Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Fragment ID: 15616

(this fragment is largest or earliest found passage)

Sri Aurobindo — Sahana Devi

November 28, 1932

We asked the Doctor to do the operation because it was urgent and there would have been serious danger in not doing it. There we certainly gave him the responsibility. As to the food the Doctor’s opinion agrees with the general opinion and desire and A’s own feeling – in such a case we could say nothing; for his opinion is given on his medical responsibility and will be accepted as right and scientific. If we said anything to the contrary, it might be obeyed, but without acceptation in the minds of people –in such circumstances it is better to say nothing. There is no objection to A’s taking more food if she needs it –phoscao, for instance. Personally, we would say that in her case simple food, not greasy, not spiced would be the safest thing – in view of her nervous condition and the serepeated abscesses; greasy and highly spiced things being held always to be dangerous in such cases. But then we are told that A cannot take plain food and needs tasty dishes to enrich her blood – so again we can say nothing and can only hope that tasty does not mean greasy or spicy in this case.