Series 03: John Brady Nash letters, January 1914-December 1915 - Page 490
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[Page 490]
30.7.15. 11 p.m. It is not likely that you will have much added to this letter by me ere the post closes, because there is ahead of me a very busy time, patients to arrive by the forties, to such extent that tomorrow there will be here close to 700; much relief may be afforded by the getting away of some three hundred on Sunday morning for Australia, if there should be any mischance in this regard then it may be the hospital arrangements will break down; but under any circumstances we shall make a big effort to keep going, but there is a limit to human possibility. Thirty three patients just arriv'd have come straight from the ship arrived this morning at Suez, rather a bad start for the seat of war, perhaps some of them will be on the return journey to Suez on Sunday morning. Not a very enviable ending to their warlike aspirations.
No letters from you so far this week, I shall hope for them tomorrow, if they come not then next week will be looked into. I must not complain because I have had good fortune lately, thanks to your constant attention. Letters came about one hour ago from Mrs. Fraser & Dr; Peck. The former said that she had not heard from any of you lately, she has been doing a lot of work for my hospital lately, and as a result there is to arrive here shortly five hundred pairs of pyjamas, they will be very useful, especially as I require a great many, they wear out rapidly with the rough crowd who come under my care. By jove they are of the wildest, but yet they are in many respects like children, they like to be spoken to kindly and they will do much for a little flattery, when you do not let them know that you are taking them down a wee bit, but pleasantly. The whole business is as good as any play that you have ever seen, if words misscarried or failed to have effect occurrences might follow which would have serious consequences. However we shall not look for ill results.
Here come the ambulances again. They always remind me of the Tumbrils in Dickens' "Tale of two Cities." Dr. P. asked if a parcel of acorn seeds had reached you, he sent them on last autumn. He reports all well at Haslam. He is very optimistic as to the immediate results.
Each night when my fingers tap at this instrument, flying insects of fantastic shapes, and much variety of colour light upon my bared arms, a small black and gold specimen wandering about midst the hairs upon my right fore arm at this moment is brightly hued in black, gold and violet, tender legs, delicate wings, with a casing on the back like unto that which pertains to the Lady Bird, which in the days of childhood is told to fly away