Skip to main content

  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 06/14/1914

    The Johns Hopkins Hospital

    Baltimore, Md.

    June 14, 1914

    Dear Mother and Father,

    There isn't much new to tell. The Professor has gone without any new developments. He didn't even say goodbye to me, probably, however, not thinking it necessary. I am doing the brain surgery. I had a wonderful case this week which has made me feel very good and I hope it will prove of as great ultimate value as I anticipate. A very brilliant young fellow of 28, a relative of Johns Hopkins by the way, has educated himself to be an electrical engineer and was working in South America at his trade. He was taken with numerous spells of unconsciousness and loss of memory and inability to speak. He came here to be treated, about 8,000 miles. Dr. Thomas sent him, and on account of his brilliancy and in desperation urged me to operate on the right side of his head. I told him it was scarcely justifiable and I would only do it because he wanted it done. The X-ray showed an apparent erosion in the bone and I insisted it did not mean anything.

    One night about 12 o'clock, he had one of his big spells and I observed him for 2 hours until he came out and learned from that exactly where his lesion was and told Dr. Thomas exactly what kind I thought it would be. It was on the left side of his head. He did not think so and since there is so much danger of injury on the left side wanted me to look in on the other side. He finally got Dr. Meyer to look at him and he was inclined to agree with me and thought we ought to look in by operating. I operated and found a cyst where I had described to them and opened it and I think he will now get well.

    The operation went beautifully and he has recovered beautifully. Everything went perfectly. It was a most gratifying result in every way. I had told him I didn't want to operate but he begged me to do so. (Before I found out where the lesion was.) He is the happiest man now you ever saw. He said he wanted to commit suicide as life was of no use to him and he would soon be crazy and a burden on his family. It was a beautiful cyst and I believe he will be permanently well, though I may be wrong in my enthusiasm. So for 3 days he has been perfectly well. I had all the post graduates crowding around and Dr. Thomas and Dr. Meyer looking eagerly on, but I was so intent I did not think of them. It was quite a difficult case and went beautifully and all Dr. Thomas' fears proved unfounded.

    The weather is quite warm, close to 100 degrees. Am feeling fine, and working hard. I guess I have no reason to expect any more than I have. Dr. Halsted really has been very good to me and when you think that I have only had general surgery for a little over a year, it would have been too much to expect him to have given me it all.

    I was out to Dr. ________ for dinner the other night and he said Dr. Halsted told Dr. Welch that I had far more ingenuity than either Heuer or McClure. He would scarcely have given me brain surgery to do if he hadn't thought well of me, but I can't depend on him and I hate to hang around here so long. I think I ought to get more general surgery as my ultimate future might be handicapped by being so restricted.

    It's really lots of fun to get out of a hole and to cross rivers of adversity-life would be very tame to be on a plain always. Dr. Wood of Sedalia has written me that he will be here next week. I would like to do a brain operation while he is here. Am glad you are well and missing the hot weather but it will soon be time to see you. With much love.

    Your loving son, Walter

We use cookies to improve the performance of our site, to analyze the traffic to our site, and to personalize your experience of the site. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please find more information on the cookies used on our site. Privacy Policy

×