Tag Archives: WWII

February 6, 1943

Headquarters Fifth Army,
A.P.O. #464, New York, NY,
February 6, 1943.

Dear Dr. Dove:

My work is developing rapidly and it looks as though I will have a busy season. Will you please ask Mr. Stage to locate an article by M. Bates in which he reviews, catalogs and proposes a new classification of the maculipenis group of Anopheles with special references to South European farms. This paper is mentioned on page 127 of reprint “A Review of Mosquito Work Throughout the World in 1941.” If you can send me the Bates paper it will be most helpful. Also I would like a copy of the review of mosquito work for 1942 as soon as it is available. Any paper on the spreading of oil by airplane for the control of mosquitoes will be invaluable to me.

February 6, 1943

February 6, 1943

It is impossible for me to discuss my work but Col. Stone probably can inform you of my activities. I have worked up a comprehensive memorandum of practical insect control which I should like for you to see if a copy is available in his office. You might mention this to him sometime. I have had some interesting encounters with fleas.

I have been well since being here and my only complaint as to climate is the quick changes in temperature experienced here. North Africa is, to say the least, exciting. You will note from the above address that I have a new assignment. I am more than pleased with my work and although the responsibilities are great I feel fully equal to the tasks assigned me. This is a paradise for anyone concerned with insects and parasites affecting man.

Believe me when I say I have learned how to handle that bed roll. My sleeping bag turned out well and is plenty warm. I will not expand on the virtues and vices of G.I. soap, canned beef and other Army stand-bys as you know all of this through experience.

My best regards to Mrs. Dove and the boys and to my friends in the office. I have used and reused the glass vials your secretary gave me, they are the only ones of their kind in Africa.

Sincerely,
R.A. Roberts, Capt. Sc.C.

P.S. We have received none of the #612* yet. All of our orders are being filled with Indalone “Scat,” when will #612 hit production and can some of our orders be changed to that?

* Probably Rutgers 612, an insect repellent that predates and is apparently less effective than the now-ubiquitous DEET.

January 20, 1943

I’m not going to transcribe this lengthy exchange verbatim, but it’s an interesting discussion. Walter received a letter from George Decker, with whom he’d worked on grasshopper control in the 1930s. Decker is now working on chinch bugs in the midwest, and has heard rumors that the USDA is desperately seeking entomologists with field experience for the war effort. He asks Walter if he should offer his services. Walter writes back to describe the Army’s current recruiting efforts for science officers, and to point out that those working on domestic crop production are already considered critical to the war effort and therefore unlikely to be allowed to transfer.

January 20, 1943

January 20, 1943

January 1, 1943

Central Laboratory 505
APO 505
c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Personal Please

Dear Dr. Dove:

I suppose you have been advised by this time of my safe arrival at destination. We had an uneventful trip and everything is going along as well as can be expected under the circumstances. Like every ponderous machine it moves slowly but with ever increasing momentum. Living conditions are not at all bad and except for missing Deniza and all my friends I am quite contented with my lot.

January 1, 1943

January 1, 1943

Because of certain restrictions, it is almost impossible to give much in the way of happenings. I am greatly impressed with the importance of the eventual problems with which [redacted] you and I and especially the boys at Orlando are concerned. We cannot do too much too soon. Many problems present themselves and it is difficult to keep on the straight course of dealing entirely with the primary one; nevertheless some of them cannot be ignored and it is often necessary to take on additional responsibilities and give help wherever possible. In this connection I shall appreciate your sending me my copy of “Human Parasitology” by Blacklock, and the copy of “Parasitology” by Hegner, Root, and Augustine. I think you will find them amongst the books I left in the office. If you could procure for me a copy of the recent edition of “Medical Entomology” by Herms I should like to have that too. Deniza will reimburse you for whatever it costs. Perhaps you could expedite delivery to me by asking Col. Stone to send them with other official mail. There is, upon my suggestion, an interest in Freon as carrier and dispenser of bactericides for preventing air-borne infections. You might ask Col. Stone if it would be possible for his office to send me two 25 lb. cylinders of the material direct together with 5 empty 5-lb. dispensers and full instructions as to equipment for filling the small cylinders from the large ones. This equipment is also desired in connection with other work which has been assigned me. There is no use of my ordering it through channels as it does not appear on regular supply tables available here and I shall have to write elaborate specifications. Another problem to which I must give attention is the prevention of scabies. If it is possible and not too inconvenient I would appreciate your discussing this with Dr. Haller and Col. Stone and sending me at least gallon samples of any promising liquid acaricides especially emulsions or solutions of the less irritating derris or cube derivatives. The necessity for liquids is that of rapid application as a spray and the treatment of a considerable number of persons in a short time. As soon as you develop any promising lousicidal powder I should like to have samples to determine their efficacy in preventing sarcoptes infestation. Should opportunity afford research work there on scabies prevention and rapid treatment would be well worth while. One last request, could you discuss with Dr. Calvery of Food & Drug what his organization has found out about commercial wetting agents which are non-toxic to man and if he knows of any forward samples to me through Col. Stone. I know you must be extremely busy at this time and I trust the above requests will not be of too much trouble to you. How is everything going at the office? Give my best wishes to everyone in the Division and all my friends in the Bureau. How is Ina and the boys, Claudelle and B.M.? Please remember me to them. I think the above address will be rather permanent for me so if you can find a spare moment to write I shall be delighted to hear from you.

Sincerely
Emory C. Cushing, Maj. 5th C.[?].

Notes on the back of the envelope in Walter’s handwriting:
sesame
cotton seed
corn
Gesarol

Gesarol is the same as Neocid – both are Geigy trade names for a novel compound Walter and his colleagues are testing as a possible lousicide.

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.

March 9, 1942

Walter and Ina are now moving to Orlando so Walter can run the new insecticide research facility the USDA has set up there. They’re going to be testing any chemicals they think might work against disease vectors, especially lice and mosquitoes. Various companies make compounds that are purported to kill insects, but most are just marginally effective extracts from pyrethrum daisies, or toxic arsenic-based products. Chlorpicrin (tear gas) and a new compound from Geigy called Neocid look promising, but nobody knows whether either will actually work under field conditions. The Orlando lab’s job is to get those data, and then develop practical insecticides if possible.

Monday P.M. 3/9-42

My dear Ina & Boys,

I arrived here at 4:30 PM Eastern War time which made 11 hours to get here, a distance of 348 miles by the speedometer. Mr. Glass had already arrived & he was looking for an apartment with Mr. Burris the realtor. They came back to the lab just as I got out of the car. I went with Mr. Burris to see Mrs. Smith & I gave a check for $45. Of this $30 is the balance of 1 month’s rent & $15 covers deposits & gas electricity & water. The realtor will make the deposits & get the services connected. It is a good thing that I made a deposit with Mrs. Smith. One party has been trying all day to rent the house & she had made them wait until tomorrow. Mr. Glass helped me unload the car & we put the things inside. THe house looks even better than it did the other day. There is a closet in to the sleeping porch room & big closets in other rooms. Also shades are on all windows except the 2 little windows over the book cases. The bed rooms seem a little larger than they did the other day.
Mr. Bushland asked me to use their day-bed tonight & I will go out there. Tomorrow I’ll get the bed material that Ed brought down & fix a bed at the house. I am writing this in the car because I do not have a key yet & all are away just now.

With love
Walter.

February 26, 1942

Wash DC, Thurs 2/26-42

My dear Ina & Boys,

Cannot come home this week & it may be a week from now. Bruce will get here Sat. morning & I’ll have to go over the work I have been doing & leave it with him. Also, I have a trip to New Brunswick N Jersey to see some Rutgers College men & some mosquito repellent men. It looks like I may have to go to Chicago, leaving here Tuesday night to check on a steam sterilization the Army is making at Chicago. If so, I’ll probably leave there Wed. night & come to Pensacola by train then by bus to Panama City. This would make it at least Thursday night before I could get there.

February 26, 1942

February 26, 1942

We had a conference with 5 Rockefeller men this PM. 2 of them will work on the same problem I am undertaking at Orlando. They are interested especially in typhus as a post war disease.

With love
Walter.

Walter doesn’t provide much detail about the trip to New Jersey here, but that’s probably when he visited the Geigy Corporation‘s US headquarters to hear about a compound they’d been working on.