Wilmington, 5th April, 1783.
My Dear Sir:
All the Letters you have sent are yet on the river. The vessels have been delayed partly occasioned by the division of the prize; partly by adverse winds. The letters intended by Hogg were given to Cochran and Eve, or one of them, and Paterson (if he does not change his mind) is to sail with the former. The Report of Gallies on the Coast has determined the latter not to venture himself at sea, and his letters will be delivered by your old acquaintance Livingstone, who takes Command of the vessel. As it is uncertain when these Vessels may arrive at Charlestown, I would not omit so good an Opportunity as offered by land. Mr. D. Mallett and Lt. Ivey set off to-morrow. In my last I mentioned that as upon the recovery (though if you receive this Letter before the others, I ought to have told you I had been sick); but I was then very unable to express myself clearly. Finding my stomach disordered and a feverish disposition, I proceeded in the usual form with evacuations and bark. The former gave me temporary relief; the latter I swallowed in vain. Imagining from my feelings that my stomach instead of a bilious Complaint, was loaded with acidities, I took two or Three doses of Magnesia and an absorbent, soon after I brought up great quantities of Bile which relieved me greatly. I immediately after finished my letter to you. I was gradually seized with a Stupid and heavy sickness, (I had just before swallowed some Magnesia), and once more concluded that my Complaint was bilious. The violent eruptions that followed soon after undeceived me, and when I was easy enough to reason, I found my disorder was to me new. I sent for the first time for Dr. Clay Poole; a young man of very high Character from Philadelphia, who studied under Dr. Rush. I knew he was sensible but happen to have no occasion to employ him before; and my time did not permit me to converse with him on medical subjects. Mr. McGuire, however, did, and has a very good opinion of him. In diet he is quite an anti-Cob-hamite. The very Vegetables condemned most by our old friend, are the favorites of this Gentleman; but he would not by any means recommend anything of that kind without animal food. In short by the judicious
questions which he asked me, and the regimen which he prescribed, I was convinced that he was perfectly acquainted with my complaint. He considered my time of life, a rich and generous regimen. His prescription (the materials of which I do not yet know—has in a great measure relieved my complaint, and I could travel immediately, but I must take a few Days to finish some business. We have had some foolish reports about the conferences for peace being broken; but from every point of view in which the subject can be taken, I am convinced it is without foundation, and is probably the lie of Speculators. Polly is in high health, Kitty as usual, and generally in good Spirits.