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I am desired by Mrs. Dempster to ask your opinion
with regard to Miss Anny's situation. As some of the particulars
of her case my have escaped your memory since you was
consulted about her formerly, I shall take the liberty to remind
you of the most material. Her chief complaints at that time were
pains that alternated betwixt the stomach & extremitys, they
fixed chiefly about the knees, att the same time the menstrual
discharge which she naturally has in greater quantity than is
usual, & which with her, returns generally at the period of
24 days) was increased to a degree that weakend her ex¬
tremely. You at that time presented for her Elix. Guiac. sol¬
utions of Gum Guiac, with the use of the coldbath in the
intervals of the periods & small doses of allum – She has con¬
tinued for these five or six months, more free from her rheum¬
atick complaints than she had been formerly, she used the
cold bath in the manner you directed, she used sometimes must¬
ard seed, sometimes sulphur, but for the most part a solution
of Gum Guiac as laxatives when costive, the last seemed
to give her more relief than any other medicine, when her
stomach was attacked with the rheumatick complaint,
the sulphur she only used for some time that she was

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afflicted with piles. For some months past as the uncomm¬
on quantity of the menstrual discharge has been the most
threatening complaint, & indeed was to when you was last
consulted, she used the cold bath very reglarly, took a decoct¬
ion of bark with Elix. Vitriol & small doses of allum, I
even gave her allum to the quantity of fifty grains in
the day, with tincture of roses during the period, it
seemed to moderate the evacuation tho it did not shorten
the period of its duration, she has never any appearance
of fever at the approach of the menses, no sense of pain nor
any appearance of disease of the organ, it seems to be
occasioned by an extreme delicacy of habit & weakness -
I have had but one opportunity of seeing her for some
months, which was the last period but one, during it she
took five & forty grains of allum in the day, the evacu¬
ation was more moderate than usual, I have just had a
letter with accounts, that the last which was over on
saturday, was attended with an evacuation uncommonly
great & which has weakend her to a great degree, to
prevent a return of which, is what Mrs Dempster chiefly
wants to have your advice. Upon the whole there is hardly
any other alteration in her case since you was last consulted
about her, excepting that in spite of the season her
rheumatick complaints are much better than formerly.

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I shall be very gld to hear from you as soon as it is
convenient in the mean time I remain Dear Sir

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Dr William Cullen
Edinburgh

✍

Sir Alexr. Douglas
C.
Miss Dempster
Vol. IV p. 117.