Sends seeds of 'Digitalis lanata' Ehrhart, 'Saxifraga mutata', and 'Verbascum nigrum' with white flower. Acknowledges Smith's letter of 17 April 1796, will respond more fully by next post, his time currently taken up supervising workmen working on his garden. His daughter died in March at 20 months. Recommends treating the 'Digitalis' like a hardy greenhouse plant.

In red ink at top of first folio: "Mr Davall's last unfinished letter".

Revived by Smith's letter of 17 January 1798. His health totally destroyed, intellect affected and faculty of speech impaired at age of 35 by "frequent attacks of one of the most terrible" convulsive disorders. Fears he was too copiously bled on 2 February 1797, losing 150 ounces between that date and end of March and blisters applied to his leg caused violent cramps and tortured his nerves. Attended by a too young doctor trained at Pavia who thinks his ills come from an obstinate constipation caused by too frequent use of purgatives. Has taken a deluge of 'Valerian officinalis', 'Cinchona officinalis', flores zinci, 'Moschus', 'Viscum album', and since 10 January wholly on milk diet.

Letter unfinished and unsent, enclosed in Henriette Davall's letter of 10 October 1798 informing Smith of Edmund's death.