Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, 20 January 1802
Dear Sir
I wished to ascertain the best preparation for fixing & making hair grow before I sent any to you. However you shall have the best I know this week – I have been much attending lately, (among other distracting calls) to a specific for the gout – I cd have told you of it formerly, but then had not such facts as I now have. Last week I put a stop in 12 hours to the infly action of the gout in Mr Wyndham MP for Glamorganshire; & in 6 days removed a whole fit, calculated to last from 9 to 12 weeks, so in 50 other cases. It removes the fits & the disposition; upon <the faith> of 5 years experience, improving the constitution also. That you may judge of my opinion, on being questioned scrupulously in the D. of Devonshire’s case, I offered to give 5000 guineas if I did not safely & pleasantly eradicate the gout in 12 months, to receive 500 if I did –
The discovery was communicated to me (& to one other physician ) within the last 12 month – We are satisfied from our own experience of its safety & power in removing fits – & we are satisfied on the other points by examining the previous patients of the unprofessional discoverer. The nature of the remedy – which is an edible – & its insensible operation add to our satisfaction. It is quite pleasant – & we believe it will cure sciatica &c as well as gout – trials on this not numerous but all successful.
Should you write to Mr Boulton Junr or to any of your firm in town, will you be so good as say – that a box of books was sent for me to Mr Busch, as usual, in October last, & that if a clerk cd give me a line to say if it be at Hamburgh still, or drowned, or where it is, I shd be thankful.
Mr Forman may draw on me for all due from the pnc Instn I requested him to wait till I had collected all I could – which I have now done – I want an operator to keep in my [?house] on animal chemistry. Do you know any young man, zealous & with some dexterity, who is likely?
I am Dr Sir
your obliged & faithful sert
Thomas Beddoes
20 Jany 1802
Mrs Beddoes is tolerable – the child appears excessively strong & healthy – contrary to my expectation – She is much obliged to you and to Mrs Watt for your kind enquiries.
Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield / Birmingham
Postmark: BRISTOL / JAN201802
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Jany 20 1802 // Specific for the Gout
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/044/02