1798

Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 19 December 1798

Dear Giddy

I much regret that my absence on a journey prevented me from answering you by return of post & still more that I cannot return any thing like a precise answer – The person with whom I so much pressed Miss Baines to go, though detained several weeks in king road & certainly far gone in a consumption, lost all his complaints before he arrived at Madeira, & is now here without any – I have known people in the last stage of consumption so weak as to be carried from their lodgings to the boat, recover & continue well for years – This I need not add is not the general result of such experiments – Yet the proportion of consumptive persons whose symptoms are suspended for a longer or shorter time by sailing is greater according to my experience than is commonly believed –

I would <not> take any medicines during the voyage, unless an aperient sh^d be necessary & for this I w^d eat a few figs or French plumbs –

On arrival I w^d take half a grain of opium thrice a day at breakfast, dinner & bedtime with rhubarb just enough to counteract the binding effect of the opium –

As to fee, if you have not spent it already pray spend it for me in fossils –

Mrs B. has received your sister’s letter – all well – she begs to be remembered to your family as do I

Yrs with all good wishes

Thomas Beddoes

19 Dec 1798

You must judge as the possibility of reaching Portsmouth Most consumptive people bear travelling beyond expectation

Address: Davies Giddy Esq / Tredrea / Marazion / Cornwall
Endorsement: Doctor Beddoes / 1798 / Dec^r the 19^th
MS: Cornish Archives MS DG 42/14