[...] I come to you to-day on a very melancholy matter. My wife is to spend this winter in Dresden. Probably she has arrived there already and may even have visited you. I remember the kindly and consoling information as to her state of health which you were so good as to give me last summer when I wrote describing her condition to you. I now entrust you with the poor invalid herself. Be her doctor, her adviser, her helper—if you can—her comforter if you cannot. My innermost conviction is that change of scene and friends, even a periodical separation from my society which has always been somewhat over-stimulating for her, must be good for the invalid and at least give her a chance of health, and this has determined me to part from her for a time. For her, Dresden is homely and may perhaps prove soothing. [...]
She has lately been with her brother-in-law [Tröger] who is himself a doctor. Wishing to be reassured as to her condition I wrote to him and his answer, which I received yesterday, I enclose for you. You see how little reassuring it is. I am very much overcome!—
She will probably be able to give you no very clear account of the origin of her condition. A certain organic weakness (perhaps originating in the glands, for her mother died of dropsy of the chest) probably developed in the Dresden days. Her increasing nervous prostration, however, arises principally from numerous violent and tragic episodes in our life. Nervous excitement and insomnia were marked as early as 1853. A doctor treated her for gout and employed hot baths and douches which excited her to the point of madness. She then learned the use of laudanum which was incautiously prescribed to her in small doses for sleeplessness. When she experienced no result she increased the doses to some twenty drops, as she later confessed to me. Her increasing excitability led inevitably to frequent conflicts between us and—I confess it to you frankly—our life together finally became unbearable for this reason.—You will soon know yourself the details of her physical condition. Tell me everything openly, dear Anton, so that I may faithfully do everything I can to assist your treatment of the case. My behaviour and attitude towards her for the future shall be determined by only one consideration in the world—the heartfelt wish to contribute to her recovery, her solace, her protection. I shall make it my most pressing business to do everything that may serve to that end. If we can prolong her life for many years and keep her as free from pain and as comfortable as may be, the desire of my heart will be fulfilled, and I am ready to make any sacrifice to achieve this. For the present I hear to my consolation that—as was to be expected—she is already somewhat calmer and is looking a little better. Let me recommend the poor soul, whom I grieve for deeply, to your noble heart! Be to her what you always can be, and count on my ardent gratitude.—You will hear something from my wife of myself and my extremely secluded life. I shall tell you of it myself when next I write. [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 2, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 373