The Henson Journals

[184]

Monday, January 26th, 1925.

It is true that the spectacular cases are for the most part hysteria, as my old friend Charcot well explained, but the influence of what I may call the psychic extends to the whole of disease. Time after time I have strained my conscience so far as to assure a patient of his recovery in a crisis as of pneumonia, or a fever, in the hope – not rarely successful – of fanning the spark of life to a flame ……

A sporting doctor in the Yorkshire dales – an old friend of mine – once cured a young woman who had lain in bed for months "palsied" from the waist downwards, by taking a ferret out of his overcoat pocket, & after 3 solemn warnings, putting the animal into the bed. Two painfully silent minutes followed; then with a scream the paralytic sprang out of bed – as she said, "when a cold nose touched my leg". Meanwhile she was rigid with terror!

Sir Clifford Allbutt. Jany 25th, 1925.

[185]

I wasted the morning in writing a short article on 'Patronage' for the 'Morning Post'.

After lunch we (i.e. Ella, Clayton, & I) motored into Durham, where I presided at a meeting of the Church Building Society, and then went to the Castle to meet the Rural Dean, the Vicars of Christ Church, & S. George's, Gateshead, & Budworth, to consider the future of the Durham School Mission. After two hours discussion, the subject remained as perplexing as before, and I reserved my verdict. We had tea in my rooms, and then Mrs Henson rejoined us, & we returned to Auckland.

Then I wasted at least two hours in trying to draft an Address to the King for the ensuing Convocation. At last, I had to abandon the attempt for lack of material, and wrote to tell the Archbishop as much!

Ella went to a Missionary meeting in the Edgar Hall, & came back less edified than disgusted, for, of the two "deputations" who were the chosen orators, she described the one as 'dull', & the other as 'vulgar'. This severe description coming from so charitable a judge was certainly well–merited. The audience numbered about 40 persons. And this in a parish of 18,000 souls, in which the Vicar is an enthusiastic advocate of foreign missions! The life seems to have perished from all ecclesiastical activities.

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