Click the images below for bigger versions:
Autograph Letter Signed, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, September 23, 1881, to Mrs. B. W. Edwards, Laceyville, Pennsylvania
octavo, 4 pages, accompanied by original pictorial mailing envelope, in very good, clean and legible condition.
$ 100.00 | Contact Us >
“…so
far this week Philada has been one of the most profound sorrow on the account
of the death of our beloved President, in fact, while upon the streets there is
nothing visible, either in the surrounding or countenance of the people, but a
sadly gloom aspect. The buildings are draped without regard to the expense and
even apple women have small mourning badges upon their baskets, indicating
their true knowledge of the sad situation and in many places your eyes are met
with the following sentences:
Beloved
in Life! Lamented in death! Immortal in history!
Nevertheless
we may adopt as our motto, the words of our Immortal Garfield, what he gave
comfort and true devotion toward in the death of our Lamented Lincoln.
God
reigns! And the government at Washington still lives…”
The remainder of the letter is
about Dr. Ely’s advanced medical studies (“in order that I may the better
qualify myself for future usefulness in my very difficult and perplexing
professional calling”) and the health of his correspondent, whom he had
examined and diagnosed as suffering from “Endo-Metritis” (“the disease is met
with continually in females at this time. I have seen four cases in private
practice with one of the Professors since I came to Philada; who took me in his
carriage in order to have me compare my case with his and the four are
identical with your condition…”
Richard H. Ely was then 50 years
old, had practiced medicine in the small town of Laceyville for many years
after graduation from the Pennsylvania Medical College and a year’s service as
a private in the Union Army during the Civil War.
