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Tuesday Dec 12th Had to go & see Megen this morning
Found him a used up sort of a patient has neglected
himself for years has a spleen that fills nearly all his
abdomen liver perfectly torpid &c &c-- Gave him 8 drops
of croton oil--, some spts nitri dulc &c; Waited at
the house till an hour after dinner-- a rough set they
are out there--; a pretty little Susan Octavia, the only interesting
object about--, she gave me some corn beads for "my little
girl", left Megen asleep & better, his physic not yet
operated, promising to call next morning.

I shot a bitch this morning--; the "fons et origo" of
all the noise last night Dr Caldwell & I went to
the spot at about dusk, drove off the disconsolate troop of
dogs who watched devotedly around, and cut her open
taking some viscera home for dissection--, we sat up late
proposed mutually a trade of horses Mine will not
do me-- He is a skittish fool-- I must have his Tom

Wednesday Dec 13th
Went again to Megen's found him better had
been purged tremendously, wanted to eat a dish of hog
brains & greens I prescribed, & told them if he eat the
brains not to send for me for I would'nt go--
Dr Caldwell & I made a trade-- an extravagant one, on
my side, one might say, who knew nothing of the merits
& demerits of the case-- We swapped horses & I gave him
my note for one hundred dollars-- so that Tom when
paid for, will have cost 215 dollars or 220--
I think I'll be able to pay for it.-- with Tom's aid. The Dr & I went gunning
around the cotton field after dinner He shot two
hawks which I have deprived of their soft parts for
the purpose of skeletonizing-- We saw the new
Fashion pass by, as we were at the river, towing a
barge-- a very pretty vessel-- Dr Mitchell of
Marianna came in after supper-- came down to
the Port on the Boston-- has been up in Ala-- is going to settle
in Glenview, Barbour Co-- I bot a table & calico to cover it with.
from Friday found a cowbell in the field &c &c &c