1316 Seventh Street S.E.
Minneapolis
December 23, 1917.My very dear Miss Turner -
I should be in bed this minute because I am sadly in need of sleep but I fell [sic] like chatting with you for a few minutes so I'm going to do it. I've just been rereading the nice letter you wrote me in the fall. I saved it because I expected sometime to really answer it. I have been very negligent this fall about correspondence - I don't know why - I haven't meant to and I have thirsted for news of South Hadley - but the days have been full and I've been tired many nights.
This letter is to wish you a merry, happy Christmas. Owing to my impecunious state and the real need of the Y.W. and the Red Cross for help, I am sending gifts only to my family, and I guess loads of others are doing the same. Anyway you'll know that I love you and am hoping that your Christmas will be such a nice one.
Thank you for your letter about Miss Egerer. She arrives the morning of the 27th and Dr. Rountree has delegated me to look out for her room &c &c. I think there is one nearby, and if she is as grateful to me for helping her find a room as I was to Mrs Lyon, I see where I "get in right."
The meeting of the Physiological, Biochemical, Pharmacological &c sections are to be in Minneapolis the 27th & 28th you know and in Rochester the 29th. I have seen a program and it looks very good. I'll try to get one to send you. Dr Lee and Dr. Martin are both giving papers about the fatigue work which was done this summer and which is still being done. I'm most eager to hear what they have to say. Dr. Pike is also slated for a paper. Also Dr. Scott of POS. [?] I've had just one letter from Dr. Pie this fall but that covered the ground for several months - past present and future - I wish I might talk to you about him. Some tales would be humorous - and some rather sad - but anyway he is really a good friend and he has been wonderfully kind to me. How does Beryl like him? He was most solicitous this summer. He used to bring Lucile and me lettuce to eat and fancies to look at!
Dr and Mrs Lyon had a reception last night for President and Mrs Burton. They let me keep pace [?] the ice cream and cake. I had a very nice little chat with President Burton before the show began. He spoke very highly of Dr. Rountree with whom I am working in the hospital. Dr. Rountree certainly is fine. Everybody is so nice. I just feel as if I must give the best I have and I wish it were a great deal better than it is. Neurology is great. It is a very stiff course, and needless to say I'm learning a great deal about the nervous system. I'm greatly disappointed in histology - it's partly my fault and partly Dr. Scammon's. I was to have had the lectures and demonstrations (2 hours a week). I've attend[ed] the lectures which are splendid but no demonstrations have been supplied. Dr. Scammon kept saying, - "next week they'll be ready" &c &c - but they weren't. Now I'll have to do a lot of cramming to get any credit for the course - and in the meantime I've put the extra time on other things. The apparatus for my basal metabolism work is under way, but I'm afraid it will be some time before it will be ready. When I'm not interviewing Dr. Beard, the assistant dean, and the carpenter, I'm fussing with Blooms method for determining fats in blood, blood sugar determinations, &c - I'm going to find out as much as I can about the routine hospital tests, while I'm waiting.
Oh - about my ailments &c. well - I don't seem to be very sick. I have a secondary anaemia and a respiratory arrythmia which is unimportant. They found an infected tooth, so it has ended with the extraction of said tooth, bridge work and - a large bill! The dental work isn't done yet. I've been going to the dentist two or three times a week. It is a great nuisance but I feel that a good job is being done.
I've found one mighty nice girl out here. She is living in this house and her name is Mary Chase. She is doing graduate work in English. She is about three years older than I, I guess and she has written three books and she is very clever. She comes from Maine. As far as niceness goes, everyone in the house is mighty nice. I'm really very happily located. I wish that I might have gone home for Christmas but I couldn't have afforded the time very easily - let alone the money. There is so much to do and we have only ten days. I think I'm not going to mind awfully much. Dr and Mrs Lyon have asked me over for Christmas dinner. Dr and Mrs McClendon and Dr. Pettibone and his sister will be there too. I can't quite reconcile Chauncey Jerome Violet ? [should be Vallette] Pettibone, with his goatee, no chin, and his singing - with physiological chemistry. He seems like a perfect lady and yet everyone speaks well of him and his work and I've taken special pains to inquire. Last night he told me he was going to have a Christmas tree for his dog. He meant it humorously but it seemed to me to border on the pathetic.
Well I must stop now. I'll try to send you a program later in the week and any juicy bits that I gather during the meetings. I know there are heaps of things about which you would like to know and which I have omitted. Just mention any such and I'll discuss them systematically.
How is the new faculty house? Do write when you have time and tell me about things.
Give my love to your mother. I hope she is well. Tell her that I hope she'll have a very happy Christmas.
And here is a great deal of love for you -