Box 63

Hench discusses the credit given to Finlay for his ideas.

Pinto forwards his belief that Carroll tried to take credit for the mosquito theory after Lazear's death. He thinks Dean was bitten by a mosquito while in the ward.

Kean details his involvement in the National Memorial to Thomas Jefferson. Kean also discusses the publication of Truby's manuscript, his meeting with Carlos E. Finlay, and his understanding that Reed visited Carlos J. Finlay before any efforts were made to infect mosquitoes.

Kean tells Truby about arrangements being made for the Jefferson Memorial and provides the information Truby requested concerning sanitary arrangements in Cuba.

Hench sends Truby suggestions for corrections or additions to Truby's manuscript on the story of the yellow fever experiments. He mentions several enclosures, which are not included with this document. An addendum from Hench to Truby on November 10, 1941 is included, as well as a transcription of a letter from James Carroll to his wife.

Nogueira informs Truby that he will contribute to a local history of Marianao, which is currently being written. He inquires about the locations of the mosquito experiments, where Lazear died, where Edmunds was confined, and the role of Cuban doctors in the Yellow Fever Commission's work.

Kean thinks that Gorgas did not begin organizing “mosquito brigades” on Feb 4, 1901, the date of Reed's lecture on yellow fever in Havana. He believes that Reed abandoned the B. Icteroides theory, in July of 1900, and was ready to investigate the mosquito theory by August 1.

Truby appreciates Hench's comments on the manuscript. He is sending photographs taken in Cuba. He has almost decided on the title for his book: Memoir of Walter Reed and the Great Yellow Fever Episode.

Hench informs Pinto that he has too many questions to ask and so would like to meet with him personally. He has found many contradictions and omissions in the various yellow fever accounts and is trying to unravel the twisted threads.

Hench will send Kean additional reprints of the Wyeth painting. He comments on the discovery, at the New York Academy of Medicine, of a notebook believed to belong to Lazear. He wonders if Carroll's son sold it to the Academy.

Kean is excited about the discovery of the notebook at the New York Academy of Medicine. He was immune to yellow fever - after having it in June of 1900 - so was not bitten as part of Lazear's experiments. He is pleased with the memoir of Andrus, and lauds him for submitting to inoculation as Reed had determined to inoculate himself if Andrus had not volunteered.

Truby responds to Hench's suggested corrections and additions to Truby's manuscript. He provides additional details, clarifies several points, and refers Hench to others who might be able to provide further information.

Kean makes a few suggestions on how to improve Truby's forward. He notes that he was on an inspection tour during Lazear's illness. He returned and thinks he saw Lazear the day before he died. He does not know when Reed heard of Lazear's death.

Truby comments on the notebook found at the New York Academy, stating that it could be Lazear's record from the laboratory. He knows the Board went to see Finlay in early July, and that they started to raise mosquitoes at once, because he saw them in glass jars. As such, he disputes Agramonte's date for the beginning of the mosquito work. Truby believes it was Lazear, not Agramonte, who induced Reed to meet with Finlay.

Nogueira would like to know the names of the eleven soldiers who were inoculated by Lazear. He also wants information about the non-immune camp for Americans in Quemados.

Pinto writes to Hench that he visited Truby, and thinks his work is good, but that he has slipped over time. He hopes that Truby completes his article soon.

Hench has received microfilm of the notebook found at the New York Academy of Medicine and has recognized Lazear's and Reed's handwriting. The contents include case reports of sick soldiers, electrozone experiment notes, observations of non-experimental and experimental yellow fever cases, and notes about mosquitoes. The notebook shows that Lazear was working with mosquitoes even before the Yellow Fever Board was created.

Kean makes comments on the contents of the notebook found at the New York Academy of Medicine. He had recommended Carroll for volunteer commission of major, but it didn't happen. He discusses very positively the career of Russell. He thinks Andrus could sell his memoir for a good price. He includes a memorandum listing papers he read about the life and work of Carroll in 1907, shortly after his death.

Kean questions whether Ames' self-diagnosis of yellow fever was correct, because earlier he had claimed to be immune.

This list includes sanitary reports, inspection reports and disease reports. Furthermore, there are numerous documents listed concerning Reed.