Dapitan
Much gratitude for a box with many gifts – Payments for items ordered – Sends thanks to Juan Luna – Lucia Rizal purchases a new house – Prescription for rheumatism – Results of her blood test – Many patients, all are poor – Asks for a pair of toothbrushes and a ball of strong twine – Sends money to parents for household expenses.
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Dapitan, November 21, 1895
Miss Trinidad Rizal
My very dear sister Trining:
We have received here the box with all that it contained, for which I give you many many thanks. To Sr. Gino I give many thanks for the sweets, sausages and seeds. Miss B. thanks you with all her heart for your gift; it is likely that she will go on the boat that is coming. She believes that she is better than what they say, and in what she does for me, because she obeys me and attends to me in a way a Filipina may not easily do.
I thank you for your shipment of espartero dimity. You will receive from our mother 30$ which the mother of Romulo pays; I gave her already a receipt of payment, so then do not collect from her anymore. The mother of Lucas has not paid yet, nor have I seen her.
With respect to Mr. Luna (Don Juan), tell him that I am thanking him, but I do not like that he trouble himself nor compromise himself for me.
I am very glad about the purchase of Sra. Lucia, but I regret that the house has zinc roofing.
For rheumatism, I advise the use of thick woolen socks. The following prescription is to be taken:
De Salicilato de sosa 3.00 gram.
De Agua de destilada 200.00
De Espiritu de azahar 10 gotas
Take three tablespoons a day
With respect to your blood, I will tell you that [the] paper came here almost white, I could not see a single letter. I advise for you, therefore, cod liver or Scott’s Emulsion. When our mother pays my account at Schadenberg, tell him to send me a box of Emulsion, in big bottles.
Many regards to Aunt Concha and Aunt Tikang, etc, etc, etc, etc.
Here I have and have had many patients from Capiz, Siquijor and Misamis. Tomorrow I shall open the eye of one and amputate the leg of another. All the houses are occupied. They are also poor. They say that another Spaniard from Negros will come also. This one will pay. Do not send me rice nor sugar, for here I bought one lot of panocha[1] at 4 cuartos[2].
If you want to send me something, I would like two toothbrushes and one ball of strong twine for sewing shoes, a big paper umbrella, so that although it gets wet in salt water it would not oxidize.
To father and mother I am sending money for household expenses, so you do not have to worry for the present.
Your brother who likes you,
JOSE RIZAL
What is Pangoy doing?
01-876 [Family]
[1] Brown sugar not yet in granulated form. Usually the liquid is poured into half coconut shells where it hardens.
[2] Copper money worth 4 maravides, which is the smallest Spanish coin.