The University of Minneapolis
The Medical School
MinneapolisDepartment of Physiology
January 7 1918
Dear Miss Turner -
What are you doing about physiology and zoology and Botany - and everything? I'm so anxious to know and I've just been hoping some one would write me about it though I know how busy everyone is. I just couldn't seem to realize that Williston really had been swept by fire and all I know is that everything is gone - you don't know how I wish I might be there to help you start things again. When you can spare a minute won't you tell me just a little about it. How did it start? - Is everything lost? Where are classes being held now? &c. If there is a single thing that I can do, I want you to tell me. I know it seems almost foolish to offer when I am hundreds of miles away - but there might just possibly be something.
I am enclosing a bulletin of the papers given at the meeting. [no longer with the letter] The papers were lots better than I expected because so many are in France & were unable to come for other reasons. Dr Pike didn't come. He wrote me that he was very tired and didn't feel like taking the trip. Dr Lee was here, but Dr. Scott didn't come. I had lunch with Dr. Martin one day. He is a nice man. Dr Morgulis was here too. I went down to Rochester with all the rest of them. I hadn't expected to, but Drs. Lyon and Rountree thought it would be a good thing so I went - and I'm glad I did. I spent most of the morning at St Mary's hospital where I saw two whole operations - one, the removal of an ovarian cyst which contained about five gallons of liquid - another, the removal of a kidney on account of a tumor. Then I saw most of the removal of a breast because of carcinoma. After that I went down to the clinic building, to hear a few papers. Everyone was invited to lunch at Dr Will Mayo's - oh - I forgot to say that Dr Will Mayo did those first two operations. He has a very lovely new home - it was mighty nice of him to entertain all the scientists and hangers-on - such as I - wasn't it? There were some meetings that afternoon but I missed most of the paper because I went over to the respiration laboratory with Dr. Rountree and Dr. Plummer. There was a large dinner at the hotel. I sat next to Dr. Margulis and had a very nice visit with him. By the way - do you know Dr. Ryan of Tufts? do you know anything about him? I'm merely asking for information. I had to stay in Rochester overnight but managed to get out at 6.50 Sunday morning.
Oh dear - I wish it weren't so late and I wish I could talk with you. I'd so love to discuss some of the people. oh - I met a friend of yours - Lolabelle House Hall. Husband is in the trenches now, recovering from the effects of living with wife. They have a precocious offspring. six year old. His first day in school, according to report, was a red letter day - for the teacher. He began by announcing that he wished to be called Captain Huckeberry Finn! Later they were given primers for their reading lesson. Will D was asked to read - and he informed the teacher that he had read it all through while the others were struggling over the first page and he didn't consider it very interesting! He had already read Tom Sawyer three times so I suppose he did find the primer dull. Also he prefers to use the typewriter instead of a pen - in fact he has preferred the typewriter since his third year! Poor child! Mrs Hall is a perfectly nice woman, but she was not cut out for a mother - in my humble opinion.
I must stop now, as it is nearly 11.30 and I have a siege at the dentist tomorrow morning. Thank you for your nice Christmas card. I was ever so glad to get it.
Please give my love to your mother and keep a heap for yourself. I hope this new year is going to be full of fine things for you. It hasn't started out well, has it? - but good will eventually come from the loss even though it does come at an unusually hard time. What are the prospects of rebuilding? The government needs so much that there is less chance for other institutions.
Good night now.
Lovingly.