On August 17, before leaving Edinburgh, Dr. Hodgson had written to his friend Mr. A. Ireland—
“My courage fails me as the time draws near for going to Belgium. For the first time in my life the thought of illness away from home hangs upon me. I have had queer sensations and pains in the heart.... The educational conference lasts from the 22nd to 29th inst. I have just received a huge 8vo. volume of 1000 pages, and 3 lbs. 9½ ozs. in weight, containing preliminary reports for the six sections into which the conference is divided.”
While in London he consulted a medical man, who assured him that he was suffering only from indigestion.
But the fatigue and heat of travelling brought on attack after attack of angina pectoris, and on the evening of August 24 the end came.
Of this terrible three days Miss Buss writes—
“I do not think there has ever been so awful a time in my life; in other griefs my brothers were by my side, and able to help. In this, everything has fallen on me, and in a foreign country, too. Had it not been for Miss C. Haddon and Mr. Harris it would not have been physically possible for me to bear what I have had to go through. Also the girls of my party were very helpful.
“Dear Mrs. Hodgson does not, as she says, at present understand things. It is a dream to her: she arrived just twelve hours too late.
“It is too real to me to be a dream; his dear voice is still sounding in my ears; he was so patient and so grateful, thanking us all each time we gave him seltzer-water, etc.
“But I had no idea of death till within a few hours of the end.
“I was with him just thirty-seven hours. He called for me at five o’clock on Monday morning. I went at once and gave him some brandy, and then sent for the doctor while Miss Chessar stayed with him.