Item 165 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Caroline Trevelyan

1 doc

The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Thanks his parents for their 'very kind letters'. Bessie is doing well. In general the baby has done well, but they 'have had a little anxiety, which is now much less, about his colour': this was at first good, but has 'shown a tendency to yellow, which naturally made nurse nervous'. Dr Cornish has seen him twice today and is 'practically certain that it is ordinary jaundice, and not so far a particularly bad case'; he is 'quite sure it is not the worse kind of malignant jaundice, such as the last case', though he is not yet absolutely certain it is not 'some less complete form of bad jaundice'. The baby's colour is better this afternoon, a good sign, and 'the bowels are acting well, which they did not in the other case'; he is also 'quite vigorous, and not sluggish'. Since various degrees of jaundice are 'extremely common in babies', the doctor and nurse would not have thought much of it, had it not been for the previous case.

Will of course write by the next post. Bessie is 'not worrying unnecessarily', though was of course nervous, as they all were. Dr Cornish is 'quite satisfied' with her. Hopes his parents will not be too anxious, as the doctor has been reassuring and the child 'certainly seems better'. His mother 'must not think of coming, as Molly is always here, and very helpful'. Thought it better not to say anything in the wire he sent today but to wait until the doctor's evening visit, and has now told them everything, keeping nothing back. 'Politics look bad', but C[harles] writes that 'things are not yet hopeless'. Is glad his father is better.

Adds a note on 'Wednesday morning [23 Feb]' that the baby did not have a good night, and his colour is not good at present. Will let them know what the doctor says when he comes.