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I could not Justify the neglect were I to Delay Longer Laying
befor you the case of my Brother Provost Hamiltone whos situation of Health is
very alarming & which gives all his family & his friends in General the utmost
Concern for the consiquence. I know if any Reliefe can be given from Humane
abelities & a goodness of Heart which only cam equal them I can say from
Experience they are to be found in Docter Culline, these flattering hopes are
magnified very much by the Particular attention you have given at Diffrint
times to this family & I wish I may be able to communicate to you the manner
in which my Brothers Deases represents itselfe to [us?], I am informed all
Last winter & the spring of the year in Particular he had great sweemings
in his Head accompanyed with absence of mind & a Dificulty to Express
himselfe, which by his apearence he Gladly would Do in one of these fites;
he had a Visit from Docter Wardrope who Practieses in our Nightbourhood he
Blooded him which he stood very well; for sometime he got quite of the Giddiness
but on that Complaint returning again he Put a Blister betwext his Shoulders
which by its not riseing & again applyed without his Ever getting out of
Bed, gave him we imagined a Degree of a fever & made him very
UnEasy. It Did its Business Pritty well ↑at Last↑ by Discharging a good Dale
of Humors but since his Back Heated he has been Plagued with Boils
in Circumference three Inches, very much inflamed, & Hott. These
we have indavoured to Discuss with Milke & bread, but as one is
mended another Brecks out. He was advised by Docter Black
& Mr Wood, who I find were Both Consulted about him, to trye the
Countrey, with Gentile Exerciese, & ordred Valerian Tea, the Bark,
& white mustard, which he keept by for a Long time reguraly, but
on his Disliking the Tea he now Drinks Sassafras which is more agreeable
to his taste; he has been several times out in a Carrige which Did

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him no Harme, but his own Choice was Horse Back, which Proposal was
much aproven of by Mr Wardrope & some time in the mounth of May
he rode out in a forenoon for some Hours, we imagined his Spirits would
be the better of it, but it had a Contrary Effect. He was sunk, not a word
could we gett from him. Eate his Dinner well, but befor he finished it
we observed a sleepiness which we could not Divert, for that was impossible
his Head inclined forward, & rested on his Chest. We Put him to Bed
& from four to seven in the Evening he Sleeped Closs, when he got
up again, he apeared more strenthened in Body, but his memory
& articulation very much gon, I may venture to say totally gon
Docter Black thought he had got Colld, being so Long on HorseBack
but this has not been the Case, this is the second Day after rideing
again, & the same sleepiness has returned in a severer Degree
& Continues with not a word from ↑him↑ & the same Defect in memory
in case you may atribute this alteration to the ride it is necessary
↑to acquaint↑ that at Breakfast the Provost apeared very Heavy, Low spirited,
weakned Every way, & his whole facultys Posessed of that
Drowsiness, one Eye almost shute, with a Little swelledness
below, & I think the whole face was swelld, the uper Lipe
Especially, with so great a inability in the Under Jaws, that on
his making an Effort to speak they shake, & as it were without
these Powers that makes them of use. I was much affected on
walking out with him to find he had forgot the nibourhood
Here, but on my naming the Diffrent Places he came to know them
again we are of opinion Likeways that he has Less strenth on
the Left side, then the right, his Body is well Published Eates
well & sleeps over night Calmely I had almost forgot to say
he Coughs at times & on that Hapening feels his Breast with his hand

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but this Part of his Destress is very slight. I have just one thing
more to mention, that my Father was once in the same
situation with a Blister not riseing & applyd again as
his sons was which gave him much UnEasiness or he
got quite of the Boiles but was neather so Long of Healing as
those on the Provosts Back or so Numberous. Mrs Crauford
has wrote Mr Wood by the same Post our anxiety
to have your advice I am Sir with great Esteem

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Doctor Willam Culline Physician
in
Edinburgh

✍
Provost Hamilton
July. 1780.
V. XI. p. 40.