From John Goodsir 27 August [1863]1
South Cottage. Wardie | Edinburgh.
Augt 27.
My dear Sir.
I have obd. examined the slide—2 I have obd. no Sarcinæ on it. The spherical bodies are Torulæ in various stages of development.3 The minute black atoms are evidently the result of decomposition, probably of biliary matter. I find also epithelial scales from the mouth, single ⟨and⟩ coherent, generally in the vicinity or attached to small masses of a filamentous aspect, and probably also from the mouth. There is nothing on the slide referable to the food.
You will bear in mind, that Torula is generally present in acid matter ejected from the stomach.4
The Carb. of Potash has no doubt acted beneficially;5 and I trust you will now derive benefit from your visit to Malvern—6
I shall most willingly repeat the examination should the vomiting recur. Hoping that it will not—I remain | My dear Sir | Yours most truly | John Goodsir.
Charles Darwin Esq.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Paris, John Ayrton. 1820. Pharmacologia; or the history of medicinal substances, with a view to establish the art of prescribing and of composing extemporaneous formulæ upon fixed and scientific principles; illustrated by formulæ, in which the intention of each element is designated by key letters. 3d edition, enlarged. London: W. Phillips.
Summary
Has found no Sarcina on the slides of fluid [see 4272] and nothing referable to the food. Will repeat examination if vomiting recurs.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4278
- From
- John Goodsir
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Edinburgh
- Source of text
- DAR 165: 74
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp damaged
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4278,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4278.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 11