At this time he began to complain of palpitations of the heart; yet, it is probable, that he had been affected with these before, since he was unaccustomed to mention any complaint, which was not sufficiently distressing to require relief. He experienced a difficulty of respiring, as he ascended the stairs, and became remarkably susceptible of colds, from slight changes of clothing, moisture of the feet, or a current of cold air. His sleep was unquiet in the night, and attended with very profuse perspiration; and, in the latter part of the day, a troublesome heaviness occurred. The sanguiferous vessels underwent an extraordinary increase, or, at least, became remarkably evident. The pulsation of the carotid arteries was uncommonly strong; the radial arteries seemed ready to burst from their sheaths; the veins, especially the jugulars, in which there was often a pulsatory motion, were every where turgid with blood. The countenance was high coloured, and commonly exhibited the appearance of great health; but, when he was indisposed from catarrh, this florid red changed to a livid colour; which also, after an attack of epilepsy, was observable for two or three days on the face and hands. This livid hue was often attended, under the latter circumstances, with something like ecchymosis over the face, at first formidable in its aspect, and gradually subsiding, till it had the general appearance of an eruption, which also soon vanished.
These symptoms increased, almost imperceptibly, during the five first months of the year 1808. Much of this time was passed in close application to official duties; and it seemed that a constant and regular occupation of the mind had the effect of obviating the occurrence of any paroxysm of disease, as well of epilepsy, as of difficult respiration; and that a very sudden and disagreeable impression generally produced either one or the other. There were, indeed, independently of such circumstances, some occasional aggravations of those symptoms. Some nights, for example, were passed in sitting up in bed, under a fit of asthma, as it was called; sometimes the mind became uncommonly impatient and irritable; the body gradually emaciated; yet the appetite and digestive functions remained principally unimpaired; and persons around were not sensible of any material alteration in the condition of the patient.