Ɛpsilon

To Erasmus Wilson   29 March [1871]1

Dear Sir

The kindness with which you received my former note makes me think that you will excuse me troubling again.—2 But the chances are a 100 to 1 that you cannot aid me.— I am anxious to learn whether the mind by being long & intently directed on any portion of the skin, acts on the capillary circulation, so as to cause their dilatation of the [illeg].— It occured to me as just possible, though improbably, that it might be known to you, that by thinking much about any cutaneous disorder (not on the face, for annoyance & shame with blushing might here possibly come in) that irritation was incurred, & the surface temporarily reddened.— In case you can throw no light on the point, I beg you not to think of acknowledging this note, but if you can aid me, I shd be most grateful for any information.—3

Pray excuse & believe me | with sincere respect | Dear Sir | Yours faithfully

I suppose that you have not noticed the violent contraction of the orbicular causing an effluence of tears when a person violently scratches an intolerably itchy place

March 29th.

Draft

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Erasmus Wilson, 3 February 1871.
3
In Expression, pp. 339–40, CD discussed the effect of directing attention to a particular part of the body, but did not refer to Wilson.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 kindness] after del ‘great’
1.2 again.—] after del ‘you once’; after del interl illeg
1.3 — I am anxious] after del ‘& in that case I beg you not to trouble yourself to answer me’
1.3 learn] pencil above del pencil ‘know’
1.3 by] interl pencil
1.3 long & intently] interl
1.4 circulation] pencil above del pencil
1.4 of the [illeg]] interl pencil
1.5 improbably] after del ‘very’
1.6 by thinking] ‘by’ above del illeg
1.7 annoyance & shame] transposed
1.7 with blushing] interl
3.1 suppose] above del ‘presume’
3.1 violent] interl
3.1 causing … tears 3.2] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7639,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7639