Ɛpsilon

To William Ogle   21 December [1871]

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. [6 Queen Anne Street, London.]

Dec. 21st

My dear Dr. Ogle

Many thanks for your paper, which I shall be particularly glad soon to read.1

It was lucky for me that I gave you the “severe reprimand” about the paging!2 Thanks, also, about the Platysma. I have asked several persons to observe this troublesome muscle, during a shivering fit, but all have failed.3 I am very much obliged to you for your kindness to my son, Francis, who has told me of several interesting conversations which he has had with you.4

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Postmark: DE 21 71

1
CD refers to Ogle’s paper ‘On dextral pre-eminence’ (Ogle 1871). CD’s annotated offprint of the paper is in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection–CUL.
2
See letter to William Ogle, 12 March [1871] and n. 8. Ogle wrote a note on the title page of CD’s copy of Ogle 1871: ‘Page 1 corresponds to page 279 in the Volume of Med. Chir. Transactions.’
3
No letter from Ogle mentioning the platysma myoides muscle in connection with shivering has been found, but CD may have discussed the matter in person with Ogle during his visit to London between 14 and 22 December 1871 (see ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). CD had discussed the contraction of the platysma with Ogle in earlier correspondence and in person (see Correspondence vol. 18, letter to William Ogle, 9 November 1870, and letter from William Ogle, [10–17 November 1870], and this volume passim).
4
Francis Darwin was studying medicine at St George’s Hospital, London, where Ogle was a lecturer on physiology and assistant physician (The Times, 15 April 1912, p. 9).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8115,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8115