Hamilton
Dec 21st 1883
My Dear Dr.

While I am waiting at the house of a patient I will write you a few lines; this I had intended to do at home this Evening patients permitting, but having been called to attend a labour case & the pains not being very active I will take advantage of the occasion. I should have written long ago to thank you for your kind attention to my wants; the pen works well I've [?] I am writing with it now- As for the No. 7 it seems as good as ever, with the usual limitation that [??] been once found it is hard to [???] anyway never the [?] which I at one time rejoiced--Still it is a good glafs [sic] and I only wish I had the time to use it--I have procured a new Ether freezing medication which [???] making section which [??] material is fresh and to for once forgets what the thing is and whence it [the next few sentences are illegible].

I [?] for a better things after [???] are I am improving the abundant issues for which I [?] How a few words as the Case of facial skin infliction. If it otherwise [?] up to the last minute almost gone were [???] you that an improvement almost by our [???] scientific line of treatment--for you did not fear the knife for puncturing the reports no division of the [???] the treatment has been washing the face with [?] three times a day and at night before retiring to [???] with equal parts of perhaps Sulphur & [??] with [??]--The businefs [sic] at the start of the hour has pasfed [sic] away & the insularity of the [?] part of the nasal organ has been very much injured--The fact is the treatment has done much [?] so that if even the patient is almost satisfied, and his friend especially his wife [???] as the subject of cataurous [sic] pathology has [?] to the [??] so much for them- perhaps you will [?] on this point by [???] so I'll say no more.

Now for the rest I may have to be brief for I [?] my patient is going to have some energetic pains- for I would be glad to go home before the hours of midnight- You [?] are ill will you & cold [?] nothing of great moment in the way of sicknefs [sic]--A [??] cold, severe stomach disorder, but upon the whole only the usual incidentals to our [???].

22nd Dec/84- 11 p.m.-

So far I had written last evening when I was obliged to desist--it ended will a healthy [?] child--mother & chd. doing as well as could be expected--To-day [sic] I attended the funeral of the widow of the late Dr. O'Reilly--[?] except for the credit of the Mullin family I must tell you however rec.d the 2nd prize for General proficiency in his clafs [sic]--I told him hold it was a port carried off the 1st--Well he said he was absent as much [???] Name was called for the 2nd which looks as if [?] was needed--If I had been prudent I would have preceded this narrative with the information that [??] carried off an [?] in the Central--I subscribed for New Times & Gazette & like it well--Please don't forget to record how much you paid for getting glafs [sic] repaired who from--Mrs. Mullin & the family join me in wishing you a Merry Xmas--& Happy New Year--will you come to take [?] on N.Y Eve?

P.S. The Sawyer family leave for the South Xmas Day.

Yours Sincerely,
Dr. John A. Mullin.¹

¹ For more on Dr. Mullin see W4521.