Anne Whitaker, Salisbury, to Philip Whitaker, Bratton, Wednesday, 12 January 1820.

Wednesday Janry 12th 1820

My dear Philip

   I add a few lines to my Son’s letter to inform you more particularly of the result of an unexpected interview with Dr Fowler  He called on Mrs Saffery in great haste about 2 oclock on some business on whh they had previously communicated – when Mrs S. took the opportunity to mention my indisposition and sent for me – I told him that I thought it too soon after my journey for him to form much opinion of my case but he seemed intent on proceeding – I assured him that I was on the best possible terms with Dr S– but that he had no great opinion on medicine in my case. He immediately replied in his decisive manner – that I stood in great need of medicine and that he was persuaded I should not get well without it – indeed he had begun to write while this passed – by what I can see it is a very powerful toxic or rather combination of them – but he insists on a much more difficult means of recovery than taking medicine whh is that of being daily rubbed with very strong salt water beginning with a part of the body first and extending it by degrees to the whole surface but to have only one part washed at a time and when that is quite warm & dry to proceed to another – but the back he considers the most important part.

   Where I could find a person endued with sufficient patience & good will to assist me in such an operation I know not – I am going to try the medicine and he calls again in two or three days time. – I shall hope to hear a good account of you & all the dear [children] so that I am faithfully & affectionately

                                             yours

                                                         A Whitaker

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, p. 380; Reeves Collection, Box 20.2.(i.), Bodleian. Address:  Mr Philip Whitaker | Bratton Farm |Westbury | Wilts. No postmark.  George Whitaker (1811-82) was nine at the time of this letter. He would later attend the Frome Grammar School, after which he matriculated at Cambridge University. He was briefly a lecturer at Cambridge before taking orders in the Anglican church, becoming vicar at Oakington, Cambridgeshire, where he served from 1840 until 1851.  In 1844 he married Charlotte Burton, daughter of BMS missionary to Sumatra, Richard Burton. In 1851 he accepted the position as first Provost of Trinity College (now a part of the University of Toronto), remaining in that position until 1879, when he resigned and returned to England.