Marshfield, July 20, 1851.
MY DEAR SIR, — The
despatches for Mr. Severance were mailed and forwarded to the Department for
your consideration and final disposition.
To-day I am giving
attention to the Mexican treaty, the Indians, &c., but I am deficient in
materials from the Indian department, probably on account of Mr. Lea's absence.
I am gaining in
health and strength, but rather more slowly than I could wish. The truth is,
the attack at Harrisburg, in April, has never been quite overcome; and the
fatigues and the necessary labor and effort connected with the Fourth of July
may well enough account for this. I have been here now one week, and feel
decidedly improved, and pass a great part of every fair day out of doors,
generally on the sea; and despatch affairs which must be despatched only in the
morning. More than half the time I have dined in the boat, on cold meat and
bread.
But, then, the great
question, and the thing now most to be dreaded, is the catarrh, which the next
month has not failed to bring with it for so many years. In regard to this, I
have adopted some new views and opinions arising out of a letter from the
Reverend Mr. Croes, New Brunswick, New Jersey, a copy of which I enclose with
this letter. I am persuaded that voyages and journeys cannot be relied on with
any confidence; nor any change of air, nor the waters of any spring. I have
laid Mr. Croes's letter before Dr. Jackson of Philadelphia, who has adopted its
general ideas, and put me on a course of medicine, to be begun now, and rigidly
adhered to till the day for the regular attack of the disease shall come. He
adds iodate of iron to the hydriodate of potash. I begin the course this day;
and propose to remain here, unless I should some time hence go as far as Maine
and Vermont, for general recreation, or unless I should be summoned to
Washington, which I hope may not happen for the present. I shall keep a clerk
here, and attend to every thing sent by Mr. Derrick, and especially every thing
suggested by you. I keep out of Boston, and out of all crowds. Mrs. Webster
proposes to go to Saratoga, the Falls, &c., with her brother, Mr.
William Le Roy, and family, setting out about the 5th of August. As I shall
hardly be a house. keeper in her absence, I shall escape much rush of company.
I send with this a
gratifying note from Mr. Campbell of Charleston.
I see the Cuban
news. If there is to be a revolution in that Island, I am glad our hands are
free from stain. If the rebels make any progress, there will be serious work,
as I suppose that both France and England are under a pledge to guarantee the
Island to Spain. Our South will be all Cuban.
P. S. I am very
happy to see that Mr. Corwin is with you again.
[Enclosed in the foregoing.]
New Brunswick, N. J., July 15, 1851.
SIR,
— As I can deeply sympathize with all who are distressed by attacks of catarrh
or asthma, I take the liberty of stating to you, (having just read an article
from The National Intelligencer, in which mention is made of your case,) that
for years, in Indiana, I was affected with periodical attacks of the catarrh;
that during my visit to the Virginia Springs, in 1850, it assumed the
appearance of the "Hay Asthma;" that I tried the medicinal waters to
be found in Virginia, and at Saratoga; that I crossed the Atlantic in the
spring, for the purpose of making a sea voyage; and that I obtained little or
no relief, until I was providentially directed to the hydriodate of potash,
when a signal cure was effected.
The
case was considered by physicians of this country and by Dr. Stokes of Dublin,
an extraordinary case, and the rapid cure was certainly extraordinary. It would
afford me pleasure to learn that one occupying the distinguished position that
you do here, should receive relief. If you have not yet tried this invaluable
medicine, it has occurred to me that possibly your physician would not object
to your using it for a few weeks.
I am, Sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
Rовт. В. CROES.
[Extract from a
letter from Dr. Samuel Jackson of Philadelphia, enclosed in Mr. Webster's
letter of 20th July, 1851.]
Your
reliance must not be exclusively placed on the medicinal agents the
instruments; for executing the plan of operations, and giving to it a full
effect, you must assist yourself. I have to entreat you to avoid all exposures,
fatigues, or whatever will disturb or debilitate your economy. Such an occurrence
will almost ensure defeat.
SOURCE: Fletcher
Webster, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster, Vol.
2, pP. 449-51
No comments:
Post a Comment