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April 12, 1897
IX., Berggasse 19
Dear Wilhelm,
With sorrow I hear that your old friend Siebert is causing you concern by the very illness with which I recently had occasion to become reacquainted; being unable to pronounce a prognosis for him, I am also sorry for myself because of the possibility that this may thwart our congress. I hope, of course, that things may yet turn out well and await your travel instructions, even if they should be conveyed by telegram.
I almost canceled out. Saturday afternoon Martin gave us a fright by suddenly becoming ill with symptoms in the throat, which Oscar did not want to diagnose immediately, whereas Laufer, whom he recommended, pronounced them to be diphtheria. I was shaken; the disinfection had been over for a week, the children were together again, and now we had to be prepared for one after the other taking turns, but would they all survive? In the evening I visited Oscar; a bad guest, of course, but glad to receive his assurance that all the indications pointed instead to a common throat infection.