| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, thanking for letters, including one with continued news of mother's recovery; her mother is constantly over-active for her age and should take it more easily; Uncle and Aunt occupied with Miss Forster Walker who is being naughty; she has a tumour, and has been seen by Dr. Brock and Bastianelli; no operation can be done and the tumour is spreading, and will probably ulcerate and attack the lung or the heart; she is turning to stimulants but they reduce her to stupor every night; she is likely to have some kind of accident; she has now refused to go to the Blue Nuns but Bastianelli cannot take her so she must go; she will be taken in as soon as a room is vacant; Ripamonte will not keep her at the hotel; she fears the nuns as they will keep talking about the Virgin; she wants to go to Siena or to England, neither of which is wise at the moment; Uncle's Address will be on show at the congregational At Home this week; he preached on his reminiscences this week; Mr. Smith preached last week, and seems from the shape of his head to have some Eurafrican blood; he stares at Amelia and she does not like him; the hospital work is at last showing signs of progress; organisation is still poor and Dora hates the doctor, whom she calls a brute; the doctor in turn calls the patients green cauliflower stumps; Dora is prepared to stick to the work, however; more washing of furniture and shelving; a nun has begun to help a little; there is still plenty to do; one of the orderlies has complained that he is being made to sweat; a new orderly agreed to do everything he was asked for, but insisted that she buy him a razor; she is to take a milk-pudding to an undernourished patient; milk is diluted with starch added to give colour; the men are beginning to appreciate them. |