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your Patient Mr Sherriffe
Campbell is at present in a very poor way.
Mrs Campbell tells me you desir'd to be made
acquainted with any change that might happen
in his case, and it is at her desire that I give
you the trouble of this account of his situation.

During the Winter she observ'd strictly the
Regimen you prescrib'd for him with respect to
Diet Exercise & Medicines. Upon the whole he lost
no ground with respect to his Bodily complaints -
he had rather less heat & feverishness, and had a
much better appetite than before he went South.
He slept better or had fewer bad nights, and tho'
he had sometimes a tremor in his Limbs and a
degree of faultering in his Speech these symptoms did
not return often & seldom lasted above 24 hours;

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with them he generally complain'd of anxiety and
oppression about the breast. As the spring approach'd
these symptoms return'd more frequently, and there was
a kind of alternation very observable, that is, he
had his good & bad days alternately. From the
beginning of this disorder his spirits were a good
deal affected - indeed he was constitutionally subject
to variable spirits - sometimes a great flow, at other
times no less depression. This was the case before he
went South; since his return his temper seem'd
much changed, he became peevish, & more easily
provok'd to violent fitts of Passion. He conceiv'd
unreasonable prejudices against particular
persons, even those whom he formerly loved and
esteem'd most. This however was not always the
case, he had good days, and at times he was
all compliance & good humour, but at the same
time trifling & Childish. These Symptoms gradually

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increas'd in degree & returned more frequently and
about a month ago he began to wander, to talk
incoherently & to be thrown into the most violent
fitts of Passion & disorder upon the slightest occassions.
After such a Storm next day perhaps all was calm
again, he became rational & compos'd - and in this
way, days better & days worse he still continues.
It is proper to mention that the distress and per¬
plexity of his private affairs is the only
thing that can be suppos'd to have given
rise to this disorder, and he still harps upon the
subject, talks to himself of it when alone, and
is much affected by every little circumstance in
that way. I hope his affairs will soon be in a
better train, & that he will have no further uneasiness
that way - but his situation at present is truely
pitiable. I remain with great regard

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Dr William Cullen
Physician
at Edinburgh

✍
Doctor Alves
concerning
Sherriff Campbell
April 1780
XI. p. 4.