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"A Amsden," the writer of this letter, is a physician and writes to Persis Sheldon of Deerfield, Massachusetts, regarding the illness of her son, Epaphras, aged 27, of tuberculosis. He alludes to the other deaths in the Sheldon family; Mrs. Sheldon has suffered the death of her husband and three of her children in the past five years. At this time, tuberculosis or "consumption," as it was called, was not known to be contagious and often infected members of the same family. Mr. Amsden notes that his own state of health and that of residents of his town is remarkably good.

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