In October 1902, Mrinalini's illness took a serious turn. At the same time, Renuka's illness was also added to their anxieties. A few days later, Rabindranath wrote to Monaranjan Bandyopadhyay that he was deeply absorbed in dealing with the ailments of his family members. "My wife's illness shows no sign of improvement. Renuka got a sore throat and Mira was attacked with fever from last night." Renuka's sore throat turned out to be a symptom of tuberculosis. Detection of the disease was a bit late.The antibiotic for the disease had not been invented at that time.Renuka's health was not good from her childhood. She looked sick amongst the others-- this is visible from her photographs. She was very obstinate. She did not like to dress well. Her youngest sister, Mira, wrote that all the girls were not meant for going through family life. Ranidi was of that type. It would have been better if her father did not arrange for her marriage at such an young age. She read books most of the time. She did not pass her time gossiping.
Satyababu, with whom she was married, had been sent abroad for study by Rabindranath but he came back home unsuccessful and was ciritcised by the women in the family. This gave her a great shock. Renuka suffered from fever for a few days in silence. Mira thought that her sister may not have wanted to live: but she was, at that time, only 9 years old and she may not have got the story right.
Within a few days, Mrinalini became worse. Bedpan, stomach tube and other accessories were brought for her. Dr. D. N. Chattopadhyay (Alopath), Dr. J. N. Majumdar and Dr. D. N. Roy (both Homeopath) were coming frequently. Rathindranath wrote that the Alopath Doctors could not diagonise the disease due to which his father consulted Homeopath Doctors. They were all respectful to his father and gave him the same rank in Homeopathy as they possessed. They used to prescribe medicine in consultation with his father. But all their attempts were fruitless. Indira Devi and some others complained that the result might have been different if there had been a change of doctors.
The dying bed of Mrinalini was arranged on the first floor of Rabindranath's own red building. The room was a long one and made into three by a partition with two almirahs. In one room, Mira and others lived. Mrinalini was kept in the roomof the last corner towards the west so that she could stay there peacefully. In front stood a tall building in which Gaganendranath lived, and the room was dark and had little ventilation. There was no electric fan. Nobody could say whether Mrinalini suffered more in these conditions. Mira came to learn from her elder aunt (wife of Dwijendranath) that Rabindranath fanned his wife whole night with a palmtree made fan, simply sitting by her side.
Hemalata Devi also wrote that for about two months Mrinalini was bed-ridden. The poet did not rely on paid nurses. It might be noted here that a paid nurse and an attendant were appointed at the last stage of her ailment. Considering the seriousness of Mrinalini's disease, Rabindranath's childrens were brought from Shantiniketan to Jorasanko.
