August 20th, 1895

Mr. Fisk,

I do apologize if this is a little forward, but I was walking by your former office for what felt like the umpteenth time during my last shift and it left me wondering how you are. I hope things are going well for you in your current endeavors.

Not much to report from the ward, a couple of curious cases involving toxic exotic plants, but other than that, business as usual. I also accidentally locked myself in the Artifacts storage closet, which is an entirely different puzzle.

I had to do quite a bit of research with the poisonous apple case, so I included the book where I found the information. I found it to be an interesting read. No need to return it, or even reply, I just wanted to let you know we were thinking of you.

Warm Regards,
Miss T. Chevalier

Ari Fisk

  

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27th August, 1895

Miss Chevalier,

There is of course no apology required – it was thoughtful of you to write, and you have no idea just how glad I am to have heard from someone from the hospital.

I miss it intensely, of course (the work and the reward of it, the people and even the routine of a few long shifts in the week), but I am afraid it was necessary for me to step away, and I am quite sure Potion & Plant Poisoning is running just as smoothly in my absence.

I cannot go so far as to say I am quite myself at the moment: but I am, as evidenced here, well enough to write, and happily have energy enough to start perusing the volume you sent, so – from one healer to another – that is a hopeful start to finding some diversion in the slow recovery from my own present ailment.

I should be interested in hearing more about said poisonous apple case, if you are at liberty to explain further... and I am pleased to hear you are indeed at liberty from the Artifacts storage closet again, and not still sending S.O.S. letters from there! I hope you were not trapped for too long – was there a stray artifact to blame, or merely bad luck?

Please pass on my good wishes to our other colleagues, and thank you again for your letter.

Yours gratefully,
Ari Fisk

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September 2nd, 1895

Mr. Fisk,

I am sorry to hear you aren't yourself these days. How very difficult of a decision it must have been to step away. I wish you the swiftest of recoveries.

I would be happy to explain if it of some distraction. You will see more of what I mean when you reach the eighth chapter of the book, but a young girl came in with blisters on her skin, in her mouth and throat. I had never seen such angry lesions, but she explained that she had a book that opened up into a jungle! I had never heard of such a thing, but after some research, found that such things do exist. Magic will never cease to amaze me, nor will the imagination of the people wielding it.

Pardon, I got distracted. It was a strange sort of apple; not an actual one, but a tropical "beach apple" that is highly poisonous both topically and when ingested. Fortunately I was able to treat her with some general antidotes, but I had never heard of such a thing. It was a good puzzle to solve. I enjoy the academic aspect of the career so much, it is nice to be reminded it's always necessary.

Warm Regards, Not from the Artifacts Closet,
Miss T. Chevalier

  

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4th September, 1895

Miss Chevalier,

Yes, indeed, a difficult decision – but in having made it I feel I have at least found something of myself again. I fear I had not been my usual self in some time.

And I must admit it is hard to relinquish one’s usual role of being the healer rather than the patient – it is difficult enough to disengage, to not have an armful of cases and poisonings to be looking at. I am sure I have heard once of your beach apple, though have never actually seen a case of it in my time (and do not think on how many years that might have been!) at the hospital. So I am sure it took some clever thinking on your part.

I am enjoying reading this volume – and for all these exotic plants and innumerable poisons and toxicities in the world, I suppose I cannot also help but imagine how many foreign and perhaps undiscovered plants there might be in the far reaches of the world that might have the opposite properties, which could be used in remedies for conditions for which we do not yet have cures. It almost makes me sorry that I have never travelled so far and that there is so much we do not yet know!

Yours gratefully,
Ari Fisk

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September 8th, 1895

Mr. Fisk,

I'm relieved to hear you are already feeling better. I know first-hand what it is like not to feel like oneself some days and it is not easy, entirely disorienting sometimes.

It was a fascinating read, I think I devoured it in only two evenings of reading after I discovered the reason for the young woman's illness. I have thought about going to the library to find similar texts, but I fear somebody will have a comment about bringing work home with me if I do. I'm glad you are enjoying it though, I'm happy to send along any other volumes I find of interest, if you like. Or anything else you might need for that matter, filling time during a recovery time can be difficult, I find.

Warm Regards,
Miss T. Chevalier

  

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