Elizabeth P. Lewis to Cary T. Grayson
Title
Elizabeth P. Lewis to Cary T. Grayson
Creator
Lewis, Elizabeth Price
Identifier
WWP15971
Date
1919 October 12
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
Maplewood
Jamestown, RI
My dear Dr. Grayson
Do you stand for the enclosed?- Iwhich appeared in todays Boston Horald, which I am told calls itself "independent"
I call it a base political libel! If The President had Ssuffered a cerebral lesion could he have dressed himself and walked to and from an automobile, as he did the first few days he returned to THE White House? Bosh and nonsense! He, from all accounts that I peruse most carefully, he is suffering from the common garden varitty of Exhaustion, which I understand so well now, I consider not nearly so difficult to deal with, as the effort Nature has to be aided to make to secrete the closely cohesive cells of bone tissue and at one particular spot wrap it around again with more coheseive cartilage, in order to repair a fractured bone. But as I warned you before when the period of relaxation in the Rest-Cure has been complete, and Nature has shown that she has again establish normal RE-ACTION in the good nights and normal pulse, THIS MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL POISE HAS BEEN GAINED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PHYSICAL. So now the PHYSICAL BODY AND BRAIN must be allowed to use USE THE VITALITY REGAINED, more and more every day. To regain physical strength Otherwise the patient will blow up something or somebody In the Presidents case I have just been looking for it. But perhaps you are too many to one, and my conviction is that now he is suffering from the nervousness of his physicians! I am convinced he does not feel nervous any longer. Ask him? And if he feels alrlright, he is all right. The function of the nerves is to tell us how we feel right or wrong, And I am sure The President only feels restless impatient, and right he should. He has had enough rest and his wholesome instincts are saying so. He has collected all the punch pep that is necessary at least for a starters, now put him on the track again and let him go ahead.
Seriously, I feel sure now, that a half hour after breakfast Mr. Wilson should be allowed to apply his brain to whatever interests him moset. He is an intelligent man. Remind him to go slowly and not to get excited or too intense about anything if he does his nerves will pinch him, and probably give him a headache, but I guess hie hias had a headache before in his life. That is all that can happen.
At least an hour before luncheon, Mr. President should relax completely and promise not to think of business again until business time again tdhe next day. Really a fair convalescence is lots of fun if ones physicians have any commonseense whatever. An hour or so after eating let him now try a little physical exercise, a short walk on the terrace, then return and rest. But for Gods sake you see I have been there! dont aoppose him all the time, that takes it out of him more than any thmi thing else. If he feels a little shaky at first, as of course he will, give him a glass of milk, and a nap of an hofur. Anbd let him look forward to his evenings! Music a good book, not much excitement or talking, which of course demands personal expenditure at first. If my suggestions are not pracical, his nights will show it and then slow up. I have been much more ill than The President has been, and yet by an uninterrupted convalescence WELL again in 3 weeks, ready for anything and proving it by my endurance.
But Dr. Grayson, The Psychology of the thing is very important. The sooner Mr. Wilson realixzes his self dependence self reliance again, the sooner will he forgets the anguish of his weakness I know whereof I speak. And more than that with these base undermining political falsehoods being propagated the sooner The People hear that he is beginning to take up his natural life again, the sooner they will believe that he is capable. And is there not a tryiumph for you, as his personal physician, to make a cleancut cure of this attack of Vital Exhaustion? as there should be nothing indifinite about it , as I have proven in my own body. Only if yofu find my suggestions workabrle wont you give me a little public credit? I am so anxious to establish confidencenin order to help the shellshock boys?!
Thanking you for your letter of October 2nd. I remain, sir,
Very Sincerely Yours
(Miss) Elizabeth Price Lewis
To Admiral Grayson,
Physician to The President,
The White House, Washington, DC
P.S. I am enclosing the hypothesis to my book, which is its big fundamental law I believe I have come to, which is the basis of my practical suggestions. EPL
Jamestown, RI
My dear Dr. Grayson
Do you stand for the enclosed?- Iwhich appeared in todays Boston Horald, which I am told calls itself "independent"
I call it a base political libel! If The President had Ssuffered a cerebral lesion could he have dressed himself and walked to and from an automobile, as he did the first few days he returned to THE White House? Bosh and nonsense! He, from all accounts that I peruse most carefully, he is suffering from the common garden varitty of Exhaustion, which I understand so well now, I consider not nearly so difficult to deal with, as the effort Nature has to be aided to make to secrete the closely cohesive cells of bone tissue and at one particular spot wrap it around again with more coheseive cartilage, in order to repair a fractured bone. But as I warned you before when the period of relaxation in the Rest-Cure has been complete, and Nature has shown that she has again establish normal RE-ACTION in the good nights and normal pulse, THIS MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL POISE HAS BEEN GAINED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PHYSICAL. So now the PHYSICAL BODY AND BRAIN must be allowed to use USE THE VITALITY REGAINED, more and more every day. To regain physical strength Otherwise the patient will blow up something or somebody In the Presidents case I have just been looking for it. But perhaps you are too many to one, and my conviction is that now he is suffering from the nervousness of his physicians! I am convinced he does not feel nervous any longer. Ask him? And if he feels alrlright, he is all right. The function of the nerves is to tell us how we feel right or wrong, And I am sure The President only feels restless impatient, and right he should. He has had enough rest and his wholesome instincts are saying so. He has collected all the punch pep that is necessary at least for a starters, now put him on the track again and let him go ahead.
Seriously, I feel sure now, that a half hour after breakfast Mr. Wilson should be allowed to apply his brain to whatever interests him moset. He is an intelligent man. Remind him to go slowly and not to get excited or too intense about anything if he does his nerves will pinch him, and probably give him a headache, but I guess hie hias had a headache before in his life. That is all that can happen.
At least an hour before luncheon, Mr. President should relax completely and promise not to think of business again until business time again tdhe next day. Really a fair convalescence is lots of fun if ones physicians have any commonseense whatever. An hour or so after eating let him now try a little physical exercise, a short walk on the terrace, then return and rest. But for Gods sake you see I have been there! dont aoppose him all the time, that takes it out of him more than any thmi thing else. If he feels a little shaky at first, as of course he will, give him a glass of milk, and a nap of an hofur. Anbd let him look forward to his evenings! Music a good book, not much excitement or talking, which of course demands personal expenditure at first. If my suggestions are not pracical, his nights will show it and then slow up. I have been much more ill than The President has been, and yet by an uninterrupted convalescence WELL again in 3 weeks, ready for anything and proving it by my endurance.
But Dr. Grayson, The Psychology of the thing is very important. The sooner Mr. Wilson realixzes his self dependence self reliance again, the sooner will he forgets the anguish of his weakness I know whereof I speak. And more than that with these base undermining political falsehoods being propagated the sooner The People hear that he is beginning to take up his natural life again, the sooner they will believe that he is capable. And is there not a tryiumph for you, as his personal physician, to make a cleancut cure of this attack of Vital Exhaustion? as there should be nothing indifinite about it , as I have proven in my own body. Only if yofu find my suggestions workabrle wont you give me a little public credit? I am so anxious to establish confidencenin order to help the shellshock boys?!
Thanking you for your letter of October 2nd. I remain, sir,
Very Sincerely Yours
(Miss) Elizabeth Price Lewis
To Admiral Grayson,
Physician to The President,
The White House, Washington, DC
P.S. I am enclosing the hypothesis to my book, which is its big fundamental law I believe I have come to, which is the basis of my practical suggestions. EPL
Original Format
Letter
To
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Files
Collection
Citation
Lewis, Elizabeth Price, “Elizabeth P. Lewis to Cary T. Grayson,” 1919 October 12, WWP15971, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.