Forwards a book [Horace Dobell, Lectures on the germs and vestiges of disease (1861)] and a genealogical table at the author’s request.

Sends two [unidentified] papers on inheritance of medical malformations. Suggests that besides the inheritance of specific variations, the tendency to show variations in the same organ system (stomach, nervous, etc.) may also be inherited.

Will seek answers to CD’s questions on expression. Observing patients’ blushing. Is CD interested in the platysma during screaming under chloroform?

Thanks for Variation. Expects to be made more ashamed by his ignorance of the "influence of inheritance on the variations and mixtures of disease".

"I enclose a note from Lord Fitzwilliam about his horse with zebra-marks. The case seems as striking as I believed."

"I am at work on the nervous mimicry of organic disease: I have some hope that, during my work, I may fall on some facts which may be of interest to you, and you may be sure that I shall send them to you."

"Sir William Gull has just brought me the enclosed quotations from Chaucer, as illustrations of the closure of the eyes in effort. [In "The Nun’s priest’s tale" in Canterbury tales the fox tricks Chanticleer into crowing, whereupon Chanticleer closes his eyes to make the effort (and gets seized by the fox).] He begs me to send them to you.

I have lately seen a terrier who very distinctly frowns during mental excitement – not always with anger, but often, I think, with anxiety, as in expecting food."

Describes a patient’s ears with peculiar tufts of hair in places where he has never seen them before. Encloses sketch.

A letter introducing T. F. Burgers, President of the Transvaal Republic.

Thanks for Insectivorous plants.

Intrigued by the analogy between fairy-rings and annular skin diseases, e.g., herpes and psoriasis.

Encloses copy of description of an outgrown stump. Refers to letter [missing] in which CD reports on a case of amputation. Would like to check J. Simpson’s cases before thinking everything is settled.

Instructs CD that his son [William] should take a holiday following his concussion.

Regrets that he cannot send the promised volume [Biographie médicale, 7 vols, 1820–5, biographical appendix to Dictionaire des sciences medicales]. Offers to have his son make an abstract of the biography [of Erasmus Darwin].

Thanks for Erasmus Darwin. It is a rare life and an unmatched illustration of the transmission of intellectual strength.

Sends a copy of his lecture Elemental pathology: an address on elemental pathology delivered in the pathological section of the British Medical Association (Paget 1880).

Thanks CD for his note and his new book [Movement in plants].

Makes him feel "we must go beyond plants for a really elemental pathology".

Wishes he knew enough about crystals to work at them.

Asks CD to lunch to meet the Prince of Wales.

Thanks for Earthworms. Is going to Nice for a few weeks to recuperate.

No summary available.