France, but I find it very difficult to proceed further; still, I cannot yet judge decidedly of my prospects. I have just received permission from Government to visit the hospitals, which is encouraging, and one opening may lead to others, so that I may still hope to meet you some day, unless you should grow frightened at the idea of my scalpel and lancet, and feel uncertain how far the ties of relationship may modify the experimental researches of the medical student!
Believe me, very truly,
Your niece,
Elizabeth Blackwell.
But the six months which followed my departure
from the Maternité proved to be a time of great mental
suffering, under which a strong physical constitution
threatened to give way; for the condition of the
affected organ entirely prevented that close application
to professional study which was needed. Both
anatomical and surgical work were out of the question;
and even reading had to be laid aside. I
followed a few lectures and some cliniques at the
Hôtel-Dieu, by permission of M. Roux, and engaged
a répétiteur, but this was quite inadequate to accomplish
the end in view.
In June of 1850 a visit to the fine mountain air of Priessnitz's famous establishment at Gräfenberg was resolved on, in the hope of regaining strength and power of study. Travelling rapidly through France, Germany, and Prussia, in five days I reached the famous water-cure region. On the journey a day had been spent in Berlin, where I had been struck by the arrogance of the Prussian officers, and
