Tag Archives: typhus

February 12, 1945

Office of Chief Surgeon, ETO
APO 887, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.
Feb. 12, 1945.

Dear Walter:

Things are rapidly reaching the stage over here where it seems doubtful if it is absolutely necessary for me to remain in the theater. I feel that to continue on over here much longer will be a waste of my time and I hate for this to happen when I could do so much more work in the Bureau or in some other theater in the Army. We have just about passed the critical season for typhus which is the most important entomological problem likely to be encountered on the continent. Major Bunn and Capt. Barrett are both available to take care of any other minor problem that might come up. Supplies of insecticides for the troops over here appear to be well in hand, and the Q.M. has been fully advised as to requirements. I should appreciate your indirectly mentioning these things to Simmons, if you have the opportunity, without saying I had written. I would not particularly relish the idea of going to another theater unless it was absolutely necessary or I could contribute something very definite to its present program.

February 12, 1945

February 12, 1945

Now as to my returning to the Bureau at some future date, say after July 1, 1945, it seems to me that the work of the Division has now increased to the point where it would be advantageous for both of us to be in the Washington office dividing the various phases of it, or some similar arrangement satisfactory to both of us. I should like to have any ideas you have along this line. I’m sure we will not have any difficulty in getting together on something when the time comes for me to return.

Deniza told me about all of you having scarlet fever. That was really tough and I hope you and the family are all recovered by now.

About the supply of live D. variabilis – our experiments which appeared promising at first did not prove out so it is likely now that we shall not need the specimens.

As a last thought, I wouldn’t mind staying in the Army in Washington for awhile.

Remember me to Ina and the boys and the folks there in the office.

Sincerely
Emory.

July 20, 1943

Office of Chief Surgeon
APO 871
c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.
July 20, 1943

Personal Please

Dear Walter:

May thanks for your recent letter enclosing letters from Knipling, Coeline, and Harry. It was so enjoyable to have word from all the folks in the office.

July 20, 1943

July 20, 1943

As I have indicated several times before there is not much we actually have to do here in our line of work, so we are doing everything we can to prepare for any contingencies which might arise either here or on the continent. In this connection, and trying to forsee some of the difficulties in keeping combat troops, especially in the forward areas, free of lice by means of portable chambers, and insecticidal powder, I have become quite enthusiastic about the possibilities of using underclothing impregnated with SBLY (the new insecticide) as an almost “fool-proof” method for protecting these troops from infestation. I believe that the impregnation of underclothing could be accomplished almost as quickly as fumigation, it could be done in rear areas and the treated garments sent forward much more easily than attempting to delouse combat troops in the forward areas by fumigation.

I have jotted down some of the disadvantages of fumigation and louse powder, and advantages of impregnated underclothing for troops in combat and these are enclosed. I shall appreciate having your reaction to this matter and discussing it with Long, Simmons and Knipling. I think Knipling will look favorably on it. We could do the impregnating over here as the various solvents are available. It would only be necessary to ship the bulk insecticide. Before we could attempt any of this work over here, however, it would be necessary for the Surgeon General’s office to recommend the method to the Office of the Quartermaster Gneeral. Perhaps you will consider more tests are necessary but I am confident in the results secured at Orlando that they will apply on a larger scale. I think it is things like this that the American Typhus Commission will overlook in their experimental work – too much time spent on vaccines to the exclusion of other possibilities. While vaccines may protect against typhus, they would not prevent relapsing, and trench fevers, and the irritation and secondary infections arising from louse infestations.

Please note my new APO number and send any letters to me at that address.

Would it be possible for you to give me a list of the items that were shipped to me from the office there on or about December 1, 1942. I have gotten on the track of some of them but they have been scattered to various depots and I shall have trouble in getting them all together unless I have a complete list.

I am glad to learn that Harry may have the opportunity of going to the field for tests with repellents. This same thing should be being done in every theatre where we have troops, and against species which are known to occur in areas where we are likely to have troops. I am especially interested in the species occurring in the Near East and the Balkans. Tests with some of these species could be done in parts of Africa, Syria, Cyprus, and Palestine. I don’t see why they can’t use Bunn, Barrett, and me for such work. We could get back here in 24 hours if necessary. At present we are abstracting all the most important available literature on insects of medical importance in Europe, the Balkans, and Mediterranean areas.

Please remember me to Ina and the boys and all the folks in the Bureau.

Sincerely,
Emory.

September 28, 1942

1st General Medical Laboratory
APO 519
c/o Postmaster New York City
Sept. 28, 1942

Dear Dr. Dove:

I was very glad to get your letter of Sept. 10 and the notes from the members of the office staff. How much I enjoyed hearing from them and it really made it seem as though I were back there talking to them in person. Of course, everyone wants to get back to the States as soon as possible but I think they want to get this job done first. I judged from Harry’s note that you folks didn’t know I was in England. Haven’t been able to see any of my old friends yet that I knew when I was here before although I see Buxton quite often whenever I go up to his city. Deniza tells me that some of the other men in the Division are getting itching feet to get in the service but you tell them for me that the work they are doing is too important and that they can perform a greater service for their country by staying in their present jobs for awhile longer anyway. There is still much research needed to meet military requirements in their line of work and I know they are the boys who can do it and that in America is the best place to get it done.

September 28, 1942

September 28, 1942

Shortly after your letter came, I received the box containing the small jars and two larger jars. Presumably, these samples are for tests with scabies and I shall get to test them at the same time I test the louse powder for scabies. However, it is indiciated that a liquid acaricide would be better than a salve, since in most instances the entire body has to be treated. On the other hand, if the louse powder works it will be the best treatment.

The British are using their AL63 but I am sure MYL will prove to be much better.

I have been preaching M.B. fumigation of clothing for delousing but the biggest question is whether it will kill typhus rickettsiae and there is only one answer to that and that is to try it on infected lice and their feces. It may be that I can arrange for some tests in the Middle East. The QM over here seems not to have heard of M.B. fumigation for delousing and I am wondering if the Q.M. General’s office over there has been fully advised on the subject. How is Latta getting along with further experiments?

We have requisitioned a rather large supply of MYL as well as M.B. and the necessary equipment as I should like to have the latest “dope” on the latter.

Was glad to learn that the Committee had accepted 612. It seems to be badly needed everywhere from the reports I hear.

Could you give some information yet on how well the ovicide in MYL works and how long the powder gives protection.

I am glad that Roy and Knipling got their well-deserved promotions, and I hope Miss Lynch gets hers soon too. Perhaps the additional money for the larvicide work will justify making another application. How is Bruce and has he gotten in the Army yet? Did Major King go overseas?

Sincerely yours,
Emory.

P.S. My cable address is AMIHOP if you should care to reach me in a hurry sometime.

ECC.

September 22, 1942

1st General Medical Laboratory
APO 519
c/o Postamster
New York, New York
Sept. 22, 1942

Dear Dr. Dove:

I do not recall whether I mentioned in my last letter the desirability of having some work done on methods of delousing the body of a person which is more rapid than the usual slow and uncertain process of shaving and bathing. My particular concern is lousy patients suffering from some disease or injury requiring immediate medication or surgery and which could not be handled in the customary way. Then too, one cannot be certain that bathing and shaving will get all the lice and nits on the body. If we had a solution which was both lousicidal and ovicidal which could be sprayed over the body it would eliminate a lot of work and time in delousing a helpless patient by bathing. Lethane in a water mixture might be suitable for this purpose and I am thinking too of a water emulsion of benzyl benzoate. This last seems to be a good treatment for scabies and is highly recommended by the British. It is applied all over the body except the head without harmful effects. The proportion of the mixture is 25% benzyl benzoate, 5% wetting agent, and 70% water. Would you please ask the boys in Fla. to run some preliminary tests with this material on research subjects using live lice and nits on the skin. If this cannot be done immediately perhaps they could try light sprayings of lice and eggs on pieces of cloth.

September 22, 1942

September 22, 1942

Nothing has come through from Stone’s office yet regarding new developments by the boys in the Southeast but the British seem to be getting some of that information from OSRD. Deniza tells me that you are sending the things I requested and I surely appreciate your help in this matter. Did you get the money for the mosquito larvicide investigations? Who is working on it? I understand that the shipbuilding project at N.O. was abandoned – is that correct? Would like to know if Stone’s office is still enthusiastic about M.B. fumigation and if it is now standard recommendation. No instructions have been received by people concerned here according to my knowledge.

Give my best regards to everyone there and in the field. Everything OK with me.

Sincerely,
Emory C. Cushing

September 6, 1942

1st General Medical Laboratory
APO 505
c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.
Sept. 6, 1942

Dear Dr. Dove:

Considerable confidence is placed by some of the British scientists in the use of bactericidal aerosols for the control of air-borne infections, but in my opinion they do not have as practicable or economical way of producing aerosols as that developed by Goodhue. My associates and I feel that something should be done to check the high incidence of upper-respiratory infections contracted on troop transports coming here. We feel that the use of some bactericide like hexylresorcinol (1%) in our type of aerosol on the boats would be of great value in reducing these infections and thus check the tremendous drain on the energy of the troops after their arrival. I think it would be well to discuss this matter with Stone and see what might be initiated from that end. Of course some experimental work would be necessary to determine the solubility of the bactericide in the solvent but I believe that Haller could easily do this. Stone could arrange for us to handle those parts of the investigation necessary on this side.

September 6, 1942

September 6, 1942

I am wondering what arrangements have been made to ship the vaults developed by Latta and Yeomans and the other necessary supplies for use with them. They are likely to be sorely needed before long.

Everything is fine with me. I trust the Washington summer has not been too hard on you and the others. Best regards to all.

Emory

August 13, 1942

FIRST GENERAL MEDICAL LABORATORY
A.P.O. 505
C/O POSTMASTER
NEW YORK, N.Y.

Dear Dr. Dove:

In connection with the problem I am working on here, we are interested in learning something of the bactericidal action of fumigants against the specific organism involved. Since acrylonitrile appeared to have promise I am wondering if it would be possible to arrange with Dr. Haller to send me a small sample of this material (say 200 c.c.) by mail.

August 13, 1942

August 13, 1942

I shall appreciate also your asking Mr. Latta or Mr. Yeomans to write out and send me instructions for assembling the portable fumigation vault they developed.

If the opportunity affords it might be well to suggest that if it is contemplated sending additional sanitary men here to work on this problem that they be given a short period of instruction under Mr. Latta.

Sincerely yours,

Emory C. Cushing
Major M.S.C.

Marginalia:

Dr. Richardson at Beltsville has a gallon of acrylonitrile if Haller has none
HHS

Called Richardson at Haller’s suggestion & the former is sending in Sept. 14 200cc of acrylonitrile.

Dr. Neal of the USPHS says acrylonitrile is more toxic than it was first supposed. Better go careful on its use on humans.
HHS.

Harris & Stokes
Propylene Glycol
1-50 million.

February 22, 1942

Sunday 2/22.

My dear Ina & Boys,

I am enclosing a clipping from the Washington Post of today which is of much interest. They tried to get voluntary releases of personnel from government agencies but this failed, so now they are trying a new wrinkle. If you wanted a transfer to Wash. instead of Orlando, I imagine it would be easy because it could not be blocked in the Bureau. If it were not for Cushing I would not mind so much, because you know how I feel about the rest of them. The work at Orlando will be the most important war work in the Bureau & probably just as important as any except firing bullets.*

February 22, 1942

February 22, 1942

I kept the sedan delivery here today but I did not go out to Beltsville. It has been real cold yesterday & today and it was not especially urgent that I go over the fumigated material until tomorrow. I hope I can get away about the end of the week but cannot tell yet. I want to get the answer if I can by that time.

If you have any strong convictions about transferring, please let me know. After the war it may be difficult to get into other govt work which might mean taking the retirement. It would amount to about $150 per month at present. After about 6 yrs more or 30 yrs service would amount to about $200 per mo. I doubt if I could leave the Bureau before about 6 yrs. By that time we may be in the middle of another depression & it would be difficult to get started in something else.

With love,
Walter.

P.S. Think I’ll talk to the Public Health Service. Theirs should be permanent.

* Walter is not bragging. Louse-borne typhus was deadlier than any weapon in World War I, and all indications were that it would take a similar toll in this war. An army that could prevent and/or treat louse infestations would have an immense advantage over one that couldn’t.

December 29, 1931

Tuesday 6PM.

My dear Sweetheart,

I have just returned from the meeting where I made the typhus talk. It went off just fine. I didn’t feel stage fright, very much. Dyer thought it was fine and his discussion was very good. He was cordial and his feeling was apparently OK. He left at 5PM just after our talk. He invited me to visit them in Washington. Your old man used a little soothing cordial for the U.S. Public Health Service and it worked wonderfully well. Stoll told me that he admired the way I stood up there on my hind legs and talked every word of it. He sent regards to you from the family. Also, Otto, Dr. Cort, Brown and a lot I don’t recall just now.

December 29, 1931

December 29, 1931

Mr. Hall’s paper went off just fine. Hall came this A.M. We are going to hear Bishopp’s annual address tonight. Cort came down after he had thought that he wouldn’t come, so his dinner was postponed until next winter meeting at Atlantic City.

With love,

Your
Walter.

December 28, 1931

Stationery from the Jung Hotel – “Absolutely Fireproof *; New Orleans’ Most Modern Hotel.”

Monday Night

My dear Sweetheart,

We got here about 10:15 last night and by 10:30 we were in the auditorium. We put up tables and exhibit board so that we could hold the space until about 2 AM. It was a good thing that we did. We got an excellent location and today we were able to hold it despite the fact that there were a number of kicks. We got the approval of the Chairman last night and we were able to hold the space.

December 28, 1931

December 28, 1931

We had to help Bish with the other Bureau exhibits and this with our own required all day. So far only Mr. [illegible] is here from the other [illegible] our division. Bish thinks that Parman is not coming. We expect Mr. Hull tomorrow A.M.

Tomorrow is a busy day. Hall’s paper in the AM & my typhus paper in the afternoon.

Have been meeting a lot of folks. Both of us are enjoying the meeting.

With love
Walter.

* The fire damage on the edge of the letter appears to have been a later accident, not something that happened in the “absolutely fireproof” hotel. The next couple of letters have the same type of damage.

November 6, 1931

Friday Night
Nov. 6, 1931.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Yours and Gilbert’s Sunday night waffles sounded good. Before many more Sunday nights Walter White and I will join you in such a feast. Tell Gilbert he’s getting gay a-partying until 4 A.M. He doesn’t have Walter White to awaken him early with tin cans and Easter eggs like he did on Elmwood.

November 6, 1931

November 6, 1931

The preliminary program of the Southern Med. Assn. is interesting. I see anumber of familiar names – Drs. Rees, Ricks, Massey etc. I should like very much to arrive early enough Friday to at least see the exhibit and I’d love to hear your paper. Perhaps you would rather your wife would not be present when you made a public speech. Some people feel self conscious if a member of the immediate family is present. Walter White might want to appear on the platform with you so I could remain at the hotel with him until you were through. Since there are only two through trains leaving here and one of them at midnight it looks like we will have to leave on the one at noon. It arrives in N.O. at 7:30 A.M. the following morning. That would be early for you to have to meet us, especially on the day that you would have to appear on the program. You would probably prefer spending the time before ten o’clock in final preparations. I really have not investigated the time of arrival in N.O. of the midnight train as I preferred not getting Walter White wide awake that time of night among sleeping passengers. However, if you think best, I can do it. Yes, the train trip from N.O. to Charleston will be delightful if you are with us. Honey, do you mind mailing me my new green winter coat so I may have it to wear on the train? You will find it in the tray of your big trunk in Walter White’s closet. It will be better to mail it to me here because if you carried it in your bag to N.O. it might be rather wrinkled for immediate wear. Also, I might need it before I arrive there. I don’t like to trouble you with it, but I believe it will be necessary. Thank you.

This afternoon Walter White and I made two calls, returning in time to join the crowd on neighbor John M. Garner’s lawn which had gathered to get a peek at Will Rogers. He arrived in Uvalde this afternoon by airplane and was the guest of the Garners. We walked up that way, really not expecting to see him as he was not planning to make a public appearance here. Just then the high school pep squad arrived, fresh from a victorious football game. They gave fifteen rahs for Rogers and out stepped Will himself. He and Mr. Garner joined the crowd in front and he talked for a few minutes in his humorous conversational way. Walter White saw nothing extraordinary about him. In fact he scarcely looked Will’s way. He was more interested in the lineup of cars.

Honey, I have not been able to get any more information concerning endemic typhus at Carrizo Springs. Tonight Mrs. Sutherland was here and I asked if she knew the name of a physician at that place. She said a Dr. Prickett had a small hospital there. If you are interested you can write him if you like. I thought of doing it myself but decided it would be better for you to do it.

We love you lots & lots. We are going to have a most pleasant trip home with you.

Always, your
Ina.