2110-3-7-1

24, PARK CRESCENT, PORTLAND PLACE, W. 1.

15 1/ 20

Dear Mr Buchan.

Do you suffer from or have you ever suffered from duodenal ulcer or the dyspepsia which is with great difficulty distinguished therefrom? You will be amazed at my question but I have a very good reason for asking which may mitigate the feeling of impertinance it may have awakened. I feel that your knowledge of the symptoms from which your American character in "Greenmantle" and "Mr. Standfast" suffered is too exact not to betray personal experience so that my pride or conceit in the matter of detecting "internal evidence" has prompted me bluntly to ask you point blank if I am correct. By the same signs I believe Mr. H. G. Wells to be a sufferer from chronic nervous dyspepsia with hyperchlorhydria; & doubtless if I meet with no rebuff from you I shall write & ask him the same sort of question!

You see I have a peculiar scent for the dyspeptic not only because this branch of medicine is my own specialty but because I have had a duodenal ulcer myself. And if I am correct in your case, I hope your visit to the Mayo Brothers will give you an absolutely permanent cure.

Whilst I am writing may I add that of all things I have ever read nothing moved me as much as "The half-hearted" & I wonder if you are as proud of that book as of any of your productions.

Believe me

Yrs very truly

Adolphe Abrahams.

I once wrote to Zangwill and criticised his pathology in one of his novels. I got well snubbed "so much the worse for your science". But we have met since then & are quite good friends.