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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 07/14/1912

    Baltimore, Md.

    July 14, 1912

    Dear Mother and Father,

    Well you are certainly having a nice stay in the Isle of Man. Its good to know you are not sweating as we are here. It has been very warm.

    I have had a bully week as far as operations are concerned. Have done 3 or 4 this week. One a hypophysis. Cushing's hardest and most delicate operation and so far this man is doing nicely, though too soon to crow. Imagine Cushing look at me in resentment and disdain when he finds I have done a hypophysis operation and got away with it. Never had a bit of trouble and did it almost as quickly as he does it. That is the operation where you go back through the nose to the middle of the head. The least deviation from the normal course will lead you to the wrong place and may mean death. The hypophysis is about the size of the tip of your little finger and drilling back to the center of the head to find it is no easy task. The men looked at me in amazement when I posted the operation. Why that was something no one but almighty Cushing would think of doing. They came around to see it. It was as pretty as anything he ever did. I think there is a world record in a man of 26 doing the operation.

    I slipped another over him last week. A man with a big brain tumor came in to see him a year ago and he wanted to operate then but the man refused and now came back to have him do it, but he was in Europe. He wanted to wait. I persuaded him not to wait. He said he didn't know anything about me and he did Dr. Cushing. Finally he stayed. His wife and six children came up next day and begged me guarantee he would not die and would come out alright. Well it was a pitiful sight. Six children and a prospective widow and me to do the operation rather than wait for Dr. Cushing who was a big man. I know he could not do it any better than I could (in my own conceit) though I was not anxious for the responsibility. The delay was bad for him so I did it. I ran into a great big tumor, great big blood vessels etc. The least little moving or false move meant death almost certainly. It was the hardest operation I have yet had. The tumor was of a kind which could not be removed, but it relieved him of all his symptoms and saved his eyesight as well as Cushing could have done himself.

    I shall never forget the picture of that poor woman, weeping and bent from worry and sleepless nights, walking down the steep entrance to the hospital with the train of six children following her. The sun was just setting and it was just getting dusk. I pictured the feeling she had and that which the children were not old enough to realize. He said Doctor you are young but I have all the confidence in the world in you and my wife has too and she does not want to be a widow.

    Well I am about to slip another over on him next week, at least it looks possibly so. A man has just come in with a broken back and paralysis below the waist. That means an operation on the backbone. That is another of Cushing's exclusive operations. I think I will do it in a couple of days rather than wait until he comes back. Gee won't he be sore to think a young sprout is stealing his thunder. I won't tell him much about them when he comes back. I am not at all boastful. It is more the attitude of disdain toward him and the reproval of his self consoling attitude of his own magnitude.

    Dr. Goetsch was very much surprised when I was going to do the operation. I showed it to him when I was through. He said, well it isn't so exclusive after all as he would have us believe. He did not have the nerve to do any of these things. Cushing had him bulldoged. I feel as though I can do most any operation that Cushing does now.

    I don't know of anything more about next year but the chances look rosier than ever. One of the men will quit during the year, I understand, so that makes it look better.

    Did I tell you about Dr. Cushing leaving a piece of cotton in a womans neck at operation. The wound broke down and has been discharging ever since, about 2 months ago. He went to Europe and left her to incur expense and discomfort here until he came back. He remitted her operation fee of $500 but I think they are going to sue him for damages.

    Such a thing might happen that I would be allowed to carry on Dr. Cushing's work but I am very skeptical about it as a man is supposed to have had general surgery first. Besides I am not sure I would really care about it.

    Well I hope you are feeling fine and enjoying yourself. I think I am heavier and feeling better. It would cost $12.50 to fix my watch. Maybe I will send it to the factory or maybe buy a $1 Ingersoll watch. Which would you do.

    I wrote Miss S. a letter after a year, having received a letter and several cards from her. She wrote right back. Poor girl I feel sorry for her. Have not heard from Mrs. Campbell yet. Guess there isn't anything matramonially anyhow as far as I am concerned, your wishes to the contrary notwithstanding. I am going to be a bachelor since I don't see any of the old time, nice, sweet, unselfish girls. I think Papa got the last one.

    Had to get my racket restrung. Cost $2.50. It costs money to live around here. I can't help comparing my expenses with those when I went to school in Sedalia. But then I am making lots of money now!! Well I think I have expounded my fund of knowledge so will close for the present.

    Your loving son, Walter

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