Item 33 - To his father

Royal Hotel, Cape Town. After an inoculation against the plague he has been 'seedy in hospital - so "dumped" I had not the pluck to put pen to paper.' But he is better now. A slow, fog-bound trip from Durban. A 'moonbow' seen in the mist. Cases of enteric fever, including Colonel Keogh, his old CO in Pretoria, who is being invalided home. An introduction to 'Professor Simpson, the plague expert', leading to the inoculation. This amounts to wasted suffering, as the Army authorities will not lend him to the Colonial government for anti-plague duties. He is now working in No. 5 General Hospital, Woodstock. Looking for lodgings. The 'Cape doctor' is blowing. Gross neglect, dirt and insanitary conditions all encourage the plague, but the government is resorting to a day of prayer instead of spending some money and taking action. Delighted to hear of Nell's boy.