Tag Archives: larva migrans

September 15, 1925 (Walter)

The Beach, Tues. Nite 9/15.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Your little letter was “Johnny on the spot” tonight and I enjoyed it too, Dear. You always write and say the right thing at the right time. I was in Jax again this morning and you will wonder if I have gone crazy when I tell you that I bought another 10 acre tract of land. It is located in the same quarter of a section with the other one, and they represent the two lower corners of that section quarter. This particular quarter was marked out on the map, but it was due to an error in the office in which another tract had been sold twice. I have been wanting another tract ever since I got the first, and when I came home last night I couldn’t go to sleep until I had made up my mind that I would go up and get it this morning. An Omaha man had just visited the section where Dr. White and I & you are interested, paid twice the amount in cash for one tract then purchased four other tracts about a mile from there which had a much lower elevation. I really believe that our tracts are the best of any they are offering, and I have no doubt but that one of them can be sold this winter for a sum which will pay for both of them. High dry land, clear of brush, good drinking water, no mosquitoes, 1 1/2 miles from a paved highway and located on the Atlantic Coast Line is what I call a good buy at $75 per acre. Why, Dear, $1000 per acre is not an enormous price for such land. I believe that it will be worth $300 per acre this winter. I am anxious to have you see them, and I believe that you will agree with me that one of them would be a dandy little place to build a home. Either one of them for that matter, but we will probably make one of them pay for both. We will have plenty of time to look them over after you come down here, and we will see what the “Missus” says.

September 15, 1925 (Walter)

September 15, 1925 (Walter)

Your coffee report was amusing Dear, but don’t think for a second that you should drink coffee just because I do. Perhaps I can learn to drink Cocoa with you. Maybe we can have both, or perhaps coffee at breakfast & something else at other meals. The incident is one which shows your nature and I certainly do love you for it. If I can be as unselfish toward you, we certainly ought to get along. We are going to get along, for I love you so very much that there is hardly a thing I would not do for you. I do not know of anything.

I am beginning another lead on the solution of this C.E. problem, in fact, two others. Have been keeping these up my sleeve. Dr. White was not telling everything that he knew, and sometimes I think that he kept his technique as much as possible. So I have not been telling him everything that I knew. I am going to try one of them pretty well before going down the state, for I am anxious to follow it up. I probably won’t go for anotehr week. Next Saturday, however, Dr K.S. & I are going on a fishing trip. He planned it when I had lunch with him today. He is certainly a Prince of a fellow.

This is getting to be a long one, so I’d better tell my “sweetie” goodnight. I love you, Dear and I want you always.

Your
Walter.

September 13, 1925 (Walter)

The Beach, Sun PM 9/13.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I hope that you are not ill. Did not get a letter yesterday nor the day before, but I presume they will come in a bunch. Perhaps they detoured for Jax. I did not go up there yesterday but went out with the Hill boys across the street. We went north on the beach, then to Mayport where they caught a bucket of fiddler crabs for fish bait.

September 13, 1925 (Walter)

September 13, 1925 (Walter)

I am enclosing a letter from Mr. Blanchard Manager of the light Co. in Aberdeen. After the war I had the merchandise department of the company and he was my boss. A copy of the New Orleans report was mailed to him, as I knew he would be interested.

I am yet busy getting things in shape since Dr. White left me. Have had a number of letters to write today. Will go to Jax tomorrow & also to a place called Hilliard if I can conveniently make the run up there. Will come back the same day.

Am sending part of the Jax Sunday paper as there are some real estate ads which may interest you. The one “Jacksonville Heights Improvement Co” is one of our investments. There is also an article on state lands on another page.

I had a complimentary letter from Prof. Riley of the University of Minnesota, regarding the C.E. report at New Orleans. He is about the best medical entomologist in the U.S. I wanted Mr. Bishopp to read it so I sent it to him, hoping that he will send it to Dr. Hunter and Dr. Howard. He will tell them of it anyway and that will have the desired effect.

Sweetheart, I hope that I get a letter from you tonight for I need one.

With all my love, I am,

Your
Walter.

September 10, 1925 (Walter)

Thursday Night 9/10.

My Dear Little Girl,

At last I am down here alone, as Dr. White left tonight, and there is one dear little girl whom I wish for above everything else. I’d be mightily happy if you were here right now.

September 10, 1925 (Walter)

September 10, 1925 (Walter)

Dr. White’s train did not leave until 6PM which was after my train returned to the beach. He enjoyed it here and said that he would like to stay right here and keep on this problem. He really hated to leave. This was not due to my hospitality in particular, but the problem is so interesting and the climate and conditions for the work were so good that I believe that this accounts for his enjoyment. He invited me to use his lab in Washington at any time and assured me that there would always be room up there if I wanted to do some work there. Before leaving, we went back to the real estate office and he invested in three more tracts of land, making five in all. He is thoroughly sold, and will go back to Washington as a Florida booster. This gives him 50 acres and I really believe that within a year, one tract can be sold for enough to pay for the other four. $75 per acre is not much for acreage high and dry, so near a fast growing city. In Dallas, Mr. Munger of the Continental Gin Co. paid $163,000 for his 163 acres of land which at that time was miles from any development in the city. This was about 1912. The land was not adapted for any use as it was rough and cut into by small ravines. He developed this, with building restrictions for nice two story homes only, and in this one development he made a small fortune. The same thing has been accomplished in most every city showing growth, and I really believe that our acreage and also Dr. White’s will be suitable for use in such an addition here. It would not be unreasonable to suspect that this property may be wanted for a similar development and which would bring $1000 per acre or more. The Miami people here paid much more than this for some of their tracts. At $75 per acre, with the knowledge that this could not be bought after the 20th of this month for less than $100 per acre, it is a mighty safe and conservative investment. Here’s where Mr. & Mrs. Dove will cash in something, and Dear it will come in mighty handy for us.

I had a personal letter from Mr. Bishopp tonight. He will write another letter tomorrow. He did not mention the possibility of all winter work down here, but it is quite likely that he will favor it. He did not mention Mr. Brundrette, and it is his vacancy which makes me believe that we will have additional funds which would permit me to do field work here all winter. The economy program of the President makes it difficult to secure additional appropriations, and our request was turned down with others. This was not the Florida work request, but one which was requested from Texas. It so happens that the same problem affects this state seriously and I am going to make a few good contacts with the idea of having it added to the bill in Congress. We believe that it can be added and we hope that the requests will be strong enough to get it in over the Budget Committee. If we get that increase, there will be enough to do quite a bit of work in Florida, without an appropriation I had intended to work for. In other words, I am going to combine my efforts with those already given from Texas to show that their problem is not local but is important and affects the whole South. The problem has to be an urgent one in order to get more money. Don’t let this worry you, Dear, for whether we get it or not I’ll be on the pay roll from the regular appropriation just the same as I am now.

Had a note from my landlady tonight. I hadn’t seen her for a few days and suspected that she had gone. She is in West Palm Beach and will be here Sunday, but will not spend the winter here. She wants to rent me the cottage for the winter and says that the price will be as reasonable as any at the beach. I have very little doubt but what you would like it here until Spring (June). It looks better on the inside than it does from the street, and is modern except for gas to cook with. The bath is a shower like all of them down here, as everyone uses the surf and then rinses when they return. I can’t engage this or any other place until I know for sure where we will be.

This is getting to be a long chat and I must go to sleep, Dear. I love you and “you bet” I’d like to tell you in the most “impressive” way. You are just as sweet as you can be.

Your
Walter.

September 7, 1925 (Walter)

Monday Night 9/7

My Dear Sweetheart,

‘Tis Labor Day but we did not take a holiday. There were auto races and big crowds. The restaurant was crowded this noon and evening. I did not go in the surf, but Dr. White joined the multitude.

We are to spend tomorrow A.M. in Jax. Have some work and will also see some small acreage tracts with Dr. White. I rather think that he will invest in some. I believe that they are good investments, but it will require a few years before he will realize a profit. If we were to live near here, I believe they would be good for us but I don’t believe it would be the right thing just now. Must keep in mind that we will want to live where we invest.

September 7, 1925 (Walter)

September 7, 1925 (Walter)

Dr. White will leave Thursday afternoon, but will spend Wed PM with his niece. His work here is about over. The latter part of his stay has been very agreeable and after we had an understanding things seemed to go better. We have not proven that we have the host of “Aggie” but it certainly looks favorable at the present time. Will tell you all about when I am with you, Dear. I hope to hear from Mr. Bishopp before I go down the state. It would give me a better idea as to what I should do down there. If I am to return to Dallas, I’ll spend a little more time down there on this trip.

I did not get a letter yesterday or today, but they will probably come together tomorrow. It is a lot of fun to get several in one day.

Sweetheart, I have not seen a girl down here whom I could compare with you. They don’t grow as pretty. I’ve tried to find some-one whom I could point out to Dr. White so that he would know what you look like but there is no such one except yourself. I realized this a long time ago but I was in hopes that I could give him a pretty good idea. You are the only Ina and the only one I love. Gee, but I love you. The best part of it, is that I know that you care for me too, Dear. There won’t be any jealousy in our family, for I believe both of us can be trusted. I have unlimited confidence in you.

I love you Dear and only God knows how much.

Always your,
Walter.

August 31, 1925 (Walter)

This letter was out of sequence in the file, so I’m inserting it at the appropriate point in the blog now (22 November 2011) and backdating it to when it should have appeared. Sorry for any confusion.

Jax Beach. Monday Night. 11PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

We were in Jax again today on account of the new C.E. location of which I wrote you a few days ago. Your letter and also one each from Mr. Laake and Mr. Bishopp were waiting for me. Dear, you always write such good letters and I always enjoy every word. Especially did I enjoy that portion in the last letter on the wedding plans. The place seems to be settled, and the parties have been agreeable to it, so it seems to be a question of when? It doesn’t make any difference to me about whether you wear a suit or the white dress with the laces etc. I’d say “yes” and feel awfully proud of you if you wore a house apron. Just suit yourself about that, Sweetheart, and whatever you decide upon will suit me.

August 31, 1925 (Walter)

August 31, 1925 (Walter)

Mr. Laake’s letter stated that Mr. Brundrette had accepted a position with the Jr. A&M College at Stevensville and plans to leave Dallas within the next week or ten days. They are giving him an increase in salary and I believe he is getting a good place. Mr. Bishopp tried to get an increase in the Bureau for him so as to meet his offer, but I guess it could not be arranged. I am sorry that Brundy is leaving us, but I believe it is a position which he cannot afford to turn down. It will no doubt be teaching for most of the time, but he is interested in entomology as a whole and I believe he is the man for the place. He has been a good man for us and we hate to see him go.

I do not know just what the effect of Brundy’s leaving will have on my work. If his place is not filled during this fiscal year it will give us more funds for operating and in view of the need I believe it should be left open with no attempt to fill it until after next July 1st. Just how Mr. Bishopp will consider it, I do not know, but I am in hopes that he will give me a little more toward the work down here. It is possible that he may want me to join Mr. Laake in Dallas as soon as I can, but I am not so anxious for that. We have already made a contribution on creeping eruption which Dr. Cort of Johns Hopkins says is the greatest advance in human helminthology that has been reported for years. We are working on a point which is the next step in the problem and which is more important than the work of last year. I believe that Mr. Bishopp realizes this, and it so happens that I have just written him to the effect that I’d like to work on it all winter. With the chance of having funds, I rather suspect that he will be of the opinion that I can stay most of the winter. It isn’t that I do not want to be in Dallas, Dear, for I certainly do like Dallas, but I am more interested in my work here than I am in the work they are doing at Dallas. This will mean more to me and to you and I. At the present time I would not trade jobs with anyone, and when Dr. White leaves I’ll be pretty happy. He has increased the duration of his stay until the 10th. His niece is going to teach at a point (Dayton) south of here and he wants to stay until after she arrives. I told him that I’d meet her and see that she got the train out of Jax OK, but he thinks he should stay and meet her. In the mean time we will continue the studies we have under way. He says it is the most interesting piece of work he has ever been connected with, and I can’t blame him for wanting to stay. He has been quite human the past few days and we are good friends etc.

In checking over the list of home stead land, Dear, I do not find very much in the southern part of the state. I am keeping this in mind. Possibly some one down there has a notion of selling his claim so that he can sell real estate. If I can buy one reasonable & then apply my Army service in lieu of residence, it might be a good thing.

I am enclosing a little paster which came on the back of my notice from Fulford. It looks as though their race track will soon be in operation. I am anxious to know the values down there now. Before the 1st of Oct I’ll go by there.

With a real sweet kiss and a goodnight hug, I am,

Your
Walter.

August 28, 1925 (Walter)

Friday Night 8/28.

My Dear Sweetheart,

Your letter was just as sweet as it could be, and I certainly appreciate your good intentions regarding my co-worker. I am sending under separate cover a reprint of the article given at New Orleans last November. White does not like this very well and quite often he tries to attack it, without referring to the article, but it does not cover so much but what we (KS and I) are quite sure. He (White) really wishes that the information reported there had been held up until he joined our force, and that his name had appeared.

August 28, 1925 (Walter)

August 28, 1925 (Walter)

I finished my report before I went to his lab in Washington and when I let him read the report it had already been presented at N.O. so he didn’t have a chance to do anything with that one. When he criticized me for using the reference to “damp sand” in the last paper, I told him that it made little difference now as I had already treated that phase in the N.O. report, and that the distribution in the U.S. had also been reported. He honestly believes that we have the cause of the disease now, but I am afraid that we haven’t. I want to find this in another animal and also to produce the disease before it is reported. We disagree sometimes and I have no hesitancy in telling him when I think he is wrong. He is now pretty well convinced that he was wrong about the crabs, though he won’t admit it. He is also more or less convinced that the “doodles” like the ones in Texas are not the cause. He thought this pretty strongly. As a disease man he probably knows his job, but as a student of nature and a general observer I tell him he is “rotten.” Excuse the term. He does not get peeved but takes it good naturedly or at least appears to do so. When it is a disease question I consder that he is an authority but I don’t hesitate to tell him when he is out of his field and when I believe he is wrong. He is rather “bull headed” in his beliefs and I can’t quite go this. He would domineer if I’d let him, but we had an understanding that this was my problem and that he was here to assist on the medical aspects of the situation.

Your letters come in quick order now Dear. The one posted at 9:30 AM on the 26th, arrived here on the noon train of the 28th. They seem to find me quicker. I guess it is because they are not delayed in Jax anymore.

I love you, Sweetheart, and I want you more than you have ever thought. I don’t believe I could be happy without you, as I love you so very very much.

With a goodnight kiss,

Yours always & then some,
Walter

August 27, 1925 (Walter)

Jacksonville Beach
Thursday Night 8/27

My Dear Sweetheart,

Excuse the stationery but I find that I am out of any other kind. I probably have some but haven’t located it since we have been here. We had an interesting visit in Jax today. The place had furnished four cases of creeping eruption, two electricians and two plumbers. Dr. White will no doubt stay with me until we see if this location reveals the identity of the parasite. It is the best place for exact location of the origin of the cases we have had and it should furnish us with the causative organisms. I am hopeful of this location and I am determined to get it after Dr. White leaves if we do not get it before. It would seem that the matter would be comparatively simple but the infective form is a definite state in the development of the parasite and in other stages we believe that it would be impossible for them to cause creeping eruption. This is what would occur in closely related forms and we believe it would be reasonable to expect it to be true with this one. I was amused at Dr. K.S. today when he told me to use my own initiative and let White do as he pleased out there. He said that White may want to let everything stay until the sand moves, and we want to work this out before death overtakes us. The two men are extremely different and of the two I can’t help but admire KS tactics even though they are not as scientific as they could be. White is too conservative, slow, and what I would call lazy. I guess it is a good thing that all of us are different. If everyone was alike, I’d have more than the dozen or two dozen rivals for you, Dear.

August 27, 1925 (Walter)

August 27, 1925 (Walter)

I have been showing White some real estate and have given him some of the figures on increases in values. He thinks that the Florida boom is now at the peak and that values will drop from now on. The pessimists in California thought the same thing about the 3rd year, but they continued for ten or twelve years and they have not yet felt the slump. It does not take a keen real estate man to find good investments down here as a location which is reasonably good, has to increase in value. The Eastern capital comes and improvements are made. It will continue for years.

It is getting late, Sweetheart, and I did not sleep very much last night. I am pretty sleepy now so I’ll have to say “goodnight.” I love you Dear with all my heart and with a “goodnight kiss” I’ll go.

Always your,
Walter.

August 26, 1925

Jacksonville Beach, Fla
Wednesday Night 8/26.

My Dear “Lovable and Loving” Sweetheart,

The Ouija didn’t tell me to begin this letter with such a salutation, but it sounded so well in your letter that I am acting as a Poly-parrot in repeating it. Your letter made mighty good time. The Sunday letter came tonight. It left North Uvalde at 4 PM Sun. No doubt you were lonesome that afternoon, Dear, and I certainly wish that I could have been with you. But the time is coming when we will be together practically all the time, and then you may get tired and call me such a name as “Beeswax.”

August 26, 1925

August 26, 1925

We were quite busy today and tomorrow we are going to Jax to look up the origin of two severe cases of creeping eruption. The patients are electricians who were wiring a new home. Thus far, our cases have not been extensive and most of them had only a few lesions so we are tickled to have such cases at this time. We believe that we are working with the right thing, but as yet have not perfected laboratory technique of growing them to the infectious stages in quantities for good tests.

We are in hopes that we have the right methods, but it will take some time and quite a bit of work to be sure. The locations tomorrow will probably be very suggestive and may furnish the stages we are searching for. The adults can barely be observed with the naked eye, and when they are filled with blood, so you see the thing is quite small. The forms which cause the skin affection are yet smaller, and the size has been the reason why they were never found until last year. You will know all about them when you are with me, Sweetheart, though I don’t believe you will ever have any infections yourself. We will know how to avoid them. We have some very good treatments in case we should have neighbors affected.

Please pardon this short note, but I have some records to write up and I want to do this while they are fresh in my mind. I’ll not have time to do it tomorrow as we will be away & busy all day.

I love you, Dear, and with a real sweet kiss I’ll say “goodnight.”

Your,
Walter.

August 23, 1925

Jacksonville Beach, Fla.,
Sunday PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

When it rains it pours. I had two letters this morning and I am mighty happy over them too. It seems mighty good to plan our wedding, though Dear, you are too considerate of me. To be sure, it is perfectly all right to have it at the church. All the time I have expected you to suggest that it be there, for I realize that there will be more room and too your friends whom you would not care to invite to your home would not have any reason to feel offended if it were at the church. If it were at your home it would probably mean a reception afterwards. Will this be necessary if we have it at the church? I hope not, but just as you say. It would seem that four or five o’clock in the afternoon would be a good time, and I believe that it would be well to leave shortly afterwards. Do you plan to be married in a traveling suit or would you change clothes before leaving? This is all for you to decide, and whatever you say, suits me.

August 23, 1925 (Walter)

August 23, 1925

I wish that I knew at this time whether we would come direct to Florida or whether we would live in Dallas before coming. I’d rather come down here and perhaps we could spend a little while in Dallas before coming. If we stay in Dallas for a while perhaps it would be well to have the honeymoon before going there, as we would meet quite a few people while there and I’d rather see them after we have been together more.

After I have been down the state I expect to write Mr. Bishopp and suggest what I would like to do, and I believe he will agree with me. He has promised that I could be in Johns Hopkins for about three months this winter or spring, but if we cannot get an appropriation to work on creeping eruption I don’t feel that I want to put special effort on nematodes. I would rather work on C.E. as much as possible this fiscal year and then start the new fiscal year on a problem for which we can get an appropriation. The work at Hopkins would be good regardless of what I am working on, but it would be more helpful if I went there while I had a problem for which we were getting appropriations. I’d get more out of the course. If I spend the winter and spring on C.E. I’ll get more credit on this work, and believe me I want all I am entitled to.

Mr. Bishopp is taking his work for a PhD now and I am inclined to believe that it will push him along more at this time than if he had taken it several years ago. It seems to be a good idea to get as high as possible then get the doctor’s degree for an additional push. There are a few young men in the Bureau who came to us with a doctors degree and they are getting about the same that I am. I don’t believe they will climb any faster than I will, for they are on problems of less importance and will have to show some results in order to climb.

I am not writing Mr. Bishopp at this time about spending the whole time down here, for after I have been down the state I may find a more desirable place to live where I can work on C.E. and another problem. He is inclined to stay away from the other problems until we have money for them and in that event I think it would be mighty fine for us to live here at Jax Beach until the latter part of the next June and then go down there. By that time, perhaps, I’ll have the C.E. worked up in pretty good shape.

I don’t know whether I am making all of this clear to you, Dear, but I hope you understand. Regardless of whether I come here or go to Dallas, it need not interfere with our plans of the wedding. We are going to have a little home of our own here in Florida, that is a sure thing, and I am anxious for you to be down here with me. I can probably make a pretty definite plan after I have been down the state, and have seen what they will do toward getting an appropriation. Once it is started we can ask for our requirements every year, but we can’t ask for the original appropriation, or at least we are not supposed to do it.

I am getting to where I want to see you awfully bad, Sweetheart, and I want you to know that I love you more than I can tell you.

Always your,
Walter.

Box 61

August 21, 1925

Friday Night

My Dear Sweetheart,

This is only a few miles north of our place on the beach, but I let the train get by this afternoon and I am here until about 11 o’clock tonight. To amuse myself I went in the surf and then had a very good dinner. This is probably a more desirable place to live than Jax Beach, but there is nothing here except the hotel and residences along the beach. It is more exclusive. For our work, Jax Beach is better but I had one severe case to originate up here and I have been working here some. When you come down I’ll bring you here and tell you all about it.

August 21, 1925

August 21, 1925

I did not have a letter from you this noon, but I feel quite sure that there will be one for me tomorrow. Dr. White did not come up with me this afternoon. It seems rather good to be away from him for a little while. This is one of the few times I have been away from him since he has been down here. I am looking forward to his departure with more or less pleasure. May be I shouldn’t feel this way, but the idea with him is to take all the credit he can get. This comes out every now and then. If the thing we are working on does not prove to be the right thing I am going to suggest that he take the infected animals to Washington with him and work up the dope for an article on it. Further studies I’ll do by myself and I’ll then publish by myself on them, leaving his name out of the authorship. If it does not cause creeping eruption the thing we are searching for, I’d gladly let him have it to publish on by himself.

I love you, Dear, and I want you to know it.

With a sweet goodnight, Dear, I am,

Always your
Walter