University of Michigan
Ann Arbor
Department of MedicineMy dear Miss Turner;-
Your letter made me so happy because you took your precious time to write to me. I am sure that I have not told you what a hard winter I had this year. So far as my work is concerned I am getting along beautifully even better than my first two years. During Christmas vacation, a young promising Chinese woman student left us for that happier land. She succumbed to influenza complicated with double pneumonia. Right after that Dr. T. T. Wong of Washington met for play. His oldest daughter is studying in his university. I was at Washington D.C. for two weeks at time of my mid-year examinations. In midst of all this, my own dear grandmother died. I felt lonesome and sad during the past long winter days. Being a christian, I naturally look upon death as the passing gate to eternal life. That has been my constant comfort. I missed a great deal work during those two weeks. For three weeks I just worked like a Trogan [sic] and passed all my examinations with satisfactory grades. Personally I do not care for grades but they are necessary for good internship. My average grade in every subject was B. I had ten or nine examinations. I have not heard from Pharmacology yet - that professor is rather lazy. I took that examination seven weeks ago. Dear Dr. McLean has been real sick. She has not been able to write me a line since Christmas. I was so happy to see her this spring vacation. Her trouble is insomnia due to nervous exhaustion. She is sleeping better now. While I was at home, I make her obey my directions. I made her to take an afternoon ride every day while I was there, you know it is not an easy thing to make a doctor to obey directions. I guess she is not responsible for this because she is sick. She is gaining strength gradually. I felt much happier after I have seen her myself. I feel sure that she will turn out alright after a long rest.
We have an excellent department in Neural. Pathology. Our psychopathic hospital is under state control. Dr. Camp is at the head of this department. He is certainly fine. I find this is a very interesting subject but it is a had course. He asked us the other day if there is a tumor in spinal end not tracking the spinal roots - what would be the clinical symptoms? I am afraid I only got 50% on that question. I know the different tracts in spinal end, but I was not able to figure about it reflex. An interesting thing to me is the test for various mental disease. For instance, hysteria. You can prick a patient with a needle way deep at one joint - he would not feel the pain at all. You touch him at another spot lightly he would jump. There is also loss of pharyngeal reflex. We apply this test to every patient who looks strong and well. He thinks he is real sick and he suffers also. After the doctor just gives him some distilled water. The latter often cures his ills and aches. I did not know how ignorant about the structure of my body until I finished my anatomy. Some of the common structures, every body should have a general knowlege. [sic] The more I study the more I feel every college girl should be taught the things about her. For instance a course in physiology is much more important than astronomy, because the former deals with the process of her body while the latter deal with something real far. The human being is hard [?] of art; literature and science. The psychology of everything centers around the person or the person is the center of everything. I guess this is a better way of expressing.
Really no man or woman should be married without some knowlege [sic] of sex hygiene. This subject is important because it concerns the present and the future. This is a new age. We can speak about the reproductive organs as any other parts of the body. I do not know the custom here, but in China we girls were never taught of these things. It was considered something we should not know. I hope to do a good deal of lecture work along these common things. I told you that I wanted to study public health. I guess I might have to go into general practice for a few years first.
There are many things I want to talk to you to-night, but it is getting late. Tomorrow is the day I can sleep ten hours. I am just as well as I can be. I eat like a cow and sleep like a baby. I often have to work like a bee, but after my work I can fly as freely as a bird. I close this letter with much love to Mrs. Turner and yourself.