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Darwin Correspondence Project

From James Crichton-Browne   19 February 1871

West Riding Asylum, | Wakefield.

19th. Feby. 1871

My dear Sir

Thanks for your noble work on ‘The Descent of Man’ which reached me this morning.1 It is strong as iron and clear as crystal so fascinating that it has kept me from lunch and even from dinner. It is beyond all praise and I can only ask you to accept my sincere thanks for it and my assurances that it will henceforth be one of the most honoured and familiar inhabitants of my library.

Have you met with rudimentary nipples? I have a woman under my care now, who has a second small, milk giving nipple, with a distinct areola on one breast. I could send you a photograph if you desired it. I shall also endeavour to get you a photograph of the ears of a man whom I saw some time ago which were covered, with hair, not down but long strong bristles particularly long towards the top of the helix, & coming somewhat to a point.2

With profound respect | Believe me. | Yours most faithfully | J. Crichton Browne

Charles Darwin Esq &c &c

Summary

Thanks for Descent.

Offers photo of patient with a second small milk-giving nipple on one breast, and of man with bristles on his ears, which come somewhat to a point.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-7492
From
James Crichton-Browne
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
West Riding Asylum, Wakefield
Source of text
DAR 161: 313
Physical description
ALS 5pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7492,” accessed on 19 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7492.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19

letter