Sunday afternoon –
My dear Sister,
You will be grieved to hear that our
dear little Willie has suffered greatly since we came
home – yesterday morning he was seized with a convulsive
fit which I thought would terminate his existence –
He continued very unwell after we left you – the heat about
his head continued to increase – he slept little that
night and the next morning could not eat or play
as usual, indeed he was not willing to leave my lap
a moment – he was sitting on my lap and I had
just remarked to Julia that his head almost burned
my arm when his unusual manner of breathing attracted
my attention – I spoke to him he did not answer – I
then raised his head and found his muscles rigid his
eyes set and he apparently gasping for breath – having
all the appearance of a dying child – my extreme
alarm and ignorance prevented my doing any thing at
the moment except to endeavor to give him air – Abbey
took him from my arms – Harriet put his feet in warm
water and applied camphor to his temples – Julia sent
Fred for the Dr. (Robinson) in a moment he returned saying
the Dr was out of town, I then sent John for Dr Dimon
by this time Willie began to revive but the rigidity
of his muscles was not relaxed until we put him
into a bathing tub of warm water – It seemed
to me an hour while I was preparing the bath
though I presume from the time of the attack
10 minutes had not elapsed before the Dr arrived

the bath was prescribed and the dear boy stripped
and put in – we then rubbed him with warm flannel
and wrapped him in a warm blanket – by this time he
was sufficiently revived to ask mother to take him – he
has been out of my arms but a short time since
the apprehension of a recurrence of this dreadful paroxysm
constantly oppressing me – Dr Dimon left some purgative
medicine but with Mr Sewards advice we gave him
a clyster to relieve the torpid state of his bowels before
giving the medicine – this afforded temporary relief
the medicine operated once before bed time but his fever
returned and the intense heat of his body again alarmed
me – at 12 oclock I called Abbey (who slept on the
sofa) to send John for the Dr who I hoped by this time
had returned – he had not – his clerk sent some powders
which I gave Willie – his fever gradually abated though
we neither of us slept much – Dr Robinson came himself
this morning – Willie is still taking homeopathic medicine
for the last few hours has appeared very cheerful though
he is weak and cannot bear any light – The three
physicians whom I have consulted all agree in ascribing
this fit to the influence of the quinine upon a child
of ired irritable temperament – Dr Dimon and Mr
Seward expressed much astonishment that Dr Munn
should have ventured to give him quinine at all while
his bowels were torpid as they have been ever since
I left home, a circumstance which I frequently mention
to Dr Munn, of which he took no notice whatever – Dr
Robinson says the chills which he had were produced
by the quinine – I am exceedingly sorry – I have all
along lacked confidence in Dr Munn but his many
agreeable qualities had in some degree warped my
judgment – My kindly feelings make me desire now
that as little should be said as possible about this
mistake – my little confidence has all vanished

I have a thousand things to say but Willie is impatient to
have "mother take him" – Henry went to Albany with
Weed (who came Friday morning) the same evening that
I returned – we met only at the depot – Augusta
H. Underwood and John were waiting for me –
Our house was overflowing - Harry Schooley of course –
Mr and Mrs Seward are both sick – stay indefinitely –
Nicholas came yesterday for Harriet they
leave this week – I will write again soon
immediately if Willie is worse – your own
Sister
Gen Granger was very polite & attentive

Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua –
AUBURN N.Y.
APR 30