Darwin's Darkest | Hour

: His children were battling scarlet fever and diphtheria.

This professional threat hit Darwin during a time of intense family suffering: Darwin's Darkest Hour

In June 1858, Darwin received a letter and manuscript from , a young naturalist working in Indonesia. To Darwin’s shock, Wallace had independently developed a theory of natural selection nearly identical to his own. After 20 years of secretive research, Darwin realized he was in danger of being "scooped" and losing credit for his discovery. Personal Tragedy : His children were battling scarlet fever and diphtheria