A letter to the right honourable and honourable the directors of Greenwich Hospital, containing an exposure of the measures resorted to by the medical officers of the London Eye Infirmary, for the purpose of retarding the adoption and execution of plans for the extermination of the Egyptian ophthalmia, from the army and from the kingdom / submitted for the approval of government by Sir William Adams.

  • Adams, William, Sir, 1783-1827.
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to the right honourable and honourable the directors of Greenwich Hospital, containing an exposure of the measures resorted to by the medical officers of the London Eye Infirmary, for the purpose of retarding the adoption and execution of plans for the extermination of the Egyptian ophthalmia, from the army and from the kingdom / submitted for the approval of government by Sir William Adams. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    These epistolary extracts readily account for the transient duration of that ill-founded resentment, which had, I <loubt not, been artfully instilled into the ])osom of Mr. Saunders, naturally the seat of every kind and honourai)le sentiment. When I disclaimed the idea of anticipating him in the communications of his practice, he did me the justice to believe me ; and our correspondence immediately resumed its for- mer tone and character, and continued to the close of his valuable life. About a fortnight previous to his death he executed a commission for me with all his accustomed kindness ; and Mr. Milford, of Exeter, who saw him only a few days before he died, assured me, that he retained his regard for me to the last. In a letter from that Gentleman, dated Brighton, Jan. 16, 1815, is the following very pleasing communication:— It happens to have come within my own knowledge, that the late Mr. Saunders thought well of you to the last period of his life. A few weeks, or rather I incline to think only a few days*, before his decease (by which professional science sus- tained so severe a loss), I had a pretty long conversation with him at his house in Ely-place. He spoke of you with much respect, and seemed sincerely to rejoice at your professional success, as well as that of our West of England Eye Infir- tertain of my conduct. I was not conscious, either on the score of honour or friendship, that the formality of apology was necessary from myself, and there- fore could not wish Mr. Johnston to play the proxy on the occasion; and could I have possibly foreseen his design of apologizing, instead of merely giving the explanation as I desired, I should have seriously interposed to prevent its execution. My acquaintance with Mr. Johnston, which had been of so short a date, was in consequence of the following passage, in a letter which he brought me from Mr. Saunders :— If you have regard for me, shew it by your attention and « kindness to the bearer. How far Mr. Johnston merited the zealous and friendly services, which, it is well known to all my Exeter friends, he afterwards received from me, I shall leave it to others to determine from this act. If he thought my first letter to Mr. Saunders required an apology, why did he permit me to send it? He acknowledges that he was a principal party in my counsels;» and, by my letter of explanation to Mr. Saunders, it appears lie actually read the letter, for which he here makes an unauthorized and unnecessary apology. •This conversation took place only three days before the death of Mr. Saunders.