Treating Pleurisy

The persistence of the pleurisy caused some anxiety, but I knew that the cure lay not in taking medicine internally but in dietetic changes assisted by external remedies.

The pleurisy was not going away, which caused some anxiety. But I knew the cure was not medicine taken internally. It lay in changes to my diet, aided by external remedies.

I called in Dr. Allinson, of vegetarian fame, who treated diseases by dietetic modifications and whom I had met in 1890. He thoroughly overhauled me. I explained to him how I had pledged myself not to take milk. He cheered me up and said: ‘You need not take milk. In fact I want you to do without any fat for some days.’ He then advised me to live on plain brown bread, raw vegetables such as beet, radish, onion and other tubers and greens, and also fresh fruit, mainly oranges. The vegetables were not to be cooked but merely grated fine, if I could not masticate them.

I called in Dr. Allinson, who was well known for promoting vegetarianism. He treated illnesses by changing his patients’ diets, and I had met him in 1890. He examined me thoroughly. I explained that I had promised not to drink milk. He encouraged me and said: ‘You do not need to drink milk. In fact, I want you to go without any fat for a few days.’ He then advised me to eat plain brown bread, raw vegetables such as beet, radish, onion and other tubers and greens, and fresh fruit, mainly oranges. The vegetables were not to be cooked, but finely grated if I could not chew them.

I adopted this for about three days, but raw vegetables did not quite suit me. My body was not in a condition to enable me to do full justice to the experiment. I was nervous about taking raw vegetables.

I tried this for about three days, but raw vegetables did not quite agree with me. My body was not in a condition to give the experiment a fair trial. I was nervous about eating raw vegetables.

Dr. Allinson also advised me to keep all the windows of my room open for the whole twenty four hours, bathe in tepid water, have an oil massage on the affected parts and a walk in the open for fifteen to thirty minutes. I liked all these suggestions.

Dr. Allinson also advised me to keep all my room’s windows open around the clock. He suggested bathing in lukewarm water, massaging the affected areas with oil, and walking outdoors for fifteen to thirty minutes. I liked all these suggestions.

My room had French windows which if kept wide open would let in the rain. The fanlight could not be opened. I therefore got the glass broken, so as to let in fresh air and I partially opened the windows in a manner not to let in rain.

My room had French windows that would let in the rain if I opened them wide. The fanlight could not be opened. So I had the glass broken to let in fresh air. I also opened the windows partway, so the rain would not get in.

All these measures somewhat improved my health, but did not completely cure me.

All these measures improved my health somewhat, but they did not completely cure me.

Lady Cecilia Roberts occasionally called on me. We became friends. She wanted very much to persuade me to take milk. But as I was unyielding, she hunted about for a substitute for milk. Some friend suggested to her malted milk, assuring her quite unknowingly that it was absolutely free from milk, and that it was a chemical preparation with all the properties of milk. Lady Cecilia, I knew, had a great regard for my religious scruples, and so I implicitly trusted her. I dissolved the powder in water and took it only to find that it tasted just like milk. I read the label on the bottle, to find only too late, that it was a preparation of milk. So I gave it up.

Lady Cecilia Roberts visited me from time to time. We became friends. She very much wanted to persuade me to drink milk. But I would not give in, so she looked for a substitute. A friend suggested malted milk, unknowingly assuring her that it contained no milk at all. The friend said it was a chemical preparation with all the properties of milk. I knew Lady Cecilia had great respect for my religious scruples, so I trusted her completely. I dissolved the powder in water and drank it, only to find that it tasted just like milk. I read the label on the bottle and found out too late that it was made from milk. So I stopped taking it.

I informed Lady Cecilia about the discovery, asking her not to worry over it. She came post haste to me to say how sorry she was. Her friend had not read the label at all. I begged her not to be anxious and expressed my regret that I could not avail myself of the things she had procured with so much trouble. I also assured her that I did not at all feel upset or guilty over having taken milk under a misapprehension.

I told Lady Cecilia what I had discovered and asked her not to worry about it. She came to me at once to say how sorry she was. Her friend had not read the label at all. I begged her not to worry and said I was sorry I could not use what she had taken so much trouble to get. I also assured her that I did not feel at all upset or guilty about having taken milk by mistake.

I must skip over many other sweet reminiscences of my contact with Lady Cecilia. I could think of many friends who have been a source of great comfort to me in the midst of trials and disappointments. One who has faith reads in them the merciful providence of God who thus sweetens sorrow itself.

I must skip many other fond memories of my time with Lady Cecilia. I can think of many friends who have brought me great comfort during trials and disappointments. A person of faith sees in such friends the mercy of God, who in this way makes even sorrow sweeter.

Dr. Allinson, when he next called, relaxed his restrictions and permitted me to have groundnut butter or olive oil for the sake of fat, and to take the vegetables, cooked if I chose, with rice. These changes were quite welcome, but they were far from giving me a complete cure. Very careful nursing was still necessary and I was obliged to keep mostly in bed.

When Dr. Allinson next visited, he eased his restrictions. He allowed me to have groundnut butter or olive oil for fat. He also allowed me to eat vegetables with rice, cooked if I chose. These changes were welcome, but they were far from curing me completely. I still needed very careful nursing and had to stay mostly in bed.

Dr. Mehta occasionally looked in to examine me, and held out a standing offer to cure me if only I would listen to his advice.

Dr. Mehta occasionally stopped by to examine me. He always offered to cure me if I would follow his advice.

Whilst things were going on in this way Mr. Roberts one day came to see me and urged me very strongly to go home. ‘You cannot possibly go to Netly in this condition. There is still severer cold ahead of us. I would strongly advise you to get back to India for it is only there that you can be completely cured. If, after your recovery, you should find the War still going on, you will have many opportunities there of rendering help. As it is, I do not regard what you have already done as by any means a mean contribution.’

While things were going on like this, Mr. Roberts came to see me one day. He strongly urged me to go home. ‘You cannot possibly go to Netly in this condition. Even colder weather lies ahead. I strongly advise you to return to India, because only there can you be completely cured. If the War is still going on after you recover, you will have many opportunities to help there. In any case, I think what you have already done is a significant contribution.’

I accepted his advice and began to make preparations for returning to India.

I took his advice and began preparing to return to India.