Letter to Tunstall from Dr George Harvey Betts



A week after the shock of the death of their son and the day after the news is published in the Medical Journal a letter reaches James Pollard and Jane Betsy from the Isle of Wight. It documents a similar death from typhoid of a 21-year-old doctor at Guys hospital, son of a practicing doctor, George Harvey Betts.

Gatten House, Shanklin, I of W, Sunday Evening 6th November 1870
    Dear Sir,
    As a perfect stranger it is an act of unkind intrusion to address to you a line – but as one who deeply feels for your recent bereavement, I feel sure you will pardon the seeming intrusion. Seeing in the Medical Journal the notice of your son's death, I was struck with the similarity of our cases. My dear boy, as yours, was looked upon as "a one of the most promising students Guys has had for years" in the words of one of the physicians to whom he was clinical clerk – he was over worked himself, although of a remarkably strong constitution – never having had a day's illness, was a fine handsome, open countenanced generous boy – beloved by all who knew him – successful in a very high degree in all he undertook – had the 1st Batchelor of Medicine Degree of London University & was just ready to come with me in practice – but I cannot go on – suffice it to say his unremitting attention to a case of typhoid fever with a post mortem at the close was the cause of him contacting that fearful disease he came home, well knowing what was the matter & telling us what the result would be – but his calm christian bearing was most beautiful to witness – in 17 days he died – & we lost this sunbeam of the family – but any reminiscence of him is pleasing, never – no, not on any one single occasion of his life had we cause to find fault with him or indeed to differ from him even in opinion. It is hard to part with such children, but we must remember this is God's will – it is our duty, not only to submit, but quietly to look the anguish in the face & knowing God's goodness and love – to say "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away & blessed be the name of the Lord."!! – to look forward to the time when, through the love of your saviour & by his merits, we shall meet our loved ones again. I felt almost an irresistible desire to send you this line of sincerest sympathy & trust you will pardon the liberty.
   I am dear Sir, yours sincerely, G Harvey Betts M.D.

Note: George Harvey Betts (1810 to 1875), a contemporary of Charles Dickens, is on Ancestry. His son, Arthur Raymond Betts, was born in 1849 and was only 21 in 1870, when he died of typhoid fever after contracting it at Guys Hospital.

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