Tag Archives: larva migrans

September 30, 1924

Jacksonville Fla
Sept 30 1924

My Dear Ina,

Was glad to get your letter and to know that you were feeling fine.

I have just received a letter from Mr. Bishopp to the effect that Dr. White is having so much to do that he will not be able to section the material I have sent him. The plan is to have me go to Washington about the 5th of Oct for a period of about two weeks so that I can do the work myself. I am glad to have the opportunity of working with Dr. White and also of doing my own work, as I have felt a need for a little more training and experience on this particular thing. I am very glad to go and I am very sorry that I can’t be in Uvalde, but as you suggested I guess all things work out to the best advantage.

September 30, 1924

September 30, 1924

I understand that Dr. Roark is in Dallas now and no doubt there will be a couple to come to Uvalde with him. I can hardly understand how Mr. Parman can take a vacation if they come down there, but I presume they have arranged something.

I have quite a few cases under my own experimental treatments and also have an opportunity of seeing quite a number whom Dr. Kirby-Smith is treating at his office. If work continues like this, I may not get away for quite a while. They keep me going just now. I locked my door so as to write you, for I know that otherwise I would only get started on the letter and would have to leave it, and probably would not get to it again for a day or so.

Have just had a call from one of the schools here that a number of the kids are infested. Will try and look them over tomorrow, and I am in hope that some new chemicals will get here by that time so that I can try them out there.

The ones I am treating are the ones who feel that they can’t afford to go to Dr. K.S. office, and I am utilizing this opportunity to test some new treatments. We have an effective treatment for cases when they are newly infected, but after the cases become old and resistant it is not so effective. Am trying others for these cases, as so many who go to the Doctors are old cases and quite difficult to treat.

Excuse the brief letter, Dear, but I must go. Have a man who can’t get down here or even get out of bed, and we are going out to see him. Has several hundred on his limbs and arms. Plumber by trade and hasn’t slept for a week.

With love,
Walter.

September 21, 1924

Sunday P.M.

My Dear Ina,

It is a lovely afternoon and I was just wondering where you were and what you were doing. Wanted you to know that I am wishing for you and thinking of you, so found myself writing it. I’d be mighty happy if I could be with you now.

September 21, 1924

September 21, 1924

Had one letter from Mr. Bish since he returned to Dallas but he did not mention Uvalde in it. I presume he avoids writing about anything except my work here, for fear there will be a tendency to distract my mind from this project.

It rains a little every day now and we should have some new creeping eruption cases to show up pretty soon. Most of them try everything suggested by the neighbors and druggists and when the skin is irritated and infected they come for medical attention. We have an excellent treatment during the early stages but when they neglect themselves for a few weeks, it is very hard to effect a cure. The average person tries iodine and then a wash of bichloride of mercury. The combination forms mercuric iodide which is very irritating. Either would give some relief, but this combination only adds to their agony.

The photos are wonderful, Dear, and I have them on the dresser in my room. They are so natural that I turn them so that they don’t face me when I am dressing. Seems pretty modest for a man, doesn’t it? Everybody thinks you are beautiful and I consider myself mighty fortunate to have such a wonderful little lady friend.

It was sweet of you, Dear, to say what you did about money and I appreciate it more than I can tell you. You deserve such a good man that I wonder if I could be kind enough and as thoughtful as I should be. If I knew that you loved me I’d be mighty happy and heaven only knows what I would do for you. But I want you to be sure, for I love you too much to cause you to regret anything. I hope you will never have an occasion to regret your decision, regardless of what it might be.

Monday PM

Did not finish this yesterday as I saw the two little kids where I am rooming and I played with them until it was their bed time. The little girl is 7 and the boy 9 and both of them are real good. Have been taking the boy with me sometimes, as he likes the rabbits and guinea pigs. His school started today and I don’t imagine he will go with me quite as much now.

Dr. K.S. went fishing Sat. PM and returned this morning about 2 o’clock. Am invited to dinner this evening to sample the fish. First time I have been invited since the wife returned, though I met her when I went fishing with him. She seems mighty nice but I guess she controls him pretty well, and it is probably a good thing that she does. She is very good looking and so is the little girl (11 yrs old). She (the daughter) is so young that you won’t mind if I do say she is good looking. Hair and eyes just like yours.

Expected to have lots of new cases today. Had one old one which reported for the first time today, and we froze it with CO2 snow. Makes an awful sore but it was too near the jugular vein to cut any sections. Hope to have a letter from you soon as it seems an awful long time since I heard from you. It really hasn’t been so long, but I want to hear often.

Lots of love,
Always,
Walter.

September 18, 1924

Thursday A.M.

My Dear Ina,

The photos are wonderful and I don’t know which I like the better. It was mighty sweet of you to have them made and you can’t imagine how I appreciate them. When they came to Dr. K.S. office the nurse was anxious to see them and she thinks that you are a very beautiful girl. My landlady thinks so too and told me how lucky I was to have such a “beautiful sweetie.” She arranged them on the dresser for me so that when I get up in the morning I’ll start the day out right. When I described or tried to describe you, she was certain that you are Irish for she says I described the Irish type of a beautiful girl. I told her that you had too sweet a disposition to be Irish, for I didn’t think that you had that much temper. She thinks you are Irish just the same. You certainly had some good ones made, but even then I don’t think they are as beautiful as yourself. I am glad that you smiled a little for one of them, for I like to think of you as wearing a little smile. It seems to say that you are happy and I want you to always be that way, though I know it is difficult to always feel that way. When you are happy, I feel the same way.

September 18, 1924

September 18, 1924

You don’t know how very much I would like to see you, Dear, and I wish that you were here – real often. It was nice to be given your position until April, and I am thinking that he won’t want you to quit at that time. I’d like to see you quit then, and I’d be the happiest man in the world if I could come for you in June. Gee, it would be wonderful. Seems almost too good to be possible. It would be wonderful to come for you at any time and if you only love me half as much as I do you, I am sure we will be happy. I would try to be good to you, Dear, and would do everything in my power to make you happy. I know that I would always be proud to have such a sweet little wife.

I have not heard from Mr. Bishopp since he left here. Mr. Parman’s letter was probably answered by Mr. Laake as he was in Dallas during Mr. Bishopp’s absence. If Laake comes down to help Mr. Parman it is possible that he will stay there during Mr. Parman’s vacation. I imagine he would rather not stay so long as his wife is in Dallas, though he may take her with him. You would like her I am sure.

Dear, I have sent almost a hundred sections of skin to Washington to two of the best men up there and so far they have not been able to isolate the parasite or organism causing creeping eruption. Mr. Bishopp said that they had not located minute burrows to indicate that they were near the parasite. I have just sent one section to Mr. Bishopp in which I was able to show the burrow by staining, and it is far smaller than anything we suspected. For a while I felt that I had the right thing but on finding such minute burrows, barely visible by staining and under a high power microscope, I have concluded that I had been working with the wrong thing. It is more difficult to isolate a thing like this when there is undoubtedly only one in a burrow. So many times organisms are present by the hundreds and by proper technique, some of them can be recognized, but when there is only one the chances of locating it are not so good. It is possible that Dr. White may get it yet as he has not finished the sections. It seems that he has been away on a vacation. Mr. Bishopp says that all of them are very much interested but none of them can suggest anything as to what it might be. Had it been as large as a “chigger” or “red bug” we would have had no difficulty, though when I came here we were of the opinion that it was quite a good sized thing, about the thickness of a dress pin and 1/4 inch long.

In treatments we had good results in more than a hundred treatments, but a few of them have been just as difficult to treat as they have been to isolate the organism. It is quite different to be able to see what one is working with and be able to check results without waiting for time to tell. Persons get them in the fingers in transplanting flowers and places that one would hardly suspect. The only precaution that is sure is to avoid coming in contact with moist soil of any kind, though lots of people do not have tender skin and are not affected. It is seldom that a negro will get them.

I don’t know why I am writing you all of this unless it is because I have it in my mind so much. Should a person play in the moist sand they can use a rub of alcohol, ethyl acetate, or even ether and prevent infestations, but of course they don’t suspect anything until they get them. Usually they don’t come to a doctor until the things have become painful and irritated from scratching.

Should you come down here with me, Dear, I’ll see that you don’t get any so don’t let that worry you. I’ll take care of you all right.

Hope to have a nice long letter from you soon, Dear, for I love you lots.

Your
Walter.

September 5, 1924

Jacksonville Fla
Friday PM

My Dear Ina,

At last the picture is framed and I am posting it with this letter. The man had been ill ever since I left the order and they sent the job out for me. Sorry to have kept you waiting but couldn’t help it.

September 5, 1924

September 5, 1924

From what Mr. Bishopp said I’ll probably be here more than a month yet. Dr. K.S. says he is going to keep me here and talks of going to Washington about it. I don’t think he will do that, for there is no creeping eruption after frost and during dry seasons. It would hardly justify me to spend the whole time here yet. He has a big heart and would do most anything for me. Says he thinks Florida ought to have a whole Bureau of Entomology to work on various things and I ought to be the head of it. I can’t seem to make him understand that work on citrus fruits, etc. is not my line, and that I am purely interested in medical entomology. He says I can do all of it with assistance, and he is in favor of raising my salary a couple of times. His hearing is not good and it is difficult to talk with him. Has lots of energy, enthusiasm and pep. His family are returning tomorrow A.M. and he would rather they would wait a while before returning. I guess the wife is pretty strict.

He likes to take a drink and she doesn’t approve of it. Her folks do but she is different. I have been a guest of his but will get a room in a private family this evening. Have one located but haven’t been there yet.

There are very few cases of creeping eruption now due to the dry weather, though we had three yesterday. I haven’t been able to prove my findings as yet but have found nothing to indicate that I was wrong. Have some experiments under way and I hope to clean up the cause so that it is without question. Am sending material to Dr. White and Dr. Ransom in Washington so that they can verify what I am doing. Dr. Ransom should be here with me but there is hardly enough to keep us busy with new cases now. I am mighty glad that Mr. Bishopp came down for now he realizes that it is a difficult problem.

I am anxious to hear from you. It seems like an awfully long time, though you have been very good to write often and long letters too. I wouldn’t take anything for those enlargements. Have them handy where I can admire you. You are so sweet that one couldn’t help but love you.

8 P.M.

Have just returned from Mrs. Gallager’s where I engaged a room. Dr. K.S. nurse at the office phoned her and I believe it will be a very nice place, clean, cool and comfortable. Mrs. Robinson must have told her Dr. Dove for that is what she calls me. I hope none of them have a fit or stroke. If they do I’ll have to quote Dr. Hunter “I’m not that kind of a Doctor.” That’s what he told a farmer who wanted him to operate on his horse. Dr. Kirby-Smith gave me the degree when I arrived though he is aware of the fact that I do not have a Doctors degree. It simplifies matters in the minds of patients who might be too inquisitive were I called Mr. Dove. I hope to have the degree but have made no arrangements for work to that end.

Have heard nothing from Sister since before she was married and I presume she will not write until her honeymoon is over. Could hardly expect her to write. I only hope that she will be always happy with him, and I believe she will.

I trust you won’t think I was too hasty in asking you Dear, for I feel that I have known you a long time and that both of us are old enough to know ourselves. I am anxious to hear from you, for I love you with the most tender affections.

With a sweet goodnight,

Always,
Walter

September 2, 1924

Tuesday Night

My Dear Sweetheart

I am taking the liberty to address you this way, though it sounds mighty good to be true. I hope you won’t take all the joy away by saying that it is too sweet a name for me to call you.

September 2, 1924

September 2, 1924

I have just written to my mother so she will get it the next day after Sister’s wedding. She is to be married tomorrow evening at 6:30 and I know Mother will miss her the next day. Thought I’d write so she would get it then. The affair is to be at the church and it seems to be well planned. Sister is just as happy as she can be and I am well pleased with her choice. They go to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and I don’t know where else but they will visit his folks before going to Philadelphia, Miss. where they are to make their home. I’d certainly like to be there but it is impossible.

Mr. Bishopp has been here for 5 days and will leave tomorrow A.M. His folks are at the beach where they have been enjoying the surf. We took them to St. Augustine Sunday and they seemed to enjoy it very much.

I know that you are interested in what he thinks of my work. He realizes that it is a most puzzling malady or Dr. Kirby-Smith would have unraveled it during the past fourteen years. He seems well pleased with the progress I have made, even more pleased than I expected him to be. He does not feel certain that I have the cause unraveled, for they haven’t been able to find anything in skin sections I have sent to Washington. He believes my evidence and line of research are good and I have been greatly encouraged by him.

So far he has made only one suggestion and it is one that we attempted but failed. He wants to get guinea pigs and rabbits or mice infected, and we hardly think it possible but are trying further experiments. Our observations have led us to believe that they enter (sebaceous) sweat glands and the fact that the lower animals have none, has led us to discard the idea until he revived it. They may possibly enter the hair follicles but we doubt it. However, the tests will be made with more pigs and rabbits and we will satisfy ourselves on this point. Mr. B thinks the work will require several years and with other problems in this state, I may have a lab down here. I don’t think there will be any difficulty in getting the appropriation but we would like to have it in our own Bureau if possible. As soon as the Senator comes home Dr. KS and I are going to impress upon him that it should be made through our Dept.

I’ll be here the rest of this month on creeping eruption and the next month I’ll make a survey of the southern part of the state on other problems. That will probably take about 10 days. Mr. B had planned that I would be in the Uvalde section this month but the work is pressing here and it does not seem to be so plentiful with Parman just now. It is too dry for many cases here but I need just such a period of good work on the ones we do have.

I hope to hear from you soon, Dear, and here’s hoping I can call you Sweetheart, for I love you and you mean lots and lots to me. I hope you will try to love me a wee bit anyway.

With a sweet goodnight,

Always
Walter

August 28, 1924

Thursday 11am.

My Dear Ina,

The frame wasn’t ready as promised due to the illness of his frame making man, and it will probably be a few days before I can send it to you. Thought I’d write so you would know.

August 28, 1924

August 28, 1924

Am expecting Mr. Bishopp this PM and I’ll be mighty glad to see him. The work has developed with nothing unusual to upset previous findings and I am anxious to go over it with him. About 4 PhDs went over some material I shipped to Washington and concluded that the organism I shipped could hardly be the cause of the malady. They didn’t identify it or even give me the group to which it belonged. I know I am correct in it and while the organism I shipped may not under normal conditions cause creeping eruption, I believe that in the course of its development here it obtains some toxic property which causes the lesions we see. I believe that lots of them burrowing into the skin do not show any lesions or ill effects, but that ones spending part of the life cycle in a mole cricket possess this toxin which results in the disease.

When Bishopp comes I believe I can show him and then I want to wire for Dr. Ransom to come so that I can show him. The work seems to fall under Dr. Ransom’s division but I don’t care about that if I can show him what the cause is.

Hope to hear from you soon. I always look forward to your letters and you don’t know how much I enjoy them.

Always-
Walter

August 23, 1924

Jacksonville Fla
Sat. Night.

My Dear Ina,

This is a short letter to answer your nice long one with but I have just gotten the Kodak enlargements and I want to send them tonight. I am having one of the sitting pose framed for yourself and it will follow about the middle of next week. This will make one of each for yourself and one of each for your mother. I am returning the photo she so kindly loaned, though I doubt if she expected me to return it. It was mighty nice of her and I appreciate it very much. The Kodak pictures are so much like yourself, as you are now, that they are just right, and I really don’t care so much for a regular pose picture. I think these are real natural and they are just what I wanted. Sometime when you have a house dress on and can have a Kodak picture made, I would like one. Let it be natural, and I don’t care if it is made on the back steps with a kitchen broom. Have Claudelle make one of you wearing a bungalow apron and before you eat breakfast. If it is made during your vacation I am sure that it will be bright enough outside at that time. (Don’t throw anything at me) I wouldn’t get up early either if I were you.

August 23, 1924

August 23, 1924

I note with interest about the squirrel hunt, and since I became pretty well acquainted with the Regan Wells squirrels while there I can understand why you didn’t get any. They don’t get up very early. “The early bird gets the worm” but there isn’t any advantage in getting up before the worm does. I had always shot squirrels early in the morning and in the evening, but at Regan Wells the best time is about noon, unless you have a dog. Even then a person won’t have much luck at still hunting. As you drive along the road at noon they cross ahead of you frequently, and at this time I have shot from 3 to 5 in driving only two or three miles. I did this most every day at Regans, and kept the Brundretts pretty well supplied. However, I rather envy someone the opportunity of going hunting with you, and I can readily understand why he couldn’t see a squirrel. Under the same circumstances I probably would not have seen any squirrels either. (This is intended as a compliment).

I am expecting Dr. K-S to return tonight and I’ll probably take up all of his time tomorrow on account of the developments since he left. He wrote to his office nurse that a spirochaete was a pretty small thing for me to find and that had I been in Tennessee and used a little of their “home brew” I probably would have found a much larger thing. But even that would not equal his nightmare at about the time the clinic closed. He chased what we call a “Larva Migrans” under his bed and down the stairway. He said it was about 2-1/2 feet long. (The thing is really microscopic and we’ve called it “larva migrans” because no one knew what it was).

Had a letter from Bishopp today saying that he didn’t recognize the organisms shipped by myself. I couldn’t expect him to for it isn’t what an entomologist would be familiar with. I doubt if the thing has even been described or known to anyone in a scientific way. He had just returned from New York City, where I presume he took the boys. I know the daughter had been there, but it was new to the younger children.

It is now 12 o’clock and it will be Sunday before I start to the hotel.

Sweet dreams,

Always
Walter.