Sent from Karl Pearson
28 Apr 1920
Description:

‘My dear wife,

I found Sigrid here when I got in a little past 7 tonight. She told me Meg had commenced a few hours before she left, and I much fear you will have a very tiring day, as I know that labour in dogs is often 9 or 10 hours. I feel quite sure the right thing is to leave them wholly alone. They know their own business best & too frequent visits distract them. It is not really good to be too soft-hearted about the matter, and as Nettleship used to say medical help is worse than useless. You must not grieve too much, if so late a litter is more or less a failure. Of course Sigrid has now got a “professional sense” of what is the value of the medical. That is one of the disadvantages of a young doctor, who has not yet realised that the medicine-man does as much harm as he does good. That only comes from the long experience of a scientific mind which obscures success & failure. Therefore I hope you will not have laid too much stress on her advice to procure aid if Meg is not delivered early, or, think that if you had got help earlier, it would have gone better. I know I felt it heartless to follow Nettleship’s advice with regard to Chu, but had the courage to do it & all went well then & with all of our litters up to Megan.

...

I will send to Spratt’s for biscuits for Coldharbour: Don’t give them to Meg. Shall I order more horse-flesh for them? I am very much inclined to screw the big kennel here to pieces, it came in pieces, & send to Coldharbour. It would be so useful to shut the puppies up in it as they grow bigger. I think it takes to pieces easily.

Ever your own,

K.P.’