To Mrs. Ware:
By the request of Emma and Sarah I sit down by you to see if I can amuse you by my explanation of disease. You know I often talk to persons about religion and you often look as though you would rather have me talk about anything else. Perhaps it would be better, but if you knew the cause of every sensation, then you would not want a physician. Now you will want me to tell you how you feel and if you will give me your attention I will try to explain. This heavy lazy feeling that you have, accompanied with a desire to lie down and sort of indifference how things go along, comes from a quiet state of your system that prevents your food from digesting as readily as it did while here. But it will act upon you like an emetic or cathartic, either way is right. So give no care to what you shall eat or drink, for that wisdom that governs all science will cause all things to work for the best, and if you want to eat, consult your own feelings and take no one's opinion.