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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 09/04/1914

    The Johns Hopkins Hospital

    Baltimore, Md.

    September 4, 1914

    Dear Mother and Father,

    Well I am very glad to know you are still all right. I don't suppose there is any appreciable danger in London. Am glad you have plenty of money. It would have cost about $25 to get $300 to you by cable.

    Got your letter this morning giving permission to go to the Red Cross. I don't know now whether I will go or not. Have lost a little enthusiasm. I don't believe the work would be as good as I expected though I don't know. The first expedition sails Monday. Some men left from here. I hated to turn down $250 a month, but what will that amount to later. I wanted the trip, experience and money. I don't think there is any appreciable danger. If Heuer comes back I think maybe I will go. But now I am getting too good work to leave. Besides, I think I had better look after my station in Chicago. I think I will go soon.

    I think you had better come when you can get good reservations. I think I will get you a little cottage in the country. You send me a cable when you leave and that will give me plenty of time to find a place. Maybe I will go to Chicago the last of this month and get back by the 5 or 6 of October.

    I made $100 more this week. I made another trip to Cambridge, Maryland, where I went to see Emerson's husband. This was a fractured head. I was called up at midnight and told to come in the morning. I charged $100 and expenses. I haven't heard how the patient got along. It was a terrible case. Knocked down by an automobile. A very nice woman with children. The husband was frantic. I haven't got the check yet but guess it will come all right. Dr. Goldsborough told Dr. ___________, who first sent me there, that it was the finest operation he had seen and Cushing wasn't in it for operating any more.

    Yesterday I did the most remarkable operation I have yet done. A week or 10 days ago I found at operation a tumor of blood vessels on the spinal cord and thought there was nothing which could be done and closed him up again. Later I thought about it a great deal and thought I would try to take a shot at it. Dr. Thomas laughed. McClure said it was impossible. I said I was going to try it. Yesterday, I went in again and exposed it again. It was a terrible looking thing, a big cluster of worm?like blood vessels, the thought of tearing them made you shudder. McClure said the best thing was to leave it alone. If you get bleeding you are helpless. Dr. Young and others came in, looked at it, and thought the best thing to do was to leave it alone. I said I was going to try. I did and got it entirely out. So I was happy. It took 5 hours of continuous work to do it.

    I explained to the man, who was Irish by the way, that I didn't have much hope of getting it out, but as he was aware it was only a question of a short time until he would be paralyzed below the waist. I said even if I did get it out, I may injure your cord so that the operation will paralyze you. He said I leave myself entirely in your hands and don't ask any questions. I have absolute confidence in you.

    I was very glad to have Dr. Young see it. He can give me a good recommendation for Chicago now. His assistant asked me if I was going to get a little exercise by operating. He should get perfectly well now. It is one of the rarest of tumors and I believe the only one which has ever been removed. I am going to report the case. I have so much good work to write up for publication that I hesitate to leave for Chicago. In another year it would be just right but I think I will see.

    The hospital put a stop to me operating outside so I won't make any more money. I made $20 more on the side, but it isn't collected yet. Am going to the country for a two days rest at the same place, Seths. Mrs. Brown has gone home apparently perfectly cured.

    Had radium on one of my cases which was apparently hopeless (brain case) and he is apparently getting well. He is the U.S. Army Captain. I may have told you about him.

    The weather has suddenly turned nice and cool. Some rain. I feel great. I hope you are the same.

    The war isn't bothering us much. Intelligence rules here now with Wilson at the helm. Even Socialism seems checked. At least you don't hear much about it.

    With much love, many kisses.

    Your loving son, Walter

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