I received a letter a few days ago from a cousin of mine in Worcester, Mass.Expanded:Massachusetts urging me to write to you in regard to my husband’s health.

She told me of some wonderful cures effected by yourself through a system of treatment which she says is called Christian scieneCorrected:Science.

Now I must tell you in the beginning that my husband is not a christian neither is he a scoffer of religion, but a respecter of it. I hope I am one and his spiritual and physical condition is a subject of daily prayer. I tell you this because I do not know if faith on the part of the patient is necessary or not. My cousin said you did not give medicines so I concluded it must be through faith in prayer. I wanted to write to you as soon as I received the letter but he said, no, how were you to do him any good so far from you, but said if he were in Boston he would certainly go to see you and talk with you. I thought that looked like there was a grain of faith there, so I have insisted on writing you can at last he has consented.

I hardly know how to explain his trouble to you there is so much of it.

For several years back he has suffered for five or six months at the time with severe spells of meloncholy Corrected: melancholy or depression. He is natural by an active lively, sociable man, full of jokes and fun, devoted to having company, never sees the dark side of any thingCorrected:anything and generous to his own detriment. Now he is low spirited and nervous to such a degree that he wants to be alone, that is, he wants non one but me with him, and the idea of a visitor coming in the room where he is, puts him in nervous tremors.

He takes no interest in his business, goes to market because he is compelled to, then comes home and lies down the rest of the day. He has no appetite and does not average three hours sleep in the twenty four Corrected: twenty-four . His head troubles him all the time, not a pain but a heavy foolish feelish feeling. He cannot read the daily papers even. I read them to him and he cannot always bear that much. Sits or lies in the most dejected manner pricking at his finger nails I think if he could sleep nights he wou would not suffer so much from nervousness. Last night he slept from eleven to one and not another wink all night. He is not willing to take opiates but I went to his physician who gave me something to quiet his nerves and get him in a condition for sleep, but it has no more effect on him than water. Sometimes he gets so extremely nervous that he cannot come to the table where his own family are is. He has a constant oppression at the stomach all time. I think if something is not done for him soon he will go crazy. When he first suffered from this, the Drs. treated him for liver complaint. Then some one Corrected: someone told him it was caused by hermia Corrected: hernia from which he suffers very much and has from a child ten years old. His eyes have troubled him for a long time and last Summer he had an operation preformed Corrected: performed on them by an occulist Corrected: oculist in Baltimore who told him that some of the muscles leading from the eye over the brain were contracted and pressing on the brain and caused that depression of mind and when he cut them he told Mr. Richardson that he had made, a new man of him and he would not have that trouble any moreCorrected:anymore. He did think there was something in it as he never had the headache any moreCorrected:anymore until now and before that he suffered with it all the time. When he was first taken about four I weeks ago, I wrote to Dr. Reuling and he said bring him to Baltimore at once, that he thought some further operation was needed. Mr. R. has not felt able to go to him again as his charges are so enormously high; and his business is so dull just now that he is rather cramped. That is the main reason he did not want me to write to you. He said he was afraid you could not treat him here and he did not see how he could go to Boston now. My cousin said you did not always require the presence of the patient, so I determined to write.

I do not know if I have made myself plain, though I have written at such length. It is so hard to state a complicated case explicitly.

Please write me as soon as possible and let me know if you think you can help him any, and your terms.

I feel like I shall be as nervous as he is, if he does not get better soon

My dear Madam, if there is any thingCorrected:anything you can do for him by God’s help, please do it and you shall have our lasting gratitude.