Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Anton Chekhovit is already declining and that the bacillus is losing its strength.One is bound to think, too, that it is powerfully affected by themeasures that have been taken in Moscow and among us. The educatedclasses are working vigorously, sparing neither themselves northeir purses; I see them every day, and am touched, and when Iremember how Zhitel and Burenin used to vent their acrid spleenon these same educated people I feel almost suffocated. In Nizhnithe doctors and the cultured people generally have done marvels. Iwas overwhelmed with enthusiasm when I read about the cholera.In the good old times, when people were infected and died by thousands,the amazing conquests that are being made before our eyescould not even be dreamed of. It’s a pity you are not a doctor andcannot share my delight—that is, fully feel and recognize and appreciateall that is being done. But one cannot tell about it briefly.The treatment of cholera requires of the doctor deliberation beforeall things—that is, one has to devote to each patient from fiveto ten hours or even longer. As I mean to employ Kantani’s treatment—thatis clysters of tannin and sub-cutaneous injection of asolution of common salt—my position will be worse than foolish;while I am busying myself over one patient, a dozen can fall ill anddie. You see I am the only man for twenty-five villages, apart from afeldsher who calls me “your honour,” does not venture to smoke inmy presence, and cannot take a step without me. If there are isolatedcases I shall be capital; but if there is an epidemic of only fivecases a day, then I shall do nothing but be irritable and exhaustedand feel myself guilty.Of course there is no time even to think of literature. I am writingnothing. I refused remuneration so as to preserve some little freedomof action for myself, and so I have not a halfpenny. I am waitingtill they have threshed and sold the rye. Until then I shall beliving on “The Bear” and mushrooms, of which there are endlessmasses here. By the way, I have never lived so cheaply as now. Wehave everything of our own, even our own bread. I believe in acouple of years all my household expenses will not exceed a thousandroubles a year.When you learn from the newspapers that the cholera is over, youwill know that I have gone back to writing again. Don’t think of me309