From Francis Darwin   [19 September 1873]1

6 QA

Dear Father

I caught Noad today, he says that sort of thing is completely out of his way but he said that a man called Moore (whose address I have) would perhaps do it—2 he is lecturer in physiological chemistry at the Hospital & Noad said he was good at that sort of thing— I dont know him but he is a young man & I should think he would be only too glad to make some things for you— His address is Dr Moore 113 Brixton Rd.   I am going down to Chatham tonight to shoot with Dicky3 on Sat— I shall come home sometime on Sunday if I possibly can— I neednt begin clerking till Monday so I thought I would take 2 days—4

Yr affec | FD

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter, the letter to J. S. Burdon Sanderson, 14 September [1873], and the letter to Edward Frankland, 21 September [1873]. The Friday before 21 September 1873 was 19 September. Francis’s references to two days away from work and to going to Chatham that night to shoot on Saturday indicate that this letter was written on a Friday.
2
Francis refers to Henry Minchin Noad and Samuel William Moore. CD wanted someone to provide him with various substances for his research on the digestive power of Drosera (sundew). See letter from Francis Darwin, [15–18 September 1873] and n. 2.
3
Richard Matthews Ruck was an officer in the Royal Engineers, who were headquartered at Brompton Barracks in Chatham (Ruck 1935).
4
Francis evidently refers to his clerkship, the practical part of medical training, at St George’s Hospital.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9059F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9059F