NRA-L-000520 / 1840
Letter from Frachon Dugas to Jn Mᵉ Frachon, 1840-12-22
Frachon Dugas writes to his brother J. M. Frachon to urge him to maintain a strict diet to recover from his gastritis, warning him against homeopathy and sharing family news regarding his wife, Laure, and Edouard.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000520
Transcript and English translation
working scholarly aid
Address panel
Original transcript
A Monsieur
Jn Mᵉ Frachon
à Annonay
Notes
Editorial notes: The transcription and translation for this page cover the inverted, hastily written notes found on the address panel.
Address panel
English translation
A Monsieur
Jn Mᵉ Frachon
at Annonay
Notes
Editorial notes: The transcription and translation for this page cover the inverted, hastily written notes found on the address panel.
Documentary page 2
Original transcript
Voiron le 22 Xbre 1840
Ta Lettre du 19. C't m'a fait grand Plaisir
en me confirmant le mieux que tu eprouves, mais
elle m'inquiete en meme temp par la crainte que
j'ai que tu ne te livres a ton appetit & ne mange
au-dela de ce que tu as besoin, au nom de dieu mon
cher ami Sois prudent, mieux vaut eprouver
quelques privations quelque Souffrance meme
qu'occasionne l'envie de manger plutot que
de rechuter. je t'en conjure ne mange pas
suis la conduite qu'a tenu ma femme en
pareille circonstance, elle eprouvoit l'envie de
manger & satisfaisoit ce besoin en prenant une
tasse d'eau Sucrée, ou une tasse de lait s'il faisoit bien
ou enfin en mangeant un Morceau de Sucre, ce
bout suffisoit & au reste que lorsqu'elle se trouvoit
beaucoup Mieux qu'elle prit du Caillé, qu'on faisoit
chez elle & qui lui faisoit grand bien au même
temps que cela etait très rafraichissant, plus tard
quand elle etait mieux elle prit quelque Solide Soupe
faite avec de la farine de riz très claire & bien Cuite
(Je t'en enverrai par la 1ere occasion) & c'est en allant petit
a petit & avec beaucoup de precaution qu'elle est parvenue
a Manger de tout, Mais je dois te prevenir que malgre
ce mieux qu'elle eprouvait n'etoit pas Sans rechute dont
souvent on ne pouvoit pas assigner la Cause bien que ma
pauvre femme ne mangeat jamais que la moitie de
cequ'on lui prescrivait tant elle etait prudente & avant
l'experience [pas moins?] elle mangeait un peu elle etait
malade & cela se concoit, car enfin si on prend un ane qui a sur
le dos tout ce qu'il peut porter, si on lui met une livre
Documentary page 2
English translation
Voiron, December 22, 1840
Your letter of the 19th inst. gave me great pleasure by confirming the improvement you are experiencing, but it worries me at the same time by the fear I have that you might give in to your appetite and eat beyond what you need. In the name of God, my dear friend, be prudent; it is better to experience some privations, even some suffering caused by the desire to eat, rather than to relapse. I beg you, do not eat. Follow the conduct that my wife kept in similar circumstances. She experienced the desire to eat and satisfied this need by taking a cup of sugared water, or a cup of milk if it was doing well, or finally by eating a piece of sugar. This bit was sufficient. And moreover, when she found herself much better, she took some curds, which were made at her place and which did her great good while at the same time being very refreshing. Later, when she was better, she took some solid soup made with rice flour, very thin and well cooked (I will send you some by the first opportunity), and it is by going little by little and with much precaution that she managed to eat everything. But I must warn you that despite this improvement she experienced, she was not without relapses, the cause of which often could not be assigned, even though my poor wife never ate more than half of what was prescribed to her, so prudent she was. And before the experience, nevertheless she would eat a little, she would be sick. And this is understandable, because after all, if one takes a donkey that has on its back everything it can carry, if one puts a pound more on it than it can carry, it falls.
Documentary page 3
Original transcript
de plus qu'il ne peut porter, Il tombe, dememe
notre estomac ne digere pas lorsqu'il est malade /que
ce qu'on lui donne l'est trop C'est a dire le Surcharge
l'estomac ne tombe pas Il recoit plus qu'il ne faut
& sa chute est remplacée par une augmentation
d'inflammation qui procurent des Souffrances terribles
& retardent la guerison. car au lieu de se remetre
le mal augmente & c'est a recommencer pour
r'ammener son etat a celui qu'il avait quand
vous l'avez Surchargé. ainsi cher ami Sois
raisonnable fais ceque nous te disons, toutes les
fois que tu as Suivi nos conseils tu t'en est bien
trouvé tu t'en trouveras bien encore.
Delgrand est trop foible, Il Cede trop a
tes Desirs, appuie quelque fois de maniere a
ceque l'homme le plus dur ne resisterait pas
Il faut mon cher, ecouter Delgrand mais
s'il te dit de prendre une tasse de lait n'en
prendre qu'une Cuillere. Mieux vaut la rapeller
mais quand tu la crois bien digerée. Il faut
bien prendre garde a ne rien prendre, même
de l'eau Sucrée avant ^que ce que tu as deja pris soit
bien digeré & autant que possible regler les repas
aux quelques petit Morceau de Sucre Candi
que tu prends quand tu te Sens bien besoin de
prendre & que l'heure du repas n'est pas arrivée
ou prend une Seule tasse d'eau Sucrée.
on te Conseillera l'omeopatie. Edouard croit que
ce Sisteme te feroit beaucoup de mal, & m'a dit
plusieurs fois qu'il ne te conseilleroit pas a quelqu'un
qui Seroit dans ta position, au reste, Il ne doit
pas t'ecrire a ce Sujet, Il est Tenu a certaine
reserve. ceux qui guerissent dans cette maladie par l'
Documentary page 3
English translation
Similarly, our stomach does not digest when it is sick; that which is given to it is too much, that is to say, overloading it. The stomach does not fall; it receives more than it needs, and its fall is replaced by an increase in inflammation which causes terrible suffering and delays the healing. For instead of recovering, the illness increases and it is necessary to start over to bring its state back to the one it had when you overloaded it. Thus, dear friend, be reasonable, do what we tell you. Every time you have followed our advice you have found yourself well for it; you will find yourself well for it again.
Delgrand is too weak, he yields too much to your desires, he insists sometimes in a way that the hardest man would not resist. You must, my dear, listen to Delgrand, but if he tells you to take a cup of milk, take only a spoonful of it. Better to recall it, but when you believe it is well digested. You must be very careful not to take anything, even sugared water, before what you have already taken is well digested, and as much as possible regulate the meals to the few small pieces of rock sugar that you take when you feel a real need to take some and the hour of the meal has not arrived, or take a single cup of sugared water.
You will be advised homeopathy. Edouard believes that this system would do you a lot of harm, and has told me several times that he would not recommend it to someone who would be in your position. Besides, he must not write to you on this subject; he is held to a certain reserve. Those who are cured in this illness by it
Documentary page 4
Original transcript
Ne Sont pas malades d'une gastrite, j'en connais
plusieurs a grenoble qui en Sont morts pour
l'avoir Suivie contre le Medecin les trouvant beaucoup
Mieux 1/4 heure avant leur depart p'r le gd voyage
Pour mon Cte je pense que la Medecine homeopatique
n'est qu'un charlatanisme, qu'on Ne gueri que
Ceux qui ont des Maladies imaginaires &
Ma femme va un peu mieux depuis
hier, Edouard lui fait encore garder le lit
partie de la journée
Laure va très bien ainsi que Son petit qui
est des plus gentil, quoiqu'il Souffre de ses dents
Il en a trois / Il ne tardera pas en avoir d'autre
cet enfant est plein de connoissance & Il rit
toujours. Il tete bien j'espere que Son Pere
en Sera content. nous attendons M.
Maniquet le 6 Janvier nous aurons bien
du plaisir de le voir mais il nous emmenera
Laure & ce Sera un chagrin p'r
nous nous garderons Son petit, & Sa nourice
a la maison.
fais je te prie dire a Etienne frachon
Notaire qu Edouard le prie de se Souvenir
De lui Repondre.
Edouard te prie de lui faire adresser
120 l[ivre]s (60. k.) de chandelles. le plutot possible
Adieu mille baisers a ta femme a ta fille
a toi bon & excellent frere que j'aime de tout
mon Coeur, Pour ma femme p'r Mes enfants
& Particulierement pour moi
Je te Salue
Frachon Dugas
Cela un motif de plus pour y croire.
note que mes ordonnances en Medecine Sont gratuites
Documentary page 4
English translation
are not sick with gastritis. I know several in Grenoble who died from it for having followed it, against the doctor finding them much better a quarter of an hour before their departure for the great journey. For my part, I think that homeopathic medicine is just charlatanism, that only those who have imaginary illnesses are cured.
My wife is doing a little better since yesterday, Edouard still makes her keep to her bed for part of the day.
Laure is very well, as is her little one who is most charming, although he suffers from his teeth. He has three; he will not delay in having others. This child is full of awareness and he smiles always. He nurses well, I hope that his father will be happy with it. We expect Mr Maniquet on January 6th, we will have much pleasure in seeing him but he will take Laure away and it will be a sorrow for us; we will keep her little one and his wet nurse at the house.
Please, I beg you, tell Etienne Frachon, the notary, that Edouard begs him to remember to answer him.
Edouard begs you to have 120 pounds (60 kg) of candles sent to him as soon as possible.
Farewell, a thousand kisses to your wife, to your daughter, to you, good and excellent brother whom I love with all my heart. For my wife, for my children, and particularly for me. I salute you,
Frachon Dugas.
[Left margin:] This is one more reason to believe it. Note that my medical prescriptions are free.
Letter text - Image 1
Original transcript
j'avois écrit les 2 mots ci
dessous a ma gd Soeur pour qu'elle
les [efface?] ou elle les a fait
passer en les biffant. —
j'ai lu ta lettre de [..]
[..]
Nous t'avons prié de [peser?]
icy il en a la livre 1 franc
pour au plus
Letter text - Image 1
English translation
I had written the 2 words below to my big sister so that she would erase them or she made them pass by crossing them out. — I read your letter from [..]
[..]
We asked you to [weigh?]
here there are some for 1 franc a pound
at most.
Discovery Terms
- Health and illness
- Diet and nutrition
- Homeopathy
- Family news
- Frachon Family Correspondence