To Stephen Paul Engleheart   2 June [1869]¹

My dear Sir

Will you do me a favour by observing during next few weeks any women just towards the end of parturition especially in a bad labour; you will, I believe, observe that at the last & worst efforts & pains, they close the orbicular muscles round the eyelids, like a Baby when crying; now what I want to know is whether this muscular contraction cause a few tears to flow. Of course the woman must not be crying from suffering in the ordinary sense. I want to hear about the same point during violent retching, when nothing is actually thrown from the stomach, which c^d. get into the nose, & thus irritate the membrane, & cause tears.— I sh^d be very grateful for any information on above point.—²

As I am writing I will ask one other question: have you heard any credible account of good being derived in dyspepsia & nervous weakness from “Pulvermachers Volta-Electric Chain bands”; I see he quotes, Sir C. Locock, H. Holland, Ferguson &c, &c.—³

Are all the statements quackery & lies, or w^d it be worth my trying as an experiment?

Forgive me troubling you & believe me | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin