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  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 10/11/1914

    The Johns Hopkins Hospital

    Baltimore, Md.

    October 11, 1914

    Dear Mother and Father,

    I had not expected to write you again but I suppose you will still be in England when this gets there. I don't think you should hesitate about the few extra dollars. Come right on now. Never mind the cost. It may save in the long run. It may not be possible to come over so easily later. They may take the big boats out of commission because there won't be much travel. Besides the longer you wait the greater the chances of the German spies strewing mines around England. So come right on and never mind the cost.

    I was out looking for a place today. There is a nice house in a beautiful part of the suburbs which are most accessible to the hospital which rents for $30. It has a nice big lot, a nice place for a garden, 7 or 8 nice rooms and a big porch on two sides of the house. I think it would be fine. It is on a big hill and right next to a beautiful woods and just above Clifton Park. What do you think? I don't believe you can beat it though I will look around some more. It would be nice in Summer. I don't want you to be penned up in town in Summer any more. It is about 2 squares from the car line and takes about 25 minutes to ride from the hospital. I don't think you would want furnished rooms or an apartment.…

    It begins to look like I may be here, though it is not certain and until it is I wouldn't get that house. But it is just as easy to move from there as any other place. I haven't seen Dr. Halsted about staying, though I had a chance to show him my experimental work and he was greatly pleased. He just beamed. The same day-apparently a psychological time-Heuer saw him and told him I was thinking of going to Chicago and do neurological surgery. He said I couldn't think of going, that he wouldn't let me go and that it was foolish for even thinking of it and asked Heuer if he really cared about doing neurological surgery and he said he did not and was willing to give it to me. He gave the impression, though he did not say so, that he would let me have it as soon as he could switch over to general surgery.

    The Professor then suggested that he would give me a salary and said he would have a talk with me. So I ought to know something definite about salary, etc., pretty soon. I think I will try him for $1,000, though I probably won't get more than $500 or $600, but that will help considerably. Then I won't have to borrow from you any more. Then I can look for the Chicago proposition with more deliberation, etc. The Professor isn't going to let me go, I believe, unless he can't help it. He knows I am doing good work and that is the biggest credit to him, for the reputation of his men brings the greatest credit to himself.

    McClure who stands between Heuer and myself is getting rather dissatisfied because the Professor doesn't seem to take much interest in him and reflect on him by passing him by and giving the work to Heuer. If he would quit, which he won't, I would be in great shape, but I hardly look for anything so fortunate. Heuer told the Professor I was disappointed because the road to the residency was so long. I wish I had what I want but I guess I ought to be satisfied and thankful for what I have got, but I can't help my disposition can I? Am having a piece of work for Dr. Finney which may help me get a better recommendation from him for Chicago.

    The Hopkins reunion has passed. It cost me about $10. I got a check for $10, however, for a diagnosis so it evened up. Cushing came, passed me up again just as nicely as he had done before; spoke to someone next to me and never said boo to me. The next day I thought I would show his smallness up and I went up and shook hands with him. He was very nice.

    My cases have all done beautifully-have had some wonderful results. Dr. Halsted said, "I heard you have had some nice cases this summer." I said, "Yes, I must show them to you." He doesn't know what I have done, I am sure, because McClure, being rather jealous, never tells him anything about me. But I will let him know.

    The boy with the brain abscess is fine, perfectly well. I guess I told you about making the Irishman talk. Just think of having to make an Irishman talk. Can you imagine it?

    Well, I think this is about all. Four sheets is pretty good don't you think. But come right on now and no more delay.

    Your loving son, Walter

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