| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding mother's illness; Dr. Innes had hurried to help father with a planned operation, but his journey was delayed and by the time he arrived it was no longer felt that there was need of one; Uncle's prayers for her; new quicker route for letters; David Henderson's visit for tea; Congregational At Home next week, probably the only one of the season; another operation for Dupont in Chambéry; the cubital and median nerves sutured; more massage would have made this unnecessary; Le Goff's foot is also to have a second operation; this probably means amputation; Crochu writes that he is back in hospital, his arm almost useless; Lefèvre is also in despair; by contrast in Rome there are so many malingerers that she is disgusted; work is never completed anyway and conditions are terrible; description of trying to wash a particularly dirty patient; they now have a gas stove but the dentist keeps locking the door to the room in which it is kept; she does not entirely blame the doctor for his bad temper; Baroness Sonnino and Miss Stewart are anxious for her to take over the whole ward and go every day, fitting in massage when she can, which is not her intention; there are seven people there able to do what she would do if they could be bothered, whereas only she is trained to do the massage; the hospital seems to provide nothing, and expects the ward nurses to bring in pillows, flannel vests, cleaning equipment, etc., themselves; Dora Polkinghorne is working well and they get on together easily; Mrs. Polkinghorne has broken the two side projections of the leg bones at the ankle and will be laid up for two months; John Trewhella scalded his foot with a burst hot water bottle; account of Blake's visit; he gave his lecture at which Mrs. Rowat thought Uncle was ill, he was so pale; Uncle was annoyed at Blake exploiting the soldiers for entertainment; some liked the lecture; he seems to be Scottish but Anglified; Aunt has seen the notice of Mrs. Heron's death at Kirriemuir. Enclosed is a copy in Amelia's hand of the 'Address presented by the Members of the Presbytery of Italy to the Rev. J. Gordon Gray D.D. on the occasion of his ministerial jubilee'. At the end is a physical description of the presentation copy, with notes on who did what. |