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'Homeleigh' in Highbury, London, was the place in charge of Mrs. Jecks where young Kumarakulasinghe was touched
by the finger of God and he slept.
There were with him in the same residence, Mr. Holsington, Mr. E .B. Redlich and Mr. R. F. Honter, all of Ceylon,
the last two his fellow students at Wesley College, Colombo. On the 10th of April 1900, Mudaliar Kumarakulasinghe
received a telegram from London informing him that Chellam was dangerously ill. It seems to me best to narrate
the events that followed in order as set forth in letters written from London.
The first letter is from Mr. Holsington, dated 10th April 1900.
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10th April 1900
Dear Mr. Kumarakulasinghe,
Although away from Homeleigh, I think I ought to give you an account of Chelvanayagam and about his progress. Last
Friday when I wrote to you, he had passed over the most trying part of his illness. On Friday he fell into a sort
of delirium. He said all sorts of things which are not worth repeating. His senses were mostly in Jaffna, and frequently
he used Tamil to convey his thoughts. He spoke about Mr. Tambyah and his wife, and asked me if they had gone to
Manipay.
Later on Saturday night he went into a quiet sleep, and awoke on Sunday night, but only to go into a sort of semiconscious
state frequently. He did not speak to us coherently.
On Monday he woke once again, fully aware of all that had happened, and quite himself once again. He talked to
everyone one quite coherently.
I went up to him and sat with him for about an hour. I told him that he has begun to rally, and the only thing
now is to be perfectly still, think very little, and get strong. He asked me about the number of days he has been
in bed, and about any letters from you. He asked me also if I had written to you and told you about this illness.
Mr. Goodheart had to be called in a second time for a consultation when Chelvanayagam was delirious. He expressed
the opinion that there is no reason why he should not recover.
During this week he has been rallying bit by bit. There is every chance of his getting better. I hope he has no
breakdowns. He has very good nursing. Altogether, with the two nurses attending on him, there are five that look
after him daily; with all this care and comfort, with the prayers that are continually being offered for him, I
am sure he will rally. God bless him. I close.
I am,
Yours sincerely
R Holsington.
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Homeleigh
15 Aubert Park
Highbury
London
Wednesday
April 11th, 1900
Dear Mr. Kumarakulasinghe,
A telegram despatched to you yesterday would have informed you of your brother's serious illness.
It was last Sunday night when serious symptoms showed themselves, and he had to go back to bed. The Doctor was
sent for, and he [Dr. Tait] has been in constant attendance since then, and a special nurse has been engaged.
I had better give an account of the events which seem to have contributed to leading on to his illness.
Your brother since he came to England has been under the impression that his studies would be all his thought and
attention. His constant study, the continual strain on his system, absence of some slight recreation, have told
on him. From what your brother told us here, we gather that during the last Christmas vacation he spent eleven
hours a day at his work. One must recollect that after a hard term's work, he was not doing a sensible thing. He
came down to Homeleigh for a few days in January, and we spoke to him about his constant study.
This vacation spent at Oxford must have told heavily on him. It meant very little fresh air; it must have been
very injurious for him to have always been breathing into his lungs the air of his sitting room; and this fact
must be coupled with the bending attitude assumed in studying.
Early in January, after a few days spent at Homeleigh, he went up to Oxford. He was up there till March 21st, when,
after a great deal of hesitation, he came down here for the vacation.
Mrs. Jecks, one of the ladies in charge of the missionary home, was greatly concerned about your brother's health.
She spoke to him very strongly on the subject, but he would not listen. He thought that his studies must not be
stopped. Matters reached a crisis a fortnight ago. He was in the habit of reading very hard in his bedroom, and
one night while he was poking his fire, he felt a pain in his chest which seemed to render his whole body quite
incapable of motion for a few minutes. He told this to us next morning. Mrs. Jecks, on hearing about this, again
spoke to your brother. She said that his policy was wrong and foolish, and that if he continued to go on the same
way, she would not hold herself responsible. After some difficulty she persuaded him to go to see Dr. Tait. Your
brother was unwilling to do so for he feared that the doctor would stop his study.
Mrs. Jecks, Miss Dutton [the other lady in charge], Mrs. Arnold, Honter, Holsington, myself and the others, made
every effort we could to prevail upon him to stop his work, but all to no purpose. His strong point was that he
knew best, and that in his opinion he must study. I wish you to grasp this fact thoroughly. He absolutely refused
to be guided by advice given him. It is no use my trying to hide the true history of his case, for it would do
no good. He was constantly warned of the risks he was running, and many of us warned him that he was ruining his
health and imperilling his life. If by the time this letter reaches you, you have not heard that his illness proved
fatal, it will be due to God's goodness, and the care and attention bestowed upon him. We are not sparing any effort
or expense in caring for him, and what the ladies here are doing for him is as much as they would do for their
own children. You will probably understand what this means when I say that ordinarily the work to be done is as
much as three ladies with the help of three servants can do.
Well, to go on with your brother's illness. Last Sunday night, after we had prayers, your brother was siting in
the drawing room with all of us, suddenly he had a fit of coughing and went out. He came back in about two minutes
and called for Mrs. Jecks. She went to him and found that he was coughing out blood. The Doctor was sent for, and
he saw the case was serious. Next morning, Dr. Tait turned up, and no sooner did he see your brother's condition
than he rushed away for a specially trained nurse. Immediately we all felt that our warnings to him were only too
true. The Doctor came about four or five times that day. On Tuesday he did not seem to get better. Dr. Tait thought
it advisable to have a consultation, if Mrs. Jecks thought it would not be too great an expense. She said that
she was quite willing to spend any amount, even all she had. The same night his temperature was at l05 degrees.
Your brother was very bad, and the Doctor could not move him to make an exhaustive examination.
Dr. Mylvaganam, formerly of Jaffna, came here the same night at Dr. Tait's request in order that he might give
any information as to your brother's health in Ceylon.
The consultation was held this afternoon. Dr. Goodheart was the consulting physician. Their opinion was that the
case was critical, but not hopeless.
This is as much as I can tell you about the history of the case. The ladies here are doing all what they can, spending
hours in the sickroom in order to give the nurse a few hours for some sleep.
Mr. Musa Bhai has been here to see your brother very often. He comes daily, and spent a night here.
Patient is a bit better. He has had a good night, temperature lower.
I shall be glad to hear from you in reply. We are doing all we can for your brother.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely
E.B. Redlich
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April 12th
Dear Mr. Barr,
I am simply adding a line to confirm all that Mr. Redlich has said, and to send you my deepest sympathy in this
time of anxiety. I feel for you most deeply, and trust our Heavenly Father, the God of all comfort, may help and
sustain you.
All is being done for your dear brother that can be done, and I trust God may yet raise him up. When I am writing
this there is a slight change for the better, and of course we can only wait God's time and way. You may all rest
assured he is among those who love him. The Lord bless and keep you all.
Yours in Christ
Grace Jecks.
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Homeleigh
April 12th 1900
Dear Mr. Kumarakulasinghe,
Your brother and I were friends together at Tellipalai 12 years ago. It is wonderful, we said only the other day,
that once again after so many years, our paths in life should meet again in England. Happy though our revival of
friendship and acquaintanceship had been, and happier still the thought of a long friendship here in England, I
must admit that I am completely thrown out of focus by this unexpected event, your brother's illness.
Chelvanayagam fell suddenly ill last Sunday night. After prayers we were sitting and discussing various things
together in the drawing room, when suddenly your brother had a fit of coughing, and went up to his room. He came
back in about five minutes, and opened the door and said, "Mrs. Jecks, I want to see you." Mrs. Jecks
was in the midst of singing, and she stopped abruptly and went upstairs. Meanwhile I had guessed that Chellam must
have been coughing blood. Soon we learnt that it was but too true. Mr. Honter ran for the Doctor, and I went up
to Chellam's room to put his mind at rest. I found Chellam very uneasy, very much disturbed in thought. I asked
him to undress and go to bed, which he did without much pressure. I sat with him for a time and endeavoured to
take away his thoughts from himself. I think I succeeded in doing so by taking him back to Jaffna, by quoting him
some hymns and lyrics, and some humorous events connected with them. Time passed by rapidly, and the Doctor was
soon announced. He could not do much in the way of examining Chellam's lungs as he would have brought on his cough.
And so for ensuring a good night of rest he injected morphia in his hand.
Chellam had a good night and when I went to his room early in the morning he was already awake and said he felt
better. But soon afterwards he had another fit of coughing and brought out much more blood. The Doctor came in
soon and ordered a special nurse, and forbade us to go up to his room. We learnt by this that Chellam was in a
dangerous condition.
Towards the afternoon when his temperature grew to be 104 degrees, Mrs. Jecks thought it best to telegraph to Musa
Bhai, who was taking a mission at Buckingham Gate congregational church. We did not get any reply to the wire,
and hence we had to send Honter to bring him over to get his advice also. He came over at about 9 o'clock at night,
and as the doctor had forbidden us all to get to Chellam's room, he had to stay here the night. We had a special
time of prayer for your brother.
On Tuesday morning Chellam was much better. The temperature had gone down, and also the haemorrhage had not reappeared
after eleven the previous morning. Mr. Musa Bhai went up to his room and found him better, sat with him for a while,
and returned.
After lunch there was a rise of temperature, and consequently a greater anxiety was felt for him. The doctor also
felt his position, and announced that he would like to have a consultation. He placed before us three names, and
suggested that if it was for himself, or for any one of his friends, he would certainly prefer Doctor Goodheart.
Mrs. Jecks said, "We want to do for the boy our best, and we will have the best doctor for him", and
so the matter was settled. Later in the day Thuraisingam was here and suggested that Dr. Mailvaganam should be
able to do something for Chellam as he knew the peculiar forms of disease in Jaffna, and knew to treat them better.
An English doctor did not know them quite as well. Two of us were soon despatched to bring him in with the consent
of Dr. Tait. When he came Barr's temperature had gone up to 105 degrees, and also the haemorrhage had returned.
Dr. Mailvaganam went up to see Chellam, cheered him up a bit and then came back. It was now desirable that we should
telegraph to you the condition of your brother, although we knew the shock it would produce, yet we knew that our
duty should be done. The wording of the telegram was discussed in detail.
Chellam knows the danger he is in, and seems anxious. Consequently I do not wonder, nor does any one. It has come
so suddenly, and it would have given the shock to any one. He does not know all the dangers that attend his illness.
He does not know of our anxieties, and all the gloom that his illness has cast over Homeleigh.
Yesterday morning his temperature stood at 104 degrees till about 10 o'clock. The consultation took place at half
past two. Dr. Goodheart came in punctually and Chellam was specially pleased with him, and to the nurse he said
afterwards "He is the best doctor in London." The doctors, after a superficial examination, owing to
the condition of the patient, have declared his lungs clear. His case they have declared not hopeless, but that
it would be more hopeful if the patient had been more used to the climate. Quinine has been prescribed to bring
down the temperature. Last night when I went up to see him, and to be with him for a while, I noticed that he was
much quieter, and his breathing much more regular. He did not speak at all. I held his hand and stroked it for
a long time. Later on when the doctor came he found that the patient was a little better, the temperature half
degree lower [102.5], and also his pulse had gone down. Needless to say it made us feel very glad. This morning
there is further good news. The temperature had gone down yet further, and his pulse also; and he has had a very
good night. We are all of us feeling a little more a ease. We hope and pray for the best. God bless and raise him
up.
This brings me up as far as today, as you would very much care to know of all he has suffered during these three
or four days, I have dwelt thus at length on this point. After all, when I think of it, how little can I write
of the care and love with which he is at present surrounded. In a strange land, among strangers, to be taken care
of in a way as if he had been at home amongst his loved ones, passes my expectation and makes me lift up my heart
to thank God for a home like this. You would wonder more when I tell you that very nearly Chellam was not seen
this vacation. Owing to his peculiar fascination for study, and a sense of duty, he had determined to go elsewhere,
but in answer to prayer he has been brought over here. How marvellously he had been guided! I dare say he would
have described in detail the several members of this home. I do not want to attempt anything of that kind. In Mrs.
Jecks, he has truly a person with the heart of a mother. She has been more than a mother to him during the time
he has been here. Time would not permit me to describe in detail of the care and love she has shed around his path,
which Chellam during these days fully realizes. Each spare moment you find her up in his room consoling him, speaking
tender words of sympathy to him, doing all in her power to help him. But it is not in outward acts that you see
all that is being done, but when you hear the prayers that are ascending every day for him, and the passionate
appeal for his recovery, you will certainly say, here is indeed godly love. I have said this to put your mind at
rest as to whether Chellam is being cared for well or not. Many questions would rise in your mind when you hear
of his illness, and I have been trying as far as I can to do my best to answer them.
On one point I have been quite silent. It is the cause of his illness. Perhaps I feel others would be touching
on this point and I need not recapitulate them. Chellam has been very careless of his health. From the time I knew
him he always looked a serious youth. He has not seriously developed his body to stand this climate.
I wish he had listened to our advice and taken to out-door pleasures. Bending over books all day long is detrimental
to the healthiness of body as well as of the mind. I have myself asked him, "for my sake, Chellam, come out
and have a walk in the fresh air." But no, he would go up to his room once again to run through so many lines
of Vergil.
I have done. Excuse my lengthiness. I did not intend to write so much as I have done. The doctor has been here
this morning, and considers his case more hopeful.
I close here with every prayer for his recovery.
Yours very sincerely,
Robert Holsington"..
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Subsequent events may be given in summary as follows, giving space and prominence when the narrative requires greater
fullness:
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1900 April 14: Consultation. Slight improvement. Word "hopeful" wired to brother.
1900 April 23: Pronounced not out of danger. Very weak. Brain greatly overworked and spine consequently affected.
Callers: -Mr. Musa Bhai, Dr. Nell, Messrs. A Tampoe, C Wijekoon,, S. Thurasingam, Rev. Murphy.
1900 May 9: Rev. T. Moscrop [of Ceylon] writes to Mudaliar K. "doubt his being able to work for a long time
to come. He will need to take a thorough change and rest before going back to Oxford, even if the medical report
is favourable."
1900 May 10: Mrs. Jecks - Since writing to you last Friday, I am grieved to say your brother Chellam's complaint
has taken a turn for the worse. We were hoping that the disease was being arrested, but his temperature is keeping
up and his being still gradually getting weaker. Sir Douglas Powell, a great authority on the chest, was called
in, and he pronounced the case hopeless. As far as human skill can see, he said, he might linger for some time,
or he might sink rapidly, and advised me to cable for you, which I did; all is being done than can be. Chellam
is very bright, and he does not yet know that he will never go back to Oxford. The doctor will not allow him to
be worried in any way that can be avoided. Dr. Nell of Colombo saw Sir Douglas Powell, and I believe he has written
to you.
I cannot tell you how grieved we all are both for you and his mother. May the Lord comfort you in this great sorrow.
We cannot understand God's dealings, but we know He doeth all things well.
We have learned to love your brother very much, and always spend a good part of the day in his room. He likes me
to read the Bible with him and pray with him, and we both talk together of Ceylon and all his dear ones. He often
mentions the little niece who calls him Uncle Winkle. He was so pleased with the photographs which came this week.
I will keep you informed of him, but of course when this arrives at Colombo you may have come to England.
With kindest regards, and deepest sympathy.
I am
Yours sincerely
Grace Jecks
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1900 May 11: Mr. E. B. Redlich writes: Dear Mr. Kumarakulasinghe, Your brother has taken a turn
for the worse; this is painful information to give you all. There are no hopes of his recovery.
Dr. Tait was not quite pleased with your brother's condition last week, and so he advised that Sir Douglas Powell
should be brought in consultation. They examined your brother and found that acute tuberculosis had rapidly developed
and this has been spreading the last few days. Mrs. Jecks cabled you to come immediately, for we are in hopes that
if you can come you may be in time to see your brother. All here do feel for you and your people. It is very hard
but we cannot complain.
I should tell you that Sir Douglas Powell said that your brother could not be in a better place. The room, the
surroundings and the attention, all met with his approval, so that you have an authoritative statement from a stranger
as to how your brother is situated. I have very little to add. Whatever is needed will be done.
With heartfelt sympathy to all at home. |
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1900 May 22: Mrs. Jecks, after writing she was expecting the Mudaliar in London: Dear Mrs. Kumarakulasinghe.
I thank you very much for your letter and the kind expressions of confidence contained therein. We have done all
that is within human power to help your dear brother. But all seems in vain. The best advice that London can afford
has been had, and no expense spared, but the tuberculosis has developed so rapidly that he daily is becoming weaker.
By the doctor's orders all that would worry or distress him has been kept from him, and I am trusting that your
husband may be here now on his way for I do feel if only some of his men were with him it would be such a comfort
to him. I know our Lord and Master can do all things and even now can arrest the disease if He will. My only hope
is in our God. I should have cabled again, but am waiting to hear if Mr. Kumarakulasinghe is on his way or not.
We have to be most tender with the dear boy. I never mention to him about his condition. I think it would not be
kind now. I had seen to his getting sufficient real warm underclothing, when he came over in October before going
to Oxford. In that way he was well provided for.
A friend who was here had a camera, so he took Chellam's photograph for you and which I am sending by this mail.
I know you would like to have it.
What can say to you all in this great sorrow, words are so poor. I pray the God of all comfort to comfort you all
as He alone can.
With kindest regards
I am yours sincerely
G Jecks.
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1900 May 31: Mrs. Jecks writes regretting the Mudaliar's inability to leave Ceylon to see his brother:
"I cabled to you as Sir Douglas Powell the consulting physician said if you wished to see your brother you
ought to come at once."
1900 May 31: Rev. E.M. Weaver [of Ceylon]. He seemed very bright and cheerful during my short stay. I made the
visit very brief and tried not to excite him, lest his coughing should come on. He has not yet been told the doctor's
verdict as to his disease. The friends about him are very kind, and seem to be doing their best to keep him cheerful.
I heard about his life and work from Rev. Bradfield of Oxford some months ago, before he was taken ill. He spoke
very highly of his Christian character and earnestness. I do not think there is any need for anxiety about the
state of his mind and heart, though I think he should know the truth about his condition so that he might face
the future courageously and with a collected mind. He is however in the hands of exceedingly kind Christian friends,
and I am sure that they will do all that is possible for him both materially and spiritually.
I need not say how deeply sorry I am that this should have overtaken your brother in England, so far away from
you all. It is possible that he may rally and be able to bear the voyage back, but the doctors do not give any
hope of this. I think you should be prepared for the worst news, as by this time you doubtless are. It will be
a pleasure to you to know that he has won the regard of a great number of friends in England, and that his life
at Oxford has been one of steady hard work -too hard, alas, for there is no doubt that over-study has had much
to do with his breakdown |
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