Vienna, August 29, 1888

Esteemed friend:

I have been silent for a long time, but at last my reply turns out to be very impressive: a book, a paper, and a photograph; you cannot expect anything more to accompany a letter. Your own letter contained much that stimulated my thoughts for a long time and that I would have liked to discuss with you. Without reservation I say you are right, yet I cannot do what you request. To go into general practice instead of specializing, to work with all possible means of investigation, and completely to take charge of the patient — that is certainly the only method which promises personal satisfaction and material success; but for me it is too late for that. I have not learned enough to be a medical practitioner, and in my medical development there is a flaw which later on was laboriously mended. I was able to learn just about enough to become a neuropathologist. And