| On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases | | | | she has to wait to find out if she contracts this terrible |
| in which I have during the last eight years studied the | | | | disease before any treatment is given her and by |
| methods of my friend Sherlock Holmes, I find many | | | | which time it is already too late. That is why my Aunt |
| tragic, some comic, a large number merely strange, but | | | | believes that someone like Mr Holmes, the famous |
| none commonplace; for, working as he did rather for | | | | detective who solves cases of crime when all others |
| the love of his art than for the acquirement of wealth, | | | | have failed, may best be qualified to find the |
| he refused to associate himself with any investigation | | | | answer."Turning to Holmes, the lady hesitated, but then |
| which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the | | | | asked, "Sir, if anybody can fathom out the answer to |
| fantastic. Of all these varied cases, however, I cannot | | | | this riddle my Aunt believes that you can. Please Mr |
| recall any which presented more singular features than | | | | Holmes, she requests your help in this matter, for the |
| "The Case of the Nun's Disease".It all began in a year, | | | | pointers that your colleague speaks, are clues like any |
| and even in a decade, that shall be nameless, that | | | | that you have used in solving crimes. Surely Mr |
| upon one Tuesday morning in autumn I woke to find | | | | Holmes", says she. "There is no difference between |
| Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of | | | | these and those clues you have acted upon in the |
| my bed. He was a late riser, as a rule, and as the | | | | crimes that you have solved".I could see that Holmes |
| clock on the mantelpiece showed me that it was only | | | | was moved by the manner and speech of Miss Miles. |
| a quarter-past seven, I blinked up at him in some | | | | For a moment I could see this from the expression on |
| surprise, and perhaps just a little resentment, for I was | | | | his face, one that I was familiar, when he was in deep |
| myself regular in my habits."Very sorry to knock you | | | | thought. Then his face changed to one of an |
| up, Watson," said he, "but it's the common lot this | | | | expression of gentleness and conviction."Miss Miles" he |
| morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she | | | | says. "You are quite right in what you say. Tell your |
| retorted upon me, and I on you.""What is it, then -- a | | | | Aunt that I will endeavour to provide an answer to her |
| fire?""No; a client. It seems that a young lady has | | | | enquiry before she takes that journey that we all must |
| arrived in a considerable state of excitement, who | | | | take one day. She has my deepest sympathy and |
| insists upon seeing me. She is waiting now in the sitting | | | | respect".Miss Miles arose, tears in her eyes and |
| room. Now, when young ladies wander about the | | | | thanked Holmes for his words of encouragement. Mrs |
| metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock | | | | Hudson escorted her to the door and hailed a cab for |
| sleepy people up out of their beds, I presume that it is | | | | the young lady and she departed.The Game is |
| something very pressing which they have to | | | | AfootWhen our visitor had departed Holmes stood in |
| communicate. Should it prove to be an interesting case, | | | | silence then sat for some time lost in the deepest |
| you would, I am sure, wish to follow it from the outset. I | | | | thought. Unable to bear the suspense anymore I |
| thought, at any rate, that I should call you and give you | | | | caught his attention, which only made him |
| the chance.""My dear fellow, I would not miss it for | | | | frown."Holmes, what are you going to do, then?" I |
| anything."I had no keener pleasure than in following | | | | asked."To smoke," he answered. "It is quite a three |
| Holmes in his professional investigations, and in admiring | | | | pipe problem, and I beg that you won't speak to me |
| the rapid deductions, as swift as intuitions, and yet | | | | for fifty minutes."He curled himself up in his chair, with |
| always founded on a logical basis with which he | | | | his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like nose, and |
| unravelled the problems which were submitted to him. I | | | | there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay |
| rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in a few | | | | pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird. I had |
| minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting | | | | come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep, |
| room. A lady dressed in black and heavily veiled, who | | | | and indeed was nodding myself, when he suddenly |
| had been sitting in the window, rose as we | | | | sprang out of his chair with the gesture of a man who |
| entered."Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. | | | | has made up his mind and put his pipe down upon the |
| "My name is Sherlock Holmes. This is my intimate | | | | mantelpiece."Watson, my good fellow", says he to me. |
| friend and associate, Dr. Watson, before whom you | | | | "Tell me what you know about this disease.""Holmes", I |
| can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am glad to | | | | replied. "There is really very little to tell. Breast cancer |
| see that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light | | | | as it is now called, first made its appearance in the |
| the fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup | | | | seventeenth century, although it is suggested that it |
| of hot coffee, for I observe that you are shivering.""lt is | | | | may have occurred before then. At that time it was |
| not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a | | | | known as the nun's disease because for reasons |
| low voice, changing her seat as requested."What, | | | | unknown it was particularly prevalent amongst nuns. |
| then?""It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror." She raised her | | | | Bernardino Ramazzini an Italian physician was the first |
| veil as she spoke, and we could see that she was | | | | to notice this unusual trend in the convents, when he |
| indeed in a pitiable state of agitation, her face all drawn | | | | was carrying out a survey of convents to look at the |
| and grey, with restless frightened eyes, like those of | | | | occupation."Holmes thinks about the case in |
| some hunted animal. Her features and figure were | | | | silence"Ah!" Holmes exclaimed. "I have heard of this |
| those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot with | | | | man. He was a man after my own heart and he used |
| premature grey, and her expression was weary and | | | | similar methods as I, in identifying causes and effect |
| haggard.Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his | | | | for various illnesses. If I recall his book "Diseases of |
| quick, all-comprehensive glances."You must not fear," | | | | Workers" outlined the health hazards of chemicals, |
| said he soothingly, bending forward and patting her | | | | dust, metals, and other agents encountered by |
| forearm. "We shall soon set matters right, I have no | | | | workers in various occupations. He had seen that |
| doubt. You have come in by train this morning, I | | | | there was a relationship between various metals and |
| see.""You know me, then?""No, but I observe the | | | | the symptoms of metallic poisoning that developed in |
| second half of a return ticket in the palm of your left | | | | the artisans who worked with them, and he |
| glove. You must have started early, and yet you had a | | | | recognised that paints were a factor in the poisoning |
| good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before | | | | of painters. He also made studies of diseases in other |
| you reached the station."The lady gave a violent start | | | | occupations including lung diseases of miners, eye |
| and stared in bewilderment at my companion."There is | | | | conditions of printers, and yes, I remember now, |
| no mystery, my dear madam," said he, smiling. "The left | | | | "breast cancer in nuns." Watson, what conclusions did |
| arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less | | | | he reach with respects to our present case?"Well, my |
| than seven places. The marks are perfectly fresh. | | | | friend", says I. "It was a puzzle to be sure. The only |
| There is no vehicle save a dog-cart which throws up | | | | thing he could think of was that perhaps there was |
| mud in that way, and then only when you sit on the | | | | some relationship between their celibacy and |
| left-hand side of the driver.""Whatever your reasons | | | | childlessness. ""No Watson!" says he. "There must be |
| may be, you are perfectly correct," said she. "My | | | | more that this for even now many women remain |
| aunt's faith in your deductive powers is well founded I | | | | childless and do not suffer from the disease. What |
| can see," says she. "I am here on a matter of life and | | | | else do you know?"There is strong evidence that |
| death. Alas!" said she, "the very horror of the situation | | | | breast feeding offers some kind of prevention to |
| lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my | | | | women getting the disease." I said. Medical studies |
| suspicions depend so entirely upon small points, which | | | | have shown this to be true, and nuns of course did not |
| might seem trivial to another, that even those to whom | | | | breast feed, so this must be of some |
| of all others I have a right to look for help and advice | | | | relevance."Sherlock Holmes clapped his hands softly |
| looks upon all that I tell as the fancies of a nervous | | | | together and chuckled. "Pon my word, Watson, you |
| woman. But I have heard Mr. Holmes that you can see | | | | are coming along wonderfully. You have really done |
| deeply into the manifold wickedness of the human | | | | very well indeed. It is true that you have missed |
| heart. You may advise me how to walk amid the | | | | everything of importance, but you have hit upon the |
| dangers which encompass those who share the | | | | method" Never trust to general impressions, my boy, |
| horrors of which I am about to speak.""I am all | | | | but concentrate yourself upon details.I could not help |
| attention, madam." says he."My name is Sarah Miles, | | | | but smile at his outburst and as I did so other "details" |
| and I am here on behalf of my aunt. She is dying Mr | | | | entered my head. "Holmes", I said in excitement. |
| Holmes. She is dying of a dreadful illness that has | | | | "Women in those days wore tight fitting clothing as |
| plagued those of her vocation. She has sent me to | | | | they do now, that squeezed their breasts to their |
| you for even though she lies bedridden in terrible pain, | | | | chest, in order to boost, dare I say, cleavage. Further |
| knowing that her time is short. But even in this state, | | | | many of the upper classes applied makeup to their |
| her mind is clear and she has heard of you and knows | | | | bosom, faces and arms, a substance called ceruse or |
| in her heart that if anybody could solve the riddle of | | | | white Lead and used other preparations to enhance |
| her illness, you can. But knowing that she has but a | | | | their beauty that was of dubious toxicity. In fact some |
| few days to live, perhaps a week or two at the most, | | | | of these women also got the nun's disease too while it |
| it is the reason why I have hastened here at such an | | | | remained exceeding rare among the lower classes. |
| early hour. She wants to know if you can help before | | | | Holmes, I think we are onto something", I |
| she dies and the reason for my haste""Prey tell me | | | | exclaimed.Holmes smiled at me as one would of to a |
| what vocation is that", said he, his eyes now aflame | | | | child who has discovered something new and exciting. |
| with interest.I am sure I detected a tear in the corner | | | | "My dear Watson", he said. "Are you not forgetting |
| of his eye, as I glanced over to him."She is a nun Mr | | | | something? Nuns wore habits, long flowing garments, |
| Holmes", says she. "and has returned home with me to | | | | and did not dub themselves with makeup. I fear that |
| die" But she is not alone in her agony for many in her | | | | our line of enquiry is leading along a path that has no |
| convent had died of the same disease, and others."Ah | | | | significance.Now it was my turn to smile. "Holmes my |
| yes, says he. "You mean that she has the nun's | | | | dear friend". I said. "When it comes to women, your |
| disease, which nowadays is called breast cancer? I | | | | knowledge is truly lacking in this area, but as a doctor I |
| have heard much about this terrible disease" -Holmes | | | | am often in situations where my services require |
| consoles Miss Miles as she relates the condition of her | | | | treatment of feminine ailments, and nuns are no |
| Aunt to him. | | | | exception."Holmes looked at me in surprise and |
| Holmes glanced in my direction. I had expected him to | | | | motioned me to carry on."Well", I said. "While it is true |
| be impatient upon this narrative because of the | | | | that nuns wear long flowing robes as you say, |
| untypical nature of the case, one that my profession is | | | | beneath them they wore a stay or similar garment |
| more likely to be involved in than he, but, on the | | | | that flattened their breasts close to their chests, and |
| contrary he had listened with the greatest | | | | they wear it all the time. I can tell you it is quite a job to |
| concentration of attention."Yes Mr Holmes, she has | | | | remove the garment when one wants to examine the |
| that terrible disease, that spreads fear and tribulation | | | | chest area of a nun with a stethoscope." I explained |
| among all women, but especially nuns, who for | | | | that it was something to do with the church's |
| reasons yet unexplained, are susceptible to its horrors. | | | | understanding of chastity, and the need not to be a |
| My aunt knows that there is nothing that anyone can | | | | focal point of attention and a lure to men. However the |
| do for her, but she believes that if anyone can find out | | | | exact details escapes me as it is an internal doctrinal |
| why those of her calling get the disease, it would be | | | | matter of the church, and you know me and my |
| you sir.She turned in my direction and asked, "Dr | | | | thoughts about religion.," says I.The face of Holmes lit |
| Watson, are you a doctor of the medical | | | | up no sooner had my explanation passed his ears. For |
| profession.""Yes, I replied", knowing what she was | | | | a moment he was silent, deep in thought then he said, |
| about to say."Why is it Dr Watson that those who are | | | | "Ah! My dear Watson, there we come into those |
| supposed to find out cures and remedies for sickness | | | | realms of conjecture, where the most logical mind may |
| and disease have failed so badly when it come to this | | | | be at fault. Each may form his own hypothesis upon |
| disease", says she. "Instead all that seems to be done | | | | the present evidence, and yours is as likely to be |
| is to offer treatment when someone has the disease, | | | | correct as mine is. What else have you to tell |
| which often results in painful mastectomy which rarely | | | | me?""Thank you Watson", Holmes replied, "I was |
| resolves the problem.""Madam", says I. "We of my | | | | aware of this. Prey tell me what has breast feeding |
| profession do not know why nun's are more prone to | | | | and a woman having her breasts squeezed to her |
| get the disease than other women". All we have are a | | | | chest by tight fitting clothing have do with this |
| few pointers, but not enough to ascertain the reasons | | | | case?"..........So we sat, in silence, lost in our thoughts. |
| why. So all we can do is tackle the disease when it | | | | Then all of a sudden he exclaimed, "My dear fellow." |
| arises, hopefully when it is caught in its early stages, | | | | says he, as we sat on either side of the fire in his |
| because if we do, we can usually provide treatment | | | | lodgings at Baker Street, "life is infinitely stranger than |
| that will either cure the person or at least extend the | | | | anything which the mind of man could invent. We |
| life of the patient.""Yes Dr Watson", says she. "What | | | | would not dare to conceive the things which are really |
| you say is true but this is no comfort for a women if | | | | mere commonplaces of existence. |