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Title:
Letter from James Southgate to Delia Haywood Southgate, Annie Moore Southgate, Mattie Logan Southgate, James Haywood Southgate, and Lessie Muse Southgate, September 23, 1883: Electronic Edition.
Author:
Southgate, James, 1832-1914
Jones, Mattie Logan Southgate
Southgate, Delia Haywood Wynne
Southgate, James Haywood, 1859-1916
Southgate, Annie
Simmons, Celestia Muse Southgate
Funder:
Funding by the Institute of Museum of Library Services (IMLS) and the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), with support provided through North Carolina ECHO.
Transcription Information:
Text transcribed by: Kelly Clark
Images scanned by: Digital Production Center
Text encoded by: Katherine M. Wisser
Transcription Edition:
Edition: First edition,
Date: 2006
Publication Information:
Publisher: Duke University Libraries
Date: 2006
Availability: ©This work is the property of the Duke University Libraries. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching, and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.
Source Information:
Title: Letter from James Southgate to Delia Haywood Southgate, Annie Moore Southgate, Mattie Logan Southgate, James Haywood Southgate, and Lessie Muse Southgate, September 23, 1883
Author: James Southgate
Date: 18830923
Note: James Southgate writes his wife, children and sister, about the inclement weather in Richmond and the medical treatment he receives there. He remarks about his weight loss and relates the different theories that his physicians, his sister Sarah Raboteau and his cousin Augusta Christian have about treating "feeble digestion" or "Dyspepsia." He shares details of his medical regimen and the effects of the medications on his mouth. While watching church goers in the rainy streets of Richmond, James ruminates on the weather's effect on religious practice. James expresses his wish to visit his relations in eastern Virginia with his physician's approval. He responds to news from his family about Grandma Zack and Ed Sym and notes that he dined on oysters.
P: James Southgate papers, 1794-1944 and undated, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
Class: Durham (N.C.) -- History
Class: Diet -- Virginia -- History -- 19th century
Class: Diseases -- North Carolina -- History -- 19th century
Class: Christian, Augusta
Class: Religion -- North Carolina -- 19th century
Class: Communication in the family -- Southern states -- History -- 19th century
Class: Medical care -- United States -- History -- 19th century
Class: Raboteau, Sarah Ann Wynne, 1816-1895
Class: Family -- North Carolina -- History
Class: Southgate, James, 1832-1914
Class: Medicine -- Formulae, receipts, prescriptions -- History -- 19th century
Class: Southgate, Delia Haywood
Class: Southgate, Annie
Class: Jones, Mattie Logan Southgate
Class: Southgate, James Haywood, 1859-1916
Class: Sym, Ed
Class: Grandma Zack
Class: Southgate, Lessie
Class: Southgate, Delia Haywood
Class: Southgate, James Haywood, 1859-1916
Class: Southgate, James, 1832-1914
Class: Jones, Mattie Logan Southgate, b. 1865
Class: Southgate, Annie
Class: Asheville (N.C.)
Class: Durham (N.C.)
Class: Richmond (Va.)
Class: Wilmington (N.C.)

Library of Congress Subject Headings:
Durham (N.C.) -- History
Diet -- Virginia -- History -- 19th century
Diseases -- North Carolina -- History -- 19th century
Christian, Augusta
Religion -- North Carolina -- 19th century
Communication in the family -- Southern states -- History -- 19th century
Medical care -- United States -- History -- 19th century
Raboteau, Sarah Ann Wynne, 1816-1895
Family -- North Carolina -- History
Southgate, James, 1832-1914
Medicine -- Formulae, receipts, prescriptions -- History -- 19th century
Southgate, Delia Haywood
Southgate, Annie
Jones, Mattie Logan Southgate
Southgate, James Haywood, 1859-1916
Sym, Ed
Grandma Zack
Southgate, Lessie
Southgate, Delia Haywood
Southgate, James Haywood, 1859-1916
Southgate, James, 1832-1914
Jones, Mattie Logan Southgate, b. 1865
Southgate, Annie
Asheville (N.C.)
Durham (N.C.)
Richmond (Va.)
Wilmington (N.C.)

I am congratulating myself that I have been permitted to pass a whole week without the slightest pain or uneasiness of any kind which pertains to my late sickness. I do so hope I may never be called upon to pass through such ordeals again in this life. I am perfectly ravenous for something to eat. I feel sometimes, when I smell the Bread baking or the dinner cooking that I must break all bounds, rush to the kitchen, beseige (Correction: besiege) the cook and grab the frist (Correction: first) thing I can put my hands on. I long for the time to come when my now poor and feeble stomach will be able to digest proper food. I am amazed frequently to see how much I have lost in flesh, by reason of feeble digestion. Cousin Augusta Christian told me that the great D^r Smith of Baltimore holds the theory that starving will not do for Dyspepsia, that the stomach will finally become so irritable for want of nourishment that it revolts at the slightest and most delicate food-and that the true theory is to let the stomach have food and gain something which will assist it to digest. That is Sallie Raboteau's doctrine-at least the first part of it is-"Eat a heap if colics do come- It isn't what one eats- It is the change in the weather or it is something else- One of these nice rolls or muffins or a slice of this cake never hurt any body in the world- I never heard of such pudding as this hurting any one in my life." It may be that she is right- I certainly am inclined to that doctrine about this time and so would any other starving man. I take all that is allowed me, and shall tackle the Doctor today for a [s__a]. I think I can digest one now, and am almost brave enough to try a beef steak. However I desire to be prudent and very cautious, will crawl along and suffer the pangs of hunger yet awhile longer as I have for several month, never eating ¼ what I really wanted. I am truly thankful that I have been brought this far towards recovery and shall do nothing to impede my progress onward towards the goal of perfect restoration to health if it be God's will that I should ever be well again. I am resting in hope + if I am permitted to regain my former health + strength I will try to do more than ever in my masters vineyards.

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