Letter 2615

Fol. 137 By Lord Chief Justice Eyre’s command I write this to give an account of ye most remarkable events in his Lordships long indisposition and ye methods of medicine he made use of under it. This first fever which … call payns in ye muscles of ye legs continued more than 20 days with little variation. Though three bleedings and more frequent purgings were on several occasions made use of. The want of signs of concoction either in the urine or by sweats defend ye use of the cortex, till such time as ye fever appeared under ye true symptoms of a regular intermittent one. The medicine though taken every two hours in the intermissions succeeded not till ye fourth day on ye first night after suppressing ye paroxysm. His Lordship felt acute payns in ye feet which were not attended with redness and swellings till ye fourth night. Hitherto had been forborne flesh, wine or mault drink without the … appearance of low spirits from that Regimen or ye Evacuations. He has since fed temperately on white flesh once 1 day with 2 or 3 glasses of wine. The gouty payns have frequently infested him since that time and have prevented ye use of his legs. A few days after ye gouty swellings, others of the anasarcous kind appeared, on which severe brisk … was advis’d and a bitter stomachick infusion to be taken day by and a cordial draught with confection Raleigh at night. These have been continued for above three weeks unless when interrupted twice by an accidental cold taken and fever following it, which were … by ye use of cordial testaceous powders, diluting and sweats remov’d. His Lordship is again in ye same method on ye Road, ye particulars you will be inform’d of by ye … hand and myne. I have no thing more to add but wishes of a good journey to his Lordship and good success under your care…