Item 56 - Letter from Thomas Hawkins

44 Charlotte St., Portland Pl. - TH would like WW to help him get his discovery concerning the nervous circulation published: 'It is not that I fear to discover any knowledge, but I wish to avoid the charges which were brought against Harvey'. TH is fairly deaf to external sound 'but the pulsations of my heart break upon my ears like waves falling over'. While TH was composing his 'epic' he heard ticking in his head at a ratio of one to four with his heart beat. He believes this is caused by the circulation in the nerves - only when those nerves have been wrought to the highest tension do I hear the ticking'. He supplies WW with extracts from his negative exchanges with both Richard Owen and William Buckland.