RECORD: Emma Darwin's diary for: 1864. CUL-DAR242[.28]. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua, corrections by John van Wyhe 4.2019. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with the permission of Richard Darwin Keynes. See the introduction to Emma Darwin's diaries here. All of the diaries are also available in a single file here, which has the latest corrections.
Introduction by Christine Chua:
It is unfathomable the assortment of suffering Darwin went through in 1864. Throughout the year, he was either having acid sickness, bilious vomiting, heart palpitations or great exhaustion, sometimes all at once. The medication or remedies prescribed included bismuth, pepsine, quinine, blue pill, grey powder, nitre, and last but not least, opium. Whenever he could, he visited the hothouse, sometimes several times a day, to help him to carry on with work and experiments. Mrs Darwin kept detailed records of his illness, ever devoting her time and attention to the care of her husband. In a week in June, she cryptically entered "C.!!".
[page break]
[Printed Title] Harwood's Diamond Diary with An Almanack for 1864
Aug. owe for Haydns Symph- no. 11. 5/.
Genius genius
12 –
9 –
1 – 1 [crossed out]
2 – 1
9
January 1864
31 – began wrist compress
Friday, 1 January 1864
acid sickness 8-
good day
billiards
[doodle]
Saturday, 2 January 1864
began quinine
much discomf till 1.
several times sick
Eliz came
blue pill
good night
acid sick
January 1864
Sunday, 3 January 1864
acid sick 11 –
Do – 6
Do – 8
- 9 twice
Monday, 4 January 1864
slight acid 8.
began pepsine
acid 5 –
- 9
several in night
very bad night-
Tuesday, 5 January 1864
8 [crossed out] 9.30 –
fine day
several times in night
Wednesday, 6 January 1864
8 am. –
began bismuth
much better afternoon
12 acid
Thursday, 7 January 1864
10 – twice
12 – slight
1- [crossed out]
Friday, 8 January 1864
4. am-
8- am.
Saturday, 9 January 1864
Hor. began bismuth
1 a.m.
January 1864
Sunday, 10 January 1864
much flat all day
copious sickness 9.30. p.m.
Monday, 11 January 1864
8.30 slight
10.30 bad sick & distress
2.30 many times
2 time [crossed out] twice in night
Tuesday, 12 January 1864
8 – slight
11 – several
1-30 several times
more comf in afternoon
in night 2 or 3.
Wednesday, 13 January 1864
9.30 –
much better afternoon
began bismuth
took extra opium
bad flat & sickness in night
Thursday, 14 January 1864
8 –
930 –
1.30 pm –
g. afternoon
Friday, 15 January 1864
9.30 –
5 –
no sickness at night
Saturday, 16 January 1864
January 1864
Sunday, 17 January 1864
Monday, 18 January 1864
Children to London
Tuesday, 19 January 1864
Wm. went
C took a turn
out twice
bad sickness at 11. P.m.
Wednesday, 20 January 1864
uncomf day
sick 9.30 several times
& twice more
Thursday, 21 January 1864
7.30
9.30 several times
blue pill
Friday, 22 January 1864
9.30 several times
Effie Hope & Ed. came
dazzling & sickness 6.
much sickness till 11 & once more
dazzling twice
Saturday, 23 January 1864
8.
mending all day
v.g. night
January 1864
Sunday, 24 January 1864
rheumatism & excellent day
Monday, 25 January 1864
Effie & Ed went
Tuesday, 26 January 1864
Twice at hot house
Hope went
sick 12.30 p.m.
Wednesday, 27 January 1864
Lizzy to school.
Thursday, 28 January 1864
10 – great languor & sick
1 –
very uncomf day
1.
Friday, 29 January 1864
8.30
out a little
faint sick 8.30
bad night [line erased]
F E W. came
Saturday, 30 January 1864
8.30.
v. g. day.
hot house twice
faint sick 8.30 p.m [line crossed out]
February 1864
Sunday, 31 January 1864
slight sick at 10.30
3 times to hot house
Monday, 1 February 1864
g. day -
3 times hot house -
Tuesday, 2 February 1864
uncomf day [line crossed out]
g. day
2 – hot house
Wednesday, 3 February 1864
Uncomf.
sickness many times from 7. till 10 & once in night
Thursday, 4 February 1864
great languor & discomf
sick 11 & 2 or 3 more.
7.30. – several times
12 – p.m-
Friday, 5 February 1864
8. - -
mending all day
2 hot house
sick 12. p.m.
Saturday, 6 February 1864
languid m.
sick 1- once out hot.
- 4. 3 times
12 pm
February 1864
Sunday, 7 February 1864
8-
9.30
11.30 several times
mending all afternoon
Monday, 8 February 1864
out 4 times v.g.
sick 11 p.m –
much flat.
Tuesday, 9 February 1864
sick 8.30 acid
many times
palpit. heart
once in night
H. no flat
Wednesday, 10 February 1864
830 –
out 4 times
much flat in night
H. no flat
colch
Thursday, 11 February 1864
- 8. –
10.30
11 –
out twice
7 –
10 –
p.m
colch
H. no fl-
began compress
Friday, 12 February 1864
8. sickness
11-
out once
sick 5 –
3 in night [line crossed out]
great flat & discomf
Saturday, 13 February 1864
3.a.m.
tol day.
out once
v.g. night
February 1864
Sunday, 14 February 1864
-10 – 3 times great discomfort till 1-
mending –
excellent night
Monday, 15 February 1864
v.g day
out 3 times
H flat 1st time for 6 days
Hen. to London-
Tuesday, 16 February 1864
acid sick 11-a.m.
out twice
sick 9-
came back
Wednesday, 17 February 1864
excellent day
began sulph. acid
Thursday, 18 February 1864
sick 8-
headache & languid
acid twice
very torpid & uncomf evg. & night
Friday, 19 February 1864
snow began -
8- bilious
9.30 –
better in afternoon
once out
Saturday, 20 February 1864
began acid once
v.g. day
out 4 times
February 1864
Sunday, 21 February 1864
Took acid once
v.g. day
4 times out
Monday, 22 February 1864
v.g. out 4 times
sick 9. p.m.
great flat & discomfort in night
once sick
Tuesday, 23 February 1864
sick 10.30 –
out once
- 4-30 several times
uncomf evg.
Wednesday, 24 February 1864
v. g. day –
Thursday, 25 February 1864
v.g.
up from 9 to 1.
Friday, 26 February 1864
slight acid 8
v.g
Saturday, 27 February 1864
uncommonly well till 5- sick several times
8.20 bad headache & bilious vomit till 11.30
Children from sch.
February - March 1864
Sunday, 28 February 1864
rather languid
sick 5-
out 2-
Monday, 29 February 1864
headache me. grey p.
sick 10-30 –
left off acid
bad exhaustion & sickness 9 – 10
out 2
Tuesday, 1 March 1864
bad exhaust sick 10-30
Hen went to London
5 –
11 –
out once
Wednesday, 2 March 1864
out twice [crossed out] 3 times
sick 1.15
stronger
began acid & pills
Thursday, 3 March 1864
- 4.30
out twice
12-30 –
O
Friday, 4 March 1864
once out
12 –
out
3 –
left of pill & acid
12 p.m.
grey p me
Saturday, 5 March 1864
v.g morning
sick 1.20.
out 3 times
twice to end of garden
-9 - 10-
once in night
March 1864
me in bed
Sunday, 6 March 1864
8- acid sick -10-30-
1 – slight
6.15
3 times out
bad bilious from 10 to 11.30
Monday, 7 March 1864
8. bilious –
12-30 acid
bad vomiting from 10 to 12 –
2 out
Tuesday, 8 March 1864
v.g. day
sick 7.45
9 – pm. acid
out 4
Wednesday, 9 March 1864
8. acid
9.30 –
12. slight
out 1
from 8 to 10. no distress
once again
Thursday, 10 March 1864
4. am-
8-
much sickness from 10 to 11 –
pretty comf all day
out 1
8.15 – for some time
good night
Friday, 11 March 1864
began nitre
7- am –
10 –
5 – 3 or 4 times
cough & cold began –
not out
good night
Saturday, 12 March 1864
8.30 several times till 11…good night
March 1864
Sunday, 13 March 1864
11-15 –
12- 30 –
Monday, 14 March 1864
4. a.m-
6.30 –
a little after tea
Tuesday, 15 March 1864
1.30
more comf day.
8-
great flat in night & slight sickness
Wednesday, 16 March 1864
better day
pretty comf
sick 9.30
v.g night
Thursday, 17 March 1864
9.30
11-15 – slight
1 – very slight
6.30 – 3 times
9.30
left off opium
Friday, 18 March 1864
4 – am –
6. – 3 times
8 3 times
left off nitre
Saturday, 19 March 1864
6. am-
10 – am
2 –
out to hot house
9-15
12-
March 1864
Sunday, 20 March 1864
3. am. slight
11 – Dr Jenner
4 –
sick from 10 to 12/-
out 1
O
Monday, 21 March 1864
O
1 –
5-30
9-
Tuesday, 22 March 1864
O
12.30
3 –
4-10
5- 6-
9 –
began lime water
chalk & mag
Wednesday, 23 March 1864
O
11- 11.30 & twice more slight
5 – 3 or 4 times
10 –
Camilla came
Thursday, 24 March 1864
more comf
out on lawn twice
slight sick in night
took colch & pod.
1st time
Friday, 25 March 1864
O
weak but stomach well most of day
out on lawn
Saturday, 26 March 1864
O
Susan & Eliz
out twice to hot house
March 1864
Sunday, 27 March 1864
out hot –
sick 3.30
- 6 -
10 –
12 –
Monday, 28 March 1864
out 1-
Tuesday, 29 March 1864
out 1
sick 1-
- 3. headache went
4 or 5 times
began chalk & mag – [line crossed out]
Susan & Eliz went
8-30 till 10
Wednesday, 30 March 1864
Camilla went
pod.
March - April 1864
Thursday, 31 March 1864
v. g day
out 3 times
great struggle against sickness
Friday, 1 April 1864
3 times out once to end of sand walk
Emily T. came
Saturday, 2 April 1864
Wm came
3 times out
bad struggle at night
pod.
April 1864
Sunday, 3 April 1864
12 p.m. slightly
Monday, 4 April 1864
8. a.m –
Wm went
9- slight twice
1 out
Tuesday, 5 April 1864
Boys & Lizzy went to school
9 - 9.30
1 – out
Wednesday, 6 April 1864
v.g. day
out 3 times
12 pm. slightly sick
Thursday, 7 April 1864
8- a.m slightly sick
3 [crossed out]
4 times out
pod
Friday, 8 April 1864
5 times out
once sand walk
Saturday, 9 April 1864
8 a m slightly
G. came from Cam.
April 1864
Sunday, 10 April 1864
1 a.m. slight
Dr Jenner
Monday, 11 April 1864
out 5 times
Lizzy Turnbull
Tuesday, 12 April 1864
11 st – 3 1/2 lb
Do –
sand walk
field
began iron
Wednesday, 13 April 1864
G. Hen. Ho to L. H. P.
sick 6.30.
pod.
Thursday, 14 April 1864
out 7 times
Friday, 15 April 1864
twice round the sandw.
at once -
Saturday, 16 April 1864
G. Hen & Ho. home by Croy
S. E W came
April 1864
Sunday, 17 April 1864
languid & torpid in mg.
pod.
Monday, 18 April 1864
Tuesday, 19 April 1864
Ho to Mr Reed
Wednesday, 20 April 1864
S E W went
Thursday, 21 April 1864
not so brisk
pod –
Wm came
Friday, 22 April 1864
grey p. me-
Saturday, 23 April 1864
April 1864
Sunday, 24 April 1864
headache me
Monday, 25 April 1864
Cath came
Wm went
pod -
Tuesday, 26 April 1864
Wednesday, 27 April 1864
Thursday, 28 April 1864
v. g. day
struggle against sickness
Friday, 29 April 1864
pod -
Saturday, 30 April 1864
Children from school & Alfred
great flat at night
May 1864
Sunday, 1 May 1864
uncomf
pod -
Monday, 2 May 1864
uncomf
Tuesday, 3 May 1864
Ditto
Wednesday, 4 May 1864
better
Thursday, 5 May 1864
pod
Friday, 6 May 1864
v.g. mg –
uncomf evg_ extreme flat –
Hen went to London
Saturday, 7 May 1864
v. g – day
grey p. me
May 1864
Sunday, 8 May 1864
E.D well
v.g. day C –
Monday, 9 May 1864
pod-
Tuesday, 10 May 1864
C.D. 11 st. 3 1/2 lb
HED. 8 st 3 3/4 lb
Wednesday, 11 May 1864
Thursday, 12 May 1864
Friday, 13 May 1864
Saturday, 14 May 1864
fine
Eliz. came
pod.
May 1864
Sunday, 15 May 1864
fine
great flat in night
Monday, 16 May 1864
Tuesday, 17 May 1864
hot
Eliz went
Wednesday, 18 May 1864
very hot
Thursday, 19 May 1864
v.g – day –
very hot
Friday, 20 May 1864
Rain
Saturday, 21 May 1864
weather changed
cold
Boys from school
May 1864
Sunday, 22 May 1864
Dr Jenner
Monday, 23 May 1864
pod
Tuesday, 24 May 1864
splendid day -
Wednesday, 25 May 1864
Thursday, 26 May 1864
very cold & dry
Friday, 27 May 1864
v.g. day
Saturday, 28 May 1864
Hen & Wm came
Boys from school
May – June 1864
Sunday, 29 May 1864
Cold rain
Dr Jenner [line crossed out]
not so well
Monday, 30 May 1864
frost
not so well
pod
Tuesday, 31 May 1864
g. day-
very bad flat [line crossed out]
Wednesday, 1 June 1864
very bad flat. faintness
headache all day
Thursday, 2 June 1864
Friday, 3 June 1864
C. pretty well but not so strong for walking
g.p -
Saturday, 4 June 1864
At Em's death
Lizzy & Miss Grundy
Hen went to London in evg.
g.p.
June 1864
Sunday, 5 June 1864
v.g. me –
C!!
Hen returned
Monday, 6 June 1864
C.!!
girls went
Snow came
Tuesday, 7 June 1864
C.!!
I went to London in mg –
Hen in evg.
Wednesday, 8 June 1864
C.!!
Thursday, 9 June 1864
C.!!
Friday, 10 June 1864
C.!
Saturday, 11 June 1864
C.!!
Snow went
I to Bromley
g.p. me
June 1864
Sunday, 12 June 1864
Monday, 13 June 1864
Tuesday, 14 June 1864
g.p.
Wednesday, 15 June 1864
slight headache
Thursday, 16 June 1864
Friday, 17 June 1864
Saturday, 18 June 1864
June 1864
Sunday, 19 June 1864
Monday, 20 June 1864
C. 11 st – 2
H. 5 – 7 1/2
Tuesday, 21 June 1864
Wednesday, 22 June 1864
Boys came
cold
Thursday, 23 June 1864
rainy
Friday, 24 June 1864
Mack's death
Saturday, 25 June 1864
June 1864
Sunday, 26 June 1864
Monday, 27 June 1864
Tuesday, 28 June 1864
Wednesday, 29 June 1864
June – July 1864
Thursday, 30 June 1864
Cold & dry week
C. not very well.
Friday, 1 July 1864
Saturday, 2 July 1864
July 1864
Sunday, 3 July 1864
Monday, 4 July 1864
C. very unwell faint &c
Wednesday, 5 July 1864
I went to Dr Jenner
called on Cath.
Thursday, 6 July 1864
W. came
Thursday, 7 July 1864
W. G. went
Friday, 8 July 1864
Saturday, 9 July 1864
Boys & Alfred went
Hen. to Thorley's
July 1864
Sunday, 10 July 1864
Monday, 11 July 1864
Hen. came from London with Miss M.
pod
Tuesday, 12 July 1864
v.g.!!
took Miss Meek back
called on Miss P.
Wednesday, 13 July 1864
!!
Hen to Lamas
Thursday, 14 July 1864
!!
Admiral Stokes called
Friday, 15 July 1864
Milmans & Lyells
Saturday, 16 July 1864
Went to lunch at Lamas & brot H home
July 1864
Sunday, 17 July 1864
J. Lubbock came to lunch
Monday, 18 July 1864
Tuesday, 19 July 1864
F & Lenny came
Wednesday, 20 July 1864
Horace physic
Thursday, 21 July 1864
Friday, 22 July 1864
Lizzy from school
Editha-
Saturday, 23 July 1864
Rain
July 1864
Sunday, 24 July 1864
Monday, 25 July 1864
Editha went
Tuesday, 26 July 1864
Lizzy began physic
Wednesday, 27 July 1864
Thursday, 28 July 1864
Editha went [line crossed out]
Elinor came
Friday, 29 July 1864
Saturday, 30 July 1864
L. H. P came
[page break]
July – August 1864
Sunday, 31 July 1864
Monday, 1 August 1864
W. & G.
Tuesday, 2 August 1864
races at High Elms
W. G. from abroad
Wednesday, 3 August 1864
Millicent came
Eliz. C. & Jos went
Thursday, 4 August 1864
party to Lullingstone
Miss Thorleys came
Friday, 5 August 1864
L. H. P. girls went
Saturday, 6 August 1864
Frank W. came
August 1864
Sunday, 7 August 1864
Monday, 8 August 1864
C attack of sickness
better in afternoon
Tuesday, 9 August 1864
Wednesday, 10 August 1864
Millicent went
F & L to school.
Girls to London
Thursday, 11 August 1864
Girls to IIfracombe
Friday, 12 August 1864
Saturday, 13 August 1864
August 1864
Sunday, 14 August 1864
Monday, 15 August 1864
Tuesday, 16 August 1864
left off chalk
Wednesday, 17 August 1864
began bismuth &c.
Thursday, 18 August 1864
Horace sick
Friday, 19 August 1864
G. to Southampton
g.p. me
Saturday, 20 August 1864
!! me
August 1864
Sunday, 21 August 1864
began phosph. iron
Monday, 22 August 1864
Tuesday, 23 August 1864
Wednesday, 24 August 1864
Eliz to Mr P.
2 – 13 – 6
Thursday, 25 August 1864
Came to No 4 Chester P.
Friday, 26 August 1864
Saturday, 27 August 1864
play.
August 1864
Sunday, 28 August 1864
Boys from Clap.
Went to Zo
Monday, 29 August 1864
Tuesday, 30 August 1864
Wednesday, 31 August 1864
Music 6.
Candles 1 – 12 –
bonnet 2 – 0 -
September 1864
Thursday, 1 September 1864
Came home
Friday, 2 September 1864
Saturday, 3 September 1864
Hen. to L. H. P.
September 1864
Sunday, 4 September 1864
Monday, 5 September 1864
Lizzy to Miss T.
Tuesday, 6 September 1864
Wednesday, 7 September 1864
Lizzy came home
Thursday, 8 September 1864
Friday, 9 September 1864
Saturday, 10 September 1864
3 boys came from school.
September 1864
Sunday, 11 September 1864
fine day –
walk in wood nuts.
Monday, 12 September 1864
Boys went back
Tuesday, 13 September 1864
heavy rain
Wednesday, 14 September 1864
Henrietta came home –
Thursday, 15 September 1864
Lizzy to school.
Friday, 16 September 1864
Saturday, 17 September 1864
Ch. Cath & Edmund came.
C. rather bad
September 1864
Sunday, 18 September 1864
C. poorly.
Monday, 19 September 1864
Tuesday, 20 September 1864
Wednesday, 21 September 1864
began phosph. iron
Thursday, 22 September 1864
Friday, 23 September 1864
Saturday, 24 September 1864
H. & Jessie came
Edmund & Horace to Hartfield
g. p. me -
September 1864
Sunday, 25 September 1864
Monday, 26 September 1864
C!
beautiful weather
Tuesday, 27 September 1864
C!
podoph. me.
Wednesday, 28 September 1864
September - October 1864
Thursday, 29 September 1864
Friday, 30 September 1864
Saturday, 1 October 1864
Wm from South.
All the Hensleigh party.
October 1864
Sunday, 2 October 1864
Wm went
Monday, 3 October 1864
Erny Do
Tuesday, 4 October 1864
Wednesday, 5 October 1864
Fanny, H. & Snow went
Thursday, 6 October 1864
G. from school
Friday, 7 October 1864
Saturday, 8 October 1864
Boys from sch - & W,
October 1864
Sunday, 9 October 1864
Mr & Mrs Cresy.
Monday, 10 October 1864
boys went
Tuesday, 11 October 1864
Wednesday, 12 October 1864
C. attack of sickness in night
Thursday, 13 October 1864
Hope & Effie went
Friday, 14 October 1864
Saturday, 15 October 1864
Lyells came
October 1864
Sunday, 16 October 1864
Monday, 17 October 1864
Lyells went
Tuesday, 18 October 1864
(? Horace) → [not in Emma Darwin's handwriting]
bad hysteria & sickness
Wednesday, 19 October 1864
Thursday, 20 October 1864
Friday, 21 October 1864
Saturday, 22 October 1864
H. to Mr Reed.
flat & uncomf in evg.
October - November 1864
[23 October - 29 October 1864 not microfilmed]
Sunday, 30 October 1864
Monday, 31 October 1864
Hen. to London. Woodhouse
Tuesday, 1 November 1864
H. Reed –
Hen back
well evg.
Wednesday, 2 November 1864
uncomf. mg 11 [crossed out]. till dinner
Thursday, 3 November 1864
Friday, 4 November 1864
Saturday, 5 November 1864
Girls from school & Rose & Mabel –
Hen to London
November 1864
Sunday, 6 November 1864
Monday, 7 November 1864
Hen home
Tuesday, 8 November 1864
Wednesday, 9 November 1864
Hen. to Ravensbourne
Thursday, 10 November 1864
poorly
Friday, 11 November 1864
Ditto
Saturday, 12 November 1864
C. unwell in bed most of day
Boys from sch.
November 1864
Sunday, 13 November 1864
C. unwell
better in evg.
Monday, 14 November 1864
Better at work a little
Tuesday, 15 November 1864
at work
very rocking in afternoon
Wednesday, 16 November 1864
Thursday, 17 November 1864
Friday, 18 November 1864
Went to West Abbey
Eliz came
Saturday, 19 November 1864
Hen & Luds to Xtal Pal -
November 1864
Sunday, 20 November 1864
Monday, 21 November 1864
Tuesday, 22 November 1864
Horace stiff neck & poorly
Wednesday, 23 November 1864
C. left off alkali
Thursday, 24 November 1864
Friday, 25 November 1864
Eliz went
Saturday, 26 November 1864
November 1864
Sunday, 27 November 1864
Monday, 28 November 1864
Tuesday, 29 November 1864
Wednesday, 30 November 1864
December 1864
Thursday, 1 December 1864
Friday, 2 December 1864
Saturday, 3 December 1864
Wm came
December 1864
Sunday, 4 December 1864
Monday, 5 December 1864
Tuesday, 6 December 1864
Wm went
Camilla went
Wednesday, 7 December 1864
Thursday, 8 December 1864
Friday, 9 December 1864
Saturday, 10 December 1864
December 1864
Sunday, 11 December 1864
Monday, 12 December 1864
Hen went to Cumberland P.
Tuesday, 13 December 1864
Wednesday, 14 December 1864
Thursday, 15 December 1864
Hor. sickness
Hen & Geo. came from London
C. bad night
Friday, 16 December 1864
C. unwell in bed
Saturday, 17 December 1864
[18 December – 31 December 1864 not microfilmed]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 25 September, 2022