26 March 1904 diary of Dr John Stewart Muir (1845-1938) of Selkirk

Today saw the culmination of the worst of my colds I have ever had. Had no appetite. Kept bed all day. Jean¹ drove over to Fairnilea to ask for Mrs Smith.² Nancy³ + Maud Logan⁴ went with her. I got [?] more feverish till about 5 my temp was 103°. I began to get frightened + reflected that I had never yet enquired about wicker coffins. Took 6 comp. Pharmaceutical Tabloid⁵ in 3 doses at intervals of an hour + had a most copious perspiration which relieved me greatly. Sent for Meikle⁶ who examined me but could find nothing wrong. I had tried it myself with the [?]. This cough continued most harassing + hard + gave me no rest. Pollok⁷ called in the afternoon.

¹ Jane Henderson Logan ‘Jean’ Pike née Muir (1877-1941), Dr Muir’s eldest daughter.

² It is not possible to identify Mrs Smith because she and her husband William Smith, forester, were only recorded at Robin’s Nest, Caddonfoot in the 1904 and 1905 Valuation Rolls and there is no clue where they came from or later departed for.

³ Agnes Amelia ‘Nancy’ Roberts née Muir (1878-1948), Dr Muir’s second daughter.

⁴ Maud Logan is so far unidentified.

⁵ A helpful reader suggests that this must have been phenacetin, a pain killer and antipyretic introduced in 1887 in Elberfeld, Germany by Bayer. It was used principally as an analgesic and was one of the first synthetic fever reducers to go to market. It is no longer available.

⁶ Robert William Meikle (1870-1962), L.R.C.P. Edinburgh, living at Gowanbrae, Selkirk around 1904 [sources: Medical Register 1903 and Valuation Rolls, 1904] but moved to England between 1908 and early 1911. phenacetin, a pain killer and antipyretic.

⁷ John Pollok (1858-1938), solicitor, Town Clerk and Procurator Fiscal.

[Source: Scottish Borders Archives & Local History Service SBA/657/7, Dr J S Muir of Selkirk, medical practitioner, journal for 1904]