From Alexander Small (unpublished)
Dear Sir

I should in the beginning of my Letter make an Apology for not giving you, on this Letter, your title of Dignity belonging to your office, but not knowing what it is, will I hope plead my excuse. Tho’ you have not yet a Supreme Magistrate to confer Dignities, yet offices must give rank and Appellation of Honour: Happy at your age, to fill these Offices. You see Lord Mansfield has given up the [?]tigne of office, tho’ he is still chearful and enjoys good spirits, and is, I believe about your age, born in 1705.

Last Autumn I was very much afflicted with pain in one of my Kidneys, and passed a stone as large as a Kidney Bean. The pain and other Symptoms of gravel[?] continue. This made have recourse to a Medicine which I knew had given great relief to an Acquaintance. I consulted the Person who gave the Medicine, and attended the Patient during his taking it. On the other leaf you have the Account he gives of the Medicine and the Patient, during his taking it. I inform you of it that you may consult your Physical Friends in regard to it. I took but half the quantity prescribed, and certainly found great relief from it: and tho the Gout prevented my continuing it long, I still find the benefit of it. May you have reason to say the same!

Being much confined by lameness, and rendered unfit for Conversation by Deafness, I quitted London, to try what effect Country Air might have on me. I am here very agreably Seated, and enjoy as good health as a fellow, who has been many Year a Victim to the gout can expect at 78. I feel the want of Society, which will I believe oblige me to change the place of my Abode. If you favour me with a Letter, please to direct it to Mr Samuel More John street Adelphi who will forward it to me wherever I may be.

I lately shewed what I may most properly call your directions in regard to ventilation to one of the Messrs Adam of the Adelphi, who was so much pleased with it that he insisted on its being given to the Royal Society at Edinburgh, of which a Nephew of his is a Member [illegible] but its f?este there may be I know not yet. I was in hopes that you would have published it in your Transactions: but finding you ha[ve] not done so, I complyed with the request. If it is published by them I shall, as Sir R. Street says somewhere to Mr Addison, have joined to a Work of thine.

I beg to be most kindly remembered to Mrs Hewson I hope she and her Children are well. I am informed they are all with you. And let me not forget your polite and obliging Grand Son. I am with most Sincere Esteem Dear Sir Your faithful and Affectionate Friend and Servant

Alexr Small

I assure you I have no reason to relinquish my good Opinion of the  ?  Volatile Alkali. Just before the person you alude to began to take it, he had passed two hard stones, and very irregular. He had sufferd 4 or five Months before he passed them most sever pains in the Kidneys. He took the Alkali in a very large dose constantly for some weeks, and it acted so powerfully as a Diuritic as to Occasion[?] him sometimes to discharge 10 ? of Urine a Day, although he rank not more than 2½ tb of fluids; and he has not since that time which is now three years, had any return of his Complaint. I do not venture Since to give so large a dose as it brought on such an Irritation of the Bladder, as disabled him from retaining his urine. The Irritation went off gradually after quitting the Alkali. The   and dose which your[?] in[?]?was as follows
Aqua Ammonia
Ol. Oli   vet Amy
Aq:        distilled
Addressed: Dr Benjamin Franklin / Philadelphia / N: America
Endorsed: Mr Small Nov. 29. 88
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