[Correspondence between Dr J.Y. Simpson, Dr Robert Christison, Professor James Miller, and others].

  • Miller James, 1812-1864.
Date:
[1852]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Correspondence between Dr J.Y. Simpson, Dr Robert Christison, Professor James Miller, and others]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    where in full. I submit to you, that this is very needlessly aggravat- ing the feelings of the friends of my patient, and can do no possible good. Yours truly, (Signed) J. Y. SIMPSON. Professor Miller. [As this sheet was going to press on Friday afternoon, I received a letter from Professor Miller, acknowledging my letter of last night, maintaining his former grounds, proposing a reference to the Council of the College of Physicians (a measure which would merely painfully and uselessly protract the discussion), and threatening to bring forward sundry matters which he had hitherto passed over.] XIII.—Dr to Dr J. Y. Simpson. 28th April 1852. My dear Sir,—I cannot tell with what feelings of indignation I have just been informed of conduct imputed to two medical men, in liaving dared to pry into the circumstances connected with the last illness of my lamented wife. The names of these individuals I have not heard, nor, need I say, have I any desire to learn them. ****** The subject is one, which I need not say, opens up painful wounds; but it would ill show all the gratitude I feel for your kind attention, were I to shrink from vindicating your professional character. You will not ask me to enter into details; but you have my authority for .stating, what those who know me will believe, that I have no hesitation in asserting that considerably more blood was lost on the occasion of a similar operation performed by Mr Syme two years ago, than on tiie late sad occasion. I assure you that the hemorrhage never made me uneasy; it was only when the restlessness and malaise which must always follow such operations, were succeeded by increasing pain, and a rapid, unsteady pulse, that I became alarmed. I cannot doubt for a moment, that peritonitis was the cause of my poor wife's death. More I cannot write on this subject; but I hope I have said enough to enable you to stop the mouth of slander. My testimony may not be credited by the two individuals in ques- tion : this, however, will not prevent those whose opinion I value from believing me.