Discoveries in Tropical Medicine

Abstract

I AM much astonished to learn, for the first time, from Dr. L. W. Sambon's letter in NATURE of May 27, that during the whole period of my work in India (from April 1895, to February 1899) he “was almost daily at Manson's house” and was allowed to read my private letters to Manson and to “discuss every detail.” Are we to understand by this that his almost daily visits to Manson's house continued for all this period, and that during it he read all my letters to Manson, numbering 110, and averaging a thousand words each in length; or merely that he read a few of the letters which Manson showed to him from time to time? Dr. Sambon would appear to claim the former interpretation of his words, because he proceeds to suggest that he is intimately acquainted, in consequence of his knowledge of these letters of mine, with all details concerning the relations between my work and the theories of Manson. If so, I can only say that I am amazed and hurt. Many of my letters to Manson were of a very private nature, and it is difficult for me to believe that he would have handed over the whole of this correspondence without reserve to a gentleman who was at the time a stranger to me and was in no way concerned with my affairs.