an ingalls morning

I've waited for this. Ingalls family letters go online at Wisconsin Historical Society.

"Mother is quite well at present. Two of her fingers on her left hand she cannot use much. You asked me to describe the disease Ma had, but I don't know as I can. They called it the Scarlet Dyptheria. She was of a scarlet red from head to foot and of a burning heat, and when she began to get better the skin came off all over her. She could peel it off in large pieces; all her finger nails came off and as I told you before she has not the full use of two of them yet. She suffered much. You cannot imagine nor I describe how much. But I feel truly thankful to kind providence for her restoration. Charlotte and Eliza had the same disease but very lightly, Louisa and Lafayette had it and were not expected to live but they too recovered and are well now. Louisa is a very pretty little girl. She talks considerable."