1794

Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, 3-4 September 1794

I hope my last letter which was conveyed by the Gloucester carrier from Painswick reached you safe – your last w^d cross it on the road. I had yesterday a letter from Mr Reynolds in answer to my second respecting the manganese & other matters. He says my first never reached him – I hope you will have it by this time. I have no Exeter manganese & can get none here, but believe Mr Keir c^d supply you with a very small qt^y of Exeter Manganese.

I am much pleased with your application of water to nitre – & somewhat chagrined that I did not fall on the idea myself – This with the analogous facts respecting aerated barytes &c has not been explained by the antiphlogistic doctrine; nor can I explain them – according to its principles.

The first ½ sheet of your description will be set this, or early, next week – will you have it? or will you send me the drawings to examine the references, for as I like exactness in such things, I sh^d feel hurt if a single reference was wrong – Capper is come but the last symptoms are upon him, as the swelling of the feet & some diarrhea – Dr Gilby says he has been in a confirmed consumption this twelvemonth – I cannot hope to stop the ulceration; yet it seems if art sh^d ever become so perfect, a patient with a small portion of lungs might live not incommodiously –

I this moment receive an urgent request to bespeak one of your apparatuses for ‘Mr Knight’ ‘Painswick Gloucestershire’. & may I trouble you to order it sent by the very first conveyance – if a small one is finished, I sh^d prefer that – if not I think the patient w^d not wait a moment & therefore desire any one that is ready. As Mr K will use no oxygene, if the apparatus with the tube is ready, that may be sent, only there sh^d be 3 or 4 tubes. Your clerk will of course send Mr Knight a letter of advice – & I will be responsible for the payment – It may be entered ‘Mr Knight, ordered by Dr Beddoes’ but as I shall go to Painswick the moment it arrives, I will take care the money is then remitted –

N.B. as I suspect the tube will not do for zinc & my patient must have zinc air, we must have a pot too –

I beg my comp^ts to Mrs Watt & your two sons & am
Dear Sir
Yours sincerely

Thomas Beddoes

Sep^r 4^th My last letter was sent from Painswick on Friday the 29^th Aug^t

Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Sep^r 3^d 1794
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/28/13