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Your very friendly favor of 25th Ult
came duly to my hand in course, and have wi¬
thout almost the smallest deviation complied with
your prescription, but in so short a time I can't
expect such an obstinate disease to be much better.
The only sensible alteration that I have noticed
from the time I had the pleasure of seeing you till
Two nights ago I had not so much as one Wete
Dream, this favourable circumstance greatly exhi¬
larated my spirits as I was in hopes of its having
taken farewel, but alas I reckoned without {illeg}
for both of these last Nights I have been in the same
disagreeable situation, which has thrown a damp
on my spirits I really think I feell myself more
weak and delicate since; the only neglect that I can
the least accuse myself of what you wrote me is that
for I think four nights before the late disagreeable re¬
turns that I had not taken any of the Nervous pills.
Whither such a small omission cou'd be the cause I
can't say. I am much troubled with pains in my
Bowels and I cant help thinking but Riding increase
it especially when almost any wind of consequence
Blows notwithstanding I have myself warmly cloathed
and by the time I Ride six or eight miles ↑gently↑ I am quite
over run with pains in my bowels and about the
shoulders and arms. This distresses me greatly as
it makes me often employ this fine exercise with
reluctance, as I find myself comparitively spea¬
king go out with a Whole skin and come home with
a painful one. Yet I am a litle uncertain whither
it tis the Riding or the open air I cant stand. As
I have noticed when amusing myself at a farm
in the neighbourhood, I mean standing looking at other
people working, the wind blowing pretty fresh at same
time, I have found myself exactly similar pained
to that on horseback.

My sleep is very imperfect altho I cant say that I have
had any alarming dreams since I consulted you. I
awake every night at midnight to make water, and
at that time constantly find my yard violently erected
but as soon as I have made water I find it no more
that way till next night at midnight or about it.
I find immediately after I pass urine that I have a
weakness of retaining it in for two minutes or three
afterwards it comes Involuntary but as their is only
a small quantity then it has no other bad effects
but wetting my shirt and Breeches a litle as I keep
well afterwards. The Costiveness is nearly the same as
formerly I can hardly say that get one sufficient Stooll
without yr laxative pills one of them at a time answers
the purpose very well. I cant say that I my appetite
is very bad when I am relieved from costiveness the
very same thing I have to say of the wind when , when my
belly is open tis by no means very troublesome ----

That you may in some measure judge of my con¬
forming to yr orders be so kind as attend to the following
which ↑I↑ understand to be your meaning. About six or
rather before it I get out of Bed and instantly goes to
the ↑shower↑ bath immedeately having to occassion to delay it on
account of sweating as I never sweat in bed precise¬
ly at seven I take Breakfast of Cocoa tea But I am
greatly puzzled about the kind of Cocoa you mean
as their is two kinds of it one of them they call the
shell which is of a leafy kind; The other sort is what
is called Ground Cocoa. I have had ½to of the one & a
whole pound of the other they are both very agreeable
to my taste and I shou'd think not a great of diffe¬
rence in the quality, but I find a great deal difference
in the price as the Shell kind is four times the price
of the Ground kinds, but to this I have no objection
providing the high priced kind is what you mean
pardon this long digression.) I sometimes take a litle sweet
fresh butter to my bread, and sometimes not being un¬
certain of its propriety, About half eight I get on horse¬
back and rides two or three hours, at one o'Clock I dine
taking strong beaf tea or some pretty strong mutton soup
having nothing else in it but a litle oatmeal to the [??]

the mutton soup, afterwards I take some beef, mutton
or Lamb, only one of them a time and then some Rice or
Bread pudding, as I find that vegetables is by no means
laxative I understand that even at dinner I shoud
hardly use them as you have totally discharged them
from supper if not laxative, at or between fix and
six in the evening I mount my horse and Rides
about an hour and a half at seven o'Clock I take
supper two parts thin water & one part new milk
and sweetten them well with Brown sugar, and
use it mostly to Bread sometimes to Rice, or porridge.
About half after ten goes to bed and rises as former¬
ly mentioned. I cant say but the regimen of eating is much
to my taste, but some constitutions woud not be very well
satisfied with your drinking as they woud think {illeg}
ther niggardly in that article but to me tis no hard{illeg}
for I am never dry therefore I never drink, I wish to
know your opinion in this if their be any needcessety of
drinking when I find no sensation of thirst, and as I have
no inclination for fermented liquor is not water alone as pro¬
per as anything. I suppose that I must continue at
the nervous pills for a good long time perhaps months.

Their is nothing in the present letter that I wish to
consult you more in th{illeg} the following. Unluckily my
horse is turned considerably lame so as to unfit him for
a long Journey, how woud it do for me to go to a friends
house near Loch Lomond for two or three weeks where
I might either have my own horse or one there if
he woud't do to ride as many hours in the day as I
thought proper, that Country is vastly agreeable for many
summer amusements, and having it always in my
power to take victuals at my friends I coud exactly
conform to same Regimen as at home, but when I go to
strange houses I am obliged to conform to take any
thing the people has to give me, be also kind enough
to let me know when over their (if you aprove of this
substitution) if I must bath in the Loch or River every day
as it will be unhandy to send the showerbath there.---
if I find my horse turn better as I hope he will I'll take long
excursions from that place perhaps 40 miles. This is a long let¬
ter, yet I hope you'll pardon me for laying my case at large open
to you and I have no doubt but you'll do yr best for me My circumstance
is neither high nor low and certainly will pay you for the great trouble I am
putting you to as such, as you may depend on hearing from ↑me↑ again.

I am exceedingly afraid too often. I shall be exceedingly happy to hear from you as soon as convenient. And Remains

Doctor William Cullen
Physician in
Edinburgh.

9 : 2 Over 3 N6

Mr Love of Paisley
12 Aug. 1778
V. IX. p. 16