[Page 1]

[Page 2]

[Page 3]

[Page 4]

Sir / having heard of your Famed Knowledge
of Physick &.c. Thought proper thus to Consult you
of a Lingering Disorder I've been Affected with near two
years: Viz. in October 1772 I began to be a little Unhe¬
althy / which I attributed to Fatigueing my self too much with
Shooting and other Diversions and being [well?] footed and
sitting well betimes and Getting too much Liquor some times
/ but not frequent / I continued Unhealthy / being Weakish {illeg}
and sometimes chilly and cold and all Disordered and my Spirits
not so Alirt as usuall; Till about the beginning of January
1773 at which time I was suddenly Seizd with a Surfeit of Cold which
made me {illeg} Extremely chilly and cold Especially at my stomach
for about Ten Minutes then I Burst out into a free Switt which
greatly [Relieved?] me but continued very Poorly and Very Weak
weak for about a month longer and then was suddenly Seiz'd
in some manner as the former fit which brought on
a Slow Hecktic or Intermittant Fever Attended with low¬
ness of Spirits and bad Digestion as {illeg} allways a great Load
and Uneasiness at My stomach and Palpatations of the Heart
&.c. the Intermittent Fever continued ↑with very Irregular returns↑ from the first of
January 1773 Until about November in the same year -

And the {illeg} left me in such a weak state that I couldnot
walk about [ten?] yards at a time without the greatest Fatigue
And I have Continued Ever since in an Extreem ↑weak↑ state as now
I can only walk about One hundred yards without Fatigue or
ride on Horseback about two miles or so; I walk and Ride as
much as my strength will admitt of but finds little or no [Remit?].
Since the Fever left me I've Neither had any Cough or Spitt or
Shortness of Breath or Thirst or Pains, so that my present Complaint
is intirely Weakness and Bad Digestion. As Ever since the Fever
[left?] me Ive always had a Great Load and Uneasiness at My Stomach
Especiall after Eating I've a full and uneasy sensation there is
only some sorts of Victuals that agree with me and these are of
the lightest sort as milk or Bread Puddings or Broths or [Foules?]
I live much Upon a Milk Diet and Drinks nothing strong only
takes a little Port Wine some times after Dinner. I've Applyd
to a great many Eminent Physicians but have Recd. little or no
Benefit. I've taken a Great many medicines Especially the
Peruvian Barke in various ways, and the Tinc of Iron these
two Medicines I've taken for half a year by part and think [as?] they
do me no service. For [now?] a Stomach Plaister this half year
or more but find little Service from it - My Stools has been
allways pretty natural ever since I begun but my Urine

is always high colou[red] {illeg} is betwixt 26 & 27
I never had a Strong Cons[tituti]on though I enjoyd a pretty
good state of Health allways before this Disorder Seiz'd me -
My Occupation was always Husbandry - I'll be
for about a Week or fortnight pretty well / all but Weakness
and then be [loose?] again for a few days I'm some times
for a week or so that I think if I were only strong I wou'd be
quite weal - My spirits since the Fever left me has been
pretty well but is {illeg} sometimes a little lowish
- My {illeg} present Complaints is weakness and a Dis¬
order in my Stomach; my weakness is most in my legs
and Thighs - I've taken the {illeg} [four?] Vomits since I [begun to?]
and thought they di{illeg} this as a jus state of
my disorder; I therefore {illeg} as soon as convenient
write me an answer with your Opinion and prescription
for the said Disorder, and if you think Bathing in salt or fresh
water or a Voyage on the sea might do me service as of what
you thought proper - the Enclos'd I send you for your Advice
and what more you think proper to charge shall send it you
Please to Direct to me at Gatesgill to be left at the
gray goat in Carlisle. I Beg you'll not fail of sending
me an answer and you'll {illeg} presently oblige your Hble

To
Doctor Collon
Professor of Physick
Edinburgh