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"A Amsden," the writer of this letter, is a doctor and writes to Persis Sheldon of Deerfield, Massachusetts, about the illness of her son, Epaphras, aged 27, of tuberculosis. He mentions the other deaths in the Sheldon family; Mrs. Sheldon has suffered the death of her husband and 3 of her children in the past 5 years. At this time, tuberculosis or "consumption," as it was called, was not known to be catching and it often infected members of the same family. Mr. Amsden notes that his own state of health and that of people of his town is quite good.

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