To John Tyndall 27 December 1874
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.
Dec 27 1874
(Private)
My dear Tyndall
I know how deep an interest you feel in Lady Lubbock, & I believe that you are more likely to be able to influence her than any other person. Mr Birkbeck called here yesterday & said he thought she was dying, as she eats nothing; but I think this is too gloomy a view—1
She is attended only by Dr Erasmus Wilson, who, some time ago, said he was puzzled by her case. Mr B. has tried to persuade her to see some other Dr; but she answered it wd only send her to her grave so much the sooner. He seemed rather huffed at Sir John, & said it was of no use speaking to him again. Now I believe diet, restriction of stimulants &c, will alone save her. Therefore I further believe that Dr Andrew Clark, who does not trust in physic, but has the great art, of compelling his patients to obey him, would be the best man.2 If you agree with me, & can do any thing, I am sure you will be anxious to do so. I feel sure that my intervention ought in no way to appear—
I ought to add that Mr B. thought that Sir John is now thoroughly alarmed, but has no influence over her—
yours very sincerely. | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Summary
Asks JT to persuade Lady Lubbock to change physicians and put herself in the care of Andrew Clark. Thinks this alone will save her.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9784
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Tyndall
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 261.8: 22 (EH 88205960)
- Physical description
- LS(A) 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9784,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9784.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22