Letter to James Paget
1862-02-21

[Page 1 of 4]
31 Dover St W
Feb 21/62
My dear Sir:
An Irishman (apparently)
writes to a very honest
Irish Captain of my
acquaintance, Captain
of the Army Hospital
Corps, apparently
taking him for the
Captain of the Doctors
& therefore the Chief
Doctor - for Medical
advice for his, the
applicant's, brother.
Whereupon the Captain
[Page 2 of 4]
writes to me "to
admit him" (evidently
the Captain) into a
London Hospital.
I can make
nothing further out
of the case, except
that the injury is
one to the wrist
of long standing
(since October) -
that the patient's
name is Wm Chalklen
of New Brompton,
(near Chatham) -
that he has been an
[Page 3 of 4]
Out Patient of St. Thomas,
without benefit -
which looks, I am
afraid, as if he
were not an In-
Patient case.
Would you be so
kind as to see him,
& to admit him into
St. Bartholomew's, if
you think him a
proper case? Should
you be so good as
to be willing to see
him, will you tell
me where & when
[Page 4 of 4]
he may come to you
to be seen?
Ever yours sincerely,
Florence Nightingale
James Paget Esq
Any how the loss of
the use of a wrist is a
serious thing, whether
it is an Irish wrist
or not.