Benjamin Waterhouse Autograph Letter Signed. One page with integral address cover, 8" x 5"; Cambridge, "Saturday noon." A letter to George Blake informing him of the death of Mrs. Blake. "... I am fearful that I shall convey to you melancholy tidings of Mrs. Blake. I have this moment received a letter from Dr. Vallentin [?] dated Marseilles, August 30. He says Mrs. Blake lived only long enough to allow him to attend to her but six days. It appears that she died July 28th. - While I sympathize with you on this sad event, I beg you to accept the respectful & friendly salutations of your humble sevt. Benjn Waterhouse." Waterhouse (1754-1846) was a physician and co-founder of Harvard Medical School, where he also taught. He is most noted for being the first doctor to test the smallpox vaccine in the United States. Condition: Light toning and soiling. Flattened mail folds. The address cover is written on the bottom half of the letter and there is a large chip of paper loss at the lower left where the wax seal has been torn open. Contemporary annotation in ink gives the year as 1807. Dealer pricing and code at bottom in pencil. "Waterhouse" is written in pencil at the bottom on verso. Stray spots of foxing. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved