[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]February 27, 1920.
My dear Miss Turner:-
We just missed each other at Chicago. I was there for a week during Christmas vacation. Your card did not come to me [until] after I came back from Des Moines conference. Miss Lieu [sic] was the only Mount Holyoke girl that I met at the conference. I was anxious to meet some American girls from Mount Holyoke College, but some how I did not see them anywhere. There were eight thousand of students from different colleges and universities. I have wanted to write to you long before this. You know one cannot always follow her wishes. Our senior class was suspended for three weeks. I had plenty to do during these three weeks. There were many cases of influenza complicated with pneumonia. Many professors were sick also. I volunteered to help at our Health Service. During the epidemic tow of our Chinese sutdents were very sick also. Afterward word came from Albion saying the city hospital needed help. I volunteered to go there for several days. I did not do much but I tried to do my "bit." At the end of this vacation week, I went to Detroit for a change. At midnight a new visitor came to my friend, Mrs. Clark. We were able to get a doctor - but nowhere could we get a nurse. It was a breech presentation when the baby was born. The doctor gave me the baby asking me to resusitate him. I worked more than one hour but was unable to save him. I came back Sunday night and school opened Monday morning. This is the story of my three weeks' vacation. Busy days are happy days. I just feel good and ready to do anything.
In regard to my work, I think this is the easiest of our four years. I finished my two majors - surgery and medicine this term. Our class is divided into four sections and we rotate from one department to another. I served eight weeks in surgery and eight weeks in medicine. Now I am in Obstetric and gynecological section. we have dermatology and psychiatry with the above two named subjects. Our hospital is of 400 beds - but we have so many students. There are about 68 students in my class, and 80 juniors. You see we do not have too much material. This is a state hospital; so we have more chronic cases. Our maternity hospital is very small. There are about 30 beds.
Mid year examinations were very easy this time. I had only three subjects to take examinations in. Dr. Cabot of Boston is our surgical professor now. I am beginning to make plans to stay at least another year for hospital work. I am anxious to go home yet I feel I must have some practical training before going home. There is so much in medicine and one cannot be a specialist in every branch. I want some practical training and a post graduate course in pediatrics at Harvard. I want to study public health at John [sic] Hopkins - but I cannot do it now. I have to go home and work for five years, then come back for it. I am going to have a good long vacation this summer. I expect to start my hospital work in September or October.
Do you know Miss Dora Barnes? For these eight weeks I am living at her house. I am subject to call at night. Her house is nearer to hospital. With much love.
Yours lovingly.
Me-Iung Ting1204 Oakland Ave.
Ann Arbor, Mich.