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Mrs Hamilton tell me that Mrs Cunnison alters more freqtly
than she ought; that she is not quite right in that way, & par¬
ticularly is much troubled with cholic pains before the altera¬
tion comes on. This I have as the state of the case & many
such cases I have had. They are sometimes difficult & te¬
dious but we often get them mended & I hope we shall do so
in this. Mrs Hamilton tells me you wish to have the
medicines sent from this & they shall be by tomorrows car¬
rier. One, as a strengthening Electuary which Mrs C -- is to
enter upon as soon as an alteration is over & take the bigness
of a nutmeg twice a day that is at eleven or twelve fore¬
noon & again at seven or eight in the evening. The other
is a laxative Electuary. I hear Mrs C -- is of a costive habit
& this is therefore to be taken occasionally. Whenever she
passes a day without a stool she ought next morning to
take a dose of this Electuary. The dose at 1st may be a tea¬
spoonfull but if that does not give a motion she should next
time take 2 tea spoonfulls & at length three if necessary.
This should especially be taken when troubled with the cholic
pains at the coming on of an alteration, & I am troubled told
that she is then especially troubled with costiveness. In that
case the first thing to be studied is to open her belly by a dose of ye
electuary but it may be as properly done at that time by injec¬
tions of three gills of strained water gruel two table spoonfulls of
florence oil & and one of common salt. As I am told that
the cholics sometimes last for three or four days I would advise
to give such an injection every evening & after the operation
she may take a full dose of Laudanum that is as large a
dose as she had ever taken for it does best in a full dose &
is the only certain means of relief & is indeed a means of bringing
on the alteration desired. I am told you think of being in Edinr
soon to meet Mrs Barrel & the journey will do no harm, only