Letter of Adam Cuninghame, Bristol mines, to his father William, in Edinburgh. 1730 May 24

Containers:

Folder 1

Extent:

4 pages

Scope and content:

Cuninghame writes to his father detailing his struggles in Virginia. In part, he ascribes his difficulties to his own charitable nature writing: "I cannot see a poor planter asking my advice, or begging my medicines, without being touch't with pity and freely give him away the Druggs have cost me above 150 p cent. in this country. I must own indeed I do my endeavour to make it up witht the richer sort, but these gentlemen are so very carefull not to fall sick, as I almost despaire of making any thing of them." Cuninghame goes on to explain that physicians in Virginia attain wealth by becoming merchants not by practing medicine. "... in my humble opinion there is no way of making mony in this country so easy as by merchandizing, this being the occupation they all aime [sic]at, for after they have purchas'd a little stock by there [sic] Practice they presently commence Merchants, and so make their Fortune." Cuninghame explains that this is the route taken by Alexander McKenzie and Doctor Archibald Blair.

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