Letter 2266

[fol. 106r]
Downpatrick
March 31, 1718

Honourd Sr
Though I am an utter stranger to yr person, yet
not so yr morills and character, which Has
embolden’d me to give you this trouble, in a case
of great extremity. And though at present no
fee go along with it; yet one shall soon follow
which, though neither silver nor gold, will yet
I hope be acceptable to a person of yr goodness
worth and ingenuity.

I have a son now about 30 years of age,
who for thirteen years has serv’d aboard the
Royal fleet, and for the most part in the straits
West Indies or African coast. He was all along
a man of great temperance and sobriety, And
I have good reason to believe, a stranger to those
vices and practises that are but too common to
men in that station. It is now two years since
he return’d. Last allsaints riding to, and from,
Dublin in very rainy cold and intemperate weather
in a pair of thinn Jocky boots. A little after
complain’d of a pain in the inside of his right
legg, which for a fortnight or three weeks gave
him little or no trouble in the day time, but
tormented him all night, we consulted all those
in this country who professed skill. And as the
consequence of that he was bledd ….. …..
both with lancet and leetches, blestered lanced

[fol. 106v]
An issue put in his leg, rub’d with Rum in
brandy, oyl of spick, oyl of cammomil, scurg’d
with nettles but all to no purpose, only upon
the applying the first blister the pain remov’d [?] from
the place where it first fix’d and spread it self over
the upper part of his foot just behind his toes,
after about his heel, anckle, nay sometimes to his
knew and loyn, the pain is become now so intolerable
night and day, that though he is a man of a brisk and
clean spirit, he can hardly forbear outcrys, And
yet all this time no swelling or disscollouring, but
the one leg to look at the same with the other,
and as to all the rest of his body seems to ^be^ a man
of a sturdy and healthy constitution. The great
greif that I conceive to see him in so tortured a
condition has extorted this from me, And I firmly
believe, that you will not grudge yr advice to an
old clergyman, yr countryman, admirer, and

most humble servt
Ja: Kelly


The bearer is also a
son of mine, to whom
If you will give yr advise
In this case he will transmitt it.

[fol. 107v]
For
Sir Hans Sloan
physician in ordinary
to to [sic] his Majestie
At his house
London