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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 04/06/1912

    Baltimore, Md.

    April 6, 1912

    Dear Mother and Father,

    The date will probably recall to you that this is 26 years since I began.

    Well this has been the most wonderful day and the most wonderful week I have yet put in. Today Dr. Cushing removed a tumor as large as a big orange from a man's head and he is still living and going to get well. It's one of the most successful cases on record. It left a tremendous hole in his brain. The poor fellow had been through 3 operations before this one, all getting the tumor ready so it could be handled easily. Each step bringing him on the brink of death. One whole side of his skull is out so as to give the tumor room. It weighed about ½ lb. His brother was ready to give him blood if necessary but it was not. It was a very spectacular thing to see Dr. Cushing pull this big tumor out of the man's brain and still live with half his skull gone in addition. He is 30 years old, ought to get perfectly well and be able to work again and earn a living. He has been here 4 months. A steadfast brother staying close by him all the time.

    Well this has been a gala week for me, I have done 3 big operations myself. One was a big cyst or sack of water which was due to being struck by a baseball (I can hear you saying I cannot play baseball any more). He has been having epilepsy ever since. I opened up one whole side of his head and found the cyst, opened it and he has had no spells since. I have high hopes for him.

    That little English boy I did some time ago is perfectly well, no attacks since, getting fit and looking fine.

    Another case I did was a little boy of 15 who was playing "duck on the rock" and one of his playmates hit him on the head with a rock. Fractured his skull. When the boy came, he was unconscious and could not have lived long. It was evident that he had to be operated on at once. This was done, and a big brain vessel was ruptured and pumping blood away as fast as it could. There was a big clot on the brain as large as your hand. The vessel was tied and stopped any more bleeding. The clot was cleared away and he is now doing fine at least so far. This is the 4th day.

    Another boy in somewhat similar condition had been hurt about 3 weeks ago and had headaches, vomiting etc. indication of swelling of brain. This was opened and his swelling relieved. He is doing splendidly, also. So far 3 days. That is quite a bunch of operations in one week for an amateur.

    I have had exceptionally good luck so far. One of them was a very severe operation about as difficult as it is possible to get. But I finally got it fixed up in good shape. It is the case Dr. Cushing started to do two different times and something happened each time, so I think he thought it might be hoodooed. But I sailed into it without fear. It took 3½ hours. I began to realize the responsibility on an operators shoulders by the time it was over. I guess I looked pretty well worn and one of our private patients said she was glad her husband was not a doctor as I looked like I had gone through a lot of responsibility. It is quite a strain, a good deal like the strain on an engineer with his cargo of human freight behind him. Dr. Cushing has certainly been good to me and I think I have justified his confidence if he had any.

    Have had a lot of compliments about the work I did. One Washington doctor said it was beautiful and wanted me to come to Washington and read a paper. He has charge of 2500 street car conductors and motormen of the Washington Street Railways. Well this ought to be enough gush about myself even on a birthday.

    The weather is beautiful, the leaves are out today for the first time. Have been out playing baseball about three times this week. Will soon be tennis season. Will miss Patterson Park this year. Think I will go out to Kenwood and see Mrs. Selby some of these days. I weigh 160 now. Hope to keep going to town to get something decent to eat. It is fine.

    Well I don't know anything about next year yet. Dr. Cushing is going to be away during June and I want to get in some good work then if I can. Tomorrow is Easter. Am so busy I cannot get away to see the promenading, but the work is more enticing.

    Well I think this is about all this time. Haven't received your letter this week. Forgot to tell you, have become infatuated with one of Papa's dishes which we used to make fun of so much i.e. brains. We went to one of the hotels the other night, got some

    fine steak, calves brains, bacon and spring onions, potatoes. Had a great meal. Nothing better than brains when cooked right. With very best love, I am

    Your loving son, Walter

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