Eric Sams   The Making of an Essay Letters on Schumann to and from Alan Walker

18. 

27th November 1970

Dear Eric,

About a year ago, when I was surrounded by dozens of library books and articles on Schumann, from which I took copious notes to serve as a basis for my essay, I came across a fleeting mention of mercury. I didn't document it at the time, bad luck, although I seem to recall it dates from that period when Schumann was taking electrical treatment for his finger from Dr. Otto. In the hands of a quack (Schumann consulted several about then), mercury could prove lethal.  Certainly, I attached no importance to the possibility of mercury poisoning until the other week when it idly crossed my mind during a conversation with some American friends of ours who were describing the recent outbreak of mercury poisoning in the States. What interested me was that several of Schumann's symptoms – aural, visual (he writes somewhere of his passing fear of going blind), paralysis, etc. – are identical with mercury poisoning. Before I pursue the hypothesis any further, I shall have to find that reference.

   Oddly, mercury was most widely prescribed in the nineteenth century for venereal disease –  presumably on the homeopathic principle that the 'cure' produced in healthy persons symptoms which are identical with the disease. My money is still on Slater and Meyer – although I note what you say about their inconclusive evidence.

   Maybe we can meet for lunch during the first half of December. I'll ring you in a week or so.

   All good wishes,

   Yours sincerely, Alan