Tea morn¬
ing and Evening, Tar water Strong wines
Spices &c but with little effect. Had
Several threatenings of the Gout in both
feet but came to no height

December 16

Took a mustard vomit which wrought well
and brought off much Ropy phlegm and
no after Sickness, having taken 2 Spoon
fulls of Tincture of Rhubarb in brandy
with Spices immediately after the operation
& went to bed I was something re¬
leived by the vomit, but had much
wind in my Stomach and by Dr R ¹
Advice began to Drink Lime water
{leaving off other things} which seemed
to agree very well with my Stomach

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[Page 2]

December 19

Took a purge of Rhubarb & Jal¬
lap which brought away much slime {which the
Lyme water seemed to have loosened}
and this releived my complaints consider¬
ably especially when I cou'd get exercise.

Began to sleep a little better & quie¬
ter and to perspire better in the night
Continued the Lime water & encreased
from a mutchkin to a Chopin per day,
Stomach appetite and evry way better

24

Repeated the purge as above which
did well but not near so much slime --

After this had a slight return
of the Epidemic cold and all the other
Complaints of the Stomach watchfull¬
ness & lowness encreased ---

31st

Took another mustard vomit which
brought off much tough ropy phlegm
but did not work freely heaving been
much impeded by a great deal of wind.
Was very low after the vomit all that
day and the night and next day
after

1759 January 1st

Began again to the
mustard seed in the morning with Lime
water and Tar water before

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[Page 3]

Dinner & at bedtime but continued the Lyme
water thro the day & at meat to 3 mutchkins

2d a better night

All the rest of this month and most of the
next continued in the same distressed way
nor cou'd any releiff be expected from Medi¬
cine in the melancholy situation of the
Family. Tryed a decoction of Bark with tincture
of the same also Tincture of Tansey Rhue
and wormwood but found no releiff, only
the Lime water seem'd to be of some Service
especially to the Digestion & to Dissolve
slime

February

After the middle of this month
the weather being favourable got
a good deal of Exercise, resumed the
Decoction of Bark made very turbid &
strong an Ounce of Bark in Lib vi to Lib i
whereof 4 spoonfulls with 1 Do of Tincture
of Bark or of Tansy &c for a dose twice
a day. Still continuing the Lyme
sometimes with Sassafras infused in it -
and took some small doses of Rhubarb
or Sacred Tincture & Elixir which brought
away much slime sometimes very
tough & wind whereby I was greatly
releived

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[Page 4]

March

In the first Days of this month
had a tendency to a Looseness which Seem'd also
to do service. Began to have some
complaints in my head which had been
remarkably free and well the pre¬
ceeding Summer & thro the winter
Still felt very low on some particular
days without being able to assign
any immediate Cause----

The Scarcity of Urine thro the Day
and the very great Quantity & Limpid¬
ness with a strong violet smell in the
night continued thro this winter
but always decreased as the other
complaints abated passing more in
the Day and less in the night & of a
better colour-- Found Benefit from
rubbing my stomach & Belly in bed
which promoted the Descharge of wind

12 March

The Decoction of Bark
proving heavy on my Stomach dis¬
continued it and resumed the mus¬
tard Seed still continuing the Lime wa¬
ter, and taking the tincture of Tansey &c
as a bitter for my stomach between
hands with small doses of Rhubarb

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[Page 5]

or Sacred Tincture or Elixir which always
gave releiff tho sometimes they had
little effect but brought away wind

Extremely Low for one day but
releived by Rhubarb which had been inter¬
mitted some days gradually lessen'd
the Quantity of the Bitters, and Got
free of the dose I used to take about
3 or 4 o clock in the morning & yet
slept better than for some time
especially after Exercise ----

Last week of this month considerably
worse low & oppressed not only in the
Forenoon but also in the evening,
weather less favourable for exercise
had drank Hermitage ½ a bottle after
Dinner all this week but left it off
& returned to Madeira ----

Aprile 1

Took some Rhubarb over night and
20 gr of Jalap in the morning which
made me sick & reatch, but wrought
well afterwards & brought away much
slime, tho not of the worst kind &
gave releiff

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Thinking my Stomach might be clear
after this I began again with the Decoction
and Tincture of the Bark leaving off
the mustard Seed & Bitters but still
continuing the Lime water. The
Bark proved heavy & after a few days
was obliged to give it up and had
this week some bad days or rather
worse than ever without any other
apparent cause. This led me to
think of leaving off all medicines
except the necessary laxatives to
keep my belly regular & even to
diminish as much as possible all
hot things in which I doubt I
had gone too great Lengths --

Grew a little better towards the
end of the week ----

17.

Went to Ormiston Hall -----Conti¬
nued all the rest of this month and
part of next much in the same way
with frequent returns of Lowness
but rather less violent especially
when I got much riding ---

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May 18

Returned to Hopetoun House very much
down excessively low with all the con¬
comitant Symptoms in as great a
degree if not greater than ever which
seemed to fix & have less intervall
than usual. Slept very ill &c --

21

Took 5 gr of the cortical part of
Ipecacuan & wrought it off with
mustard water and hartshorn, it
operated 8 times very briskly with¬
in the hour from taking and
Brought away a great load of
phlegm very tough & ropy. This
gave considerable releiff being much
lighter and more active & Sleeping
some better after it. The great
Quantity of Limpid urine had for
sometime been gradually dimin¬
ished and at last seemed rather
scanty & generally high coloured but
seldom with sediment. After the
vomit began to drink Pirmont
water which seemed to agree very well
But having still heat & dryness in my
mouth with thirst (weather very hot)

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[Page 8]

and the other complaints tho greatly
abated not quite remov'd

✍

Earl of Hopeton
to
May 21 1759