Apr 8 /16
My dear Jack
I am afraid this letter is rather belated as it should have reached you this week which is now impossible, however I knew you would be getting home news from Arthur. We were very glad to have them here, albeit it was quite a flying visit, and it was nice that you three could meet them in London. We shall be glad to see Ethel on Monday, we quite approved of her spending the weekend at Sydenham for of course her visit to Deal was not much of a rest.
Dr Leslie came to see Mother this morning which fitted in very well as May was at home and I had not returned from Evesham. He found the lungs in a better state than before but the heart not in so good a condition. In order to strengthen it he is prescribing some medicine and also a series of exercises morning and evening at which one of the girls can assist, before and after such exercise the rate of her pulse is to be registered and after a little use of the exercise, he thinks the rate of the pulse should diminish, at present it is decidedly high and is one of the indications of heart weakness. He will call again next Saturday to see how she is progressing, meantime he suggests that she should not go beyond the garden just yet, he does not wish her to abstain from slight exercise, in fact he recommends it, but she is to rest when she gets breathless, go upstairs quietly etc. She did not come down till after dinner and little subsequent rest, for the doctor's overhauling had tired her somewhat, then she sat out for some time in a sheltered corner and much enjoyed the sun and air, she has now gone upstairs (9.30) and is not so tired as she was yesterday when she attempted rather more.
I quite hope if you are able to come down at Easter you will find her responding to the treatment. Mela very kindly copied out a lot of Boo's letter and I am sending it on for you and Kathleen to read, please return it soon by post as I wasn't to send it elsewhere. I will enclose a few lines to Kathleen in reply to hers received today, you. Will let know what I have said about Mother so that I need not repeat that. I hope your office will close the Saturday before Easter, it will be most inconsiderate if they do not and in the interest of the staff's health and energy it would probably be a wise move on their part. The situation in Mesopotamia is exciting, one does not like to build one's hopes too high but if we have an adequate force, General Townsend may yet be relieved; the moral effect would be immense. I am afraid that rush for Baghdad was a deplorable mistake and there was no urgency in the matter.
With our love, I remain
Your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
