Handwriting Issue

[Maggie.]

'fugi silk shirt'

Definition of fugi silk:-

http://www.textileglossary.com/terms/fuji-silk.html

[maeeye]

Could it be "nipping on a foment".
Reason I say that is I think the first letter of sipping/supping/nipping is an "n".....I have trouble with it being an "s"
OBrien had just been poisened and he had been trying to drink mustard and water to help him vomit and also a Dr had given him a needle to help him bring up the poison...
I think "nipping on a foment" could be it.
Sadly he would die within an hour of the event we are trying to transcribe here on this posting.
Thank you all so much.
Mae

[Greensleeves]

I think he was sitting on a form ... it says at the end that his face was between his hands so that might suggest he wasn't holding a glass or a bottle.

[Maggie.]

What a sad story maeeye and it makes this piece very interesting.  I can see what you mean about it possibly being an 'n' followed by a barely visible 'i', however I cannot see 'foment'.

The 's's throughout are very variable.

[Greensleeves]

I agree with you Maggie, his 's's are somewhat inconsistent.

[Maggie.]

If maeeye's thoughts on it being 'foment' then either 'nipping' or 'supping' would fit. 

[Greensleeves]

As a foment (according to my googling) is an externally applied warm, moist poultice, would he be likely to be supping or nipping on it?  Of course my medical knowledge is zero so I am happy to be corrected.

[Maggie.]

OBrien had just been poisened and he had been trying to drink mustard and water to help him vomit 

Could this mustard and water concoction be the ingredients of a handy mustard poultice? If he was desperate enough it might have been the only thing that was hastily to hand?

I suspect I'm getting fanciful and I'm still not happy that the word says 'foment'.

[Greensleeves]

I agree Maggie, I'm not sure it's 'foment'.  Who actually wrote this account?  Was it someone likely to use the word 'foment'?