One saved and one lost. 4th to 9th November 1870

Letters of condolence and an extract from the British Medical Journal

On the 4th November 1870 Geo. G. Gascoyne, physician at St Mary's and the London Fever Hospital wrote to James Charles's parents enclosing a copy of the Lancet, in which their late son's character, record of study and practice is praised. On the 9th of November George Bryers wrote to them from Dublin. He had recovered from typhoid, thanks to the care and expertise of their son.

4th November 1970, My dear Sir, I have delayed writing to you for a few days, until the extreme bitterness of your loss shall have a little passed off, to say now how very grieved I was to hear of your son's death and to offer my sincere sympathy to you all on this very sad event. I was thunderstruck to learn it, for I did not even know he was ill and whilst regretting the loss of a warm good friend for myself, I was pained greatly to know how you would suffer in fact over his loss. It is not much mitigation to your sorrow, but I am sure it will be a solace to you when I tell you that all his old comrades & teachers are unanimous in their expression of sympathy for you & for him: his quiet honest, unassuming manners had endeared him to them and they all valued him as he so thoroughly deserved.

   It is some slight satisfaction to you to feel that he died in pursuit of his work unto which he has so really, yet unfortunately sacrificed his life. The endeavour to alleviate and remove the sufferings of those entrusted to his charge - and I can honestly say that if I ever knew a man who was always prepared to die it was your son. he was one of the most conscientious truthful, right-minded men that has ever been my good fortune to meet. - You will be glad for his sake to hear that his merits have been recognised by the "Lancet" which I forward to you: it will show at any rate that a man, however young, who does his duty will not be forgotten.

   Receive then the assurance of my heartfelt sympathy I believe to be very truly yours, Geo G. Gascoyne.

   From the British Medical Journal and also in "The Lancet" P 655 vol ll 1870

  "THE PERILS OF PRACTICE

The untimely death, from typhus, of Mr. Skinner, at the outset of what promised to be a useful and honourable career, furnishes another sad example of the dangers incurred by medical men in the exercise of their profession. He may be said to have fallen a victim to his zeal for knowledge, and to his conscientious devotion to the care of patients under his charge. He was one of two sons of Mr Skinner, a farmer, of Tunstall, Norfolk, and came up to London in 1867, entering as a student of St Mary's Hospital. here he soon became known as one of the most earnest and indefatigable workers in the school - a character which he sustained in every department throughout the entire period of his attendance on lectures and hospital practice; while his kindly nature and unassuming goodness gained for him the respect and regard of all who knew him. After passing his examination at the College of Surgeons, he continued to work in the wards, and at the beginning of October accepted a temporary appointment as assistant resident medical officer to the Fever Hospital, carrying into his duties the same assiduity which he had always displayed; and, giving perhaps more time to his patients and less to necessary recreation than was desirable, he contracted typhus. On Wednesday evening, October 12th, he attended the meeting of St Mary's Hospital Medical Society, apparently in good health; next day the initial symptoms of fever set in. The attack did not appear to be of more than average severity; and no very alarming indications presented themselves till Saturday, the 22nd, when he became violently delirious. On the evening of the 23rd, however, the delirium was replaced by profound sleep, which seemed to promise a favourable crisis; but, on the 24th, diarrhoea came on, accompanied by tympanitic, and, though apparently arrested, recurred several times; and eventually he sank on the morning of the 29th. His death has cast a gloom over the school ad hospital at St Mary's where he was universally respected and beloved."

    James Charles had saved the life of George Bryers, who sends his condolences to his mother, Jane Betsy, from Dublin. It might be a question of speculation, why, when he was surrounded by colleagues and medical expertise, there was no-one competent enough to save his life.

    Castleward Lodge, Castleward Avenue, Rathmones, Dublin, 9 Nov 1870

   Dear Madam,

      I beg to offer you my heartfelt sympathy in the loss you have sustained by the death of your son Dr Skinner, and to bear humble testimony to the great and never failing kindness he always displayed to the patients under his care and especially to myself.

   From the 14 Sept to the 28th Oct last, I was a patient at the "London Fever Hospital" suffering from typhoid fever accompanied by haemorrhaging from the bowels and afterwards from inflammation of the lungs; from this almost hopeless state, I was through the grace of god, brought round by the skills and attention of your son, to whom I felt I must ever be indebted, and whose name shall be ever green in my memory.

   And tho' we must ever grieve to think that he was so soon taken from a useful and honourable life, yet his end was glorified; for does not the name of those whom the world calls glorious, whose profession and pursuit was the destroying of life, pale before the memory of those who died thro' their zeal to alleviate human pain and misery.

    And tho' you dear Madam must naturally grieve over the death of so dear a son, yet we do not grieve as those without hope.

   He was removed in the wise dispensation of Providence.

   "To be forever with the Lord" and to receive the welcome "Well done thou good and faithful servant enter unto the joy of thy Lord"

    Commending you dear Madam to the care of Him who is a very present help in time of trouble.

    I remain, yours very faithfully, George Bryers