Hendrik Depoorter
Gastric specialist Depoorter corresponded with Guido Gezelle. The letters in private ownership are now available.
Private Possession
Doctor Hendrik Depoorter-Hendrikx was a gastric specialist from Louvain who corresponded with Gezelle. Until recently, only one side of the correspondence was known. Gezelle's own letters were kept in private possession. In the case of Hendrik Depoorter, the owners signalled the letters to us.
Letters
It concerns four letters (including poetry manuscripts) from Guido Gezelle to Hendrik Depoorter and two printing proofs. The private pieces complete the collection kept in the Gezelle Archives: six letters from Hendrik De Poorter to Gezelle and a print of a poem. Gezelle and Depoorter wrote about linguistics and the Flemish language. De Poorter collected Flemish words for Gezelle. He also needed language advice and help when competing in a writing contest on Flemish names for diseases. All medical terms used to be in French or Latin.
Ten Commandments
The relationship also led to a special print of an occasional poem. In the letter of September 30th, 1891, Depoorter asked Gezelle to translate "The Ten Commandments of a Healthy and Sensible Diet". These are a number of German sayings on health by Friedrich Ebersold. The sayings in verse recommend the patients to keep the stomach in good condition. Gezelle instantly made a free translation and sent Depoorter the verses already the very next day.
