letters (correspondence)

Hench makes recommendations for some corrections and possible deletions from Truby's manuscript. He encourages him to take steps to have the book published sooner rather than later.

Hench is anxious to see Truby's book. Hench then mentions that he read Finlay's book, which supports the Cuban perspective that the Americans only confirmed, not proved, the mosquito theory.

Hench promises to send Truby additional extracts from some of Reed's letters. Hench offers his opinion on people who are not fully backing the war effort.

Hench describes his visits with the Keans and Ramos. An exhibit of the Cornwall painting is planned in Cuba. He describes a mural by a Cuban artist entitled, “The Martyrs of the Conquest of Yellow Fever.”

Hench thinks that Reed was independent of Sternberg in his yellow fever investigation and is trying to decide how much credit Sternberg deserves. Hench believes that Reed and Lazear worked out the project on their own.

Hench is unable to resolve the discrepancy concerning the number of yellow fever huts. He discusses Siler's health. Lazear's daughter has her father's missing microscope.

Hench wonders if Agramonte was with Lazear at his death because Carroll claimed that Agramonte had left three days earlier.

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.

Hench informs Love that he will not be able to attend the Walter Reed Memorial Association meeting. He writes that he is going to make one more effort [to memorialize Camp Lazear] when he returns to Cuba in several months.

Hench writes that still has faith in Nogueira, but thinks the American Embassy in Cuba and the Surgeon General should become involved if it is discovered that the Cubans plan to dedicate Camp Lazear and Building No. 1 with new names.

Hench asks Love to check into the [Cuban] situation, since Siler is ill.

Hench stresses the importance of the final name for the Camp Lazear site. He also thinks it is important that the Army medical department and the State Department have representatives at the ceremony. Hench requests that Love contact Siler and Lawrence Reed to find out if they plan to attend the ceremony.

Hench regrets that he will be unable to attend the meeting of the Walter Reed Memorial Association. However, he will report to the Association on the Camp Lazear dedication.

Hench requests that Love and Siler contact the editors of two military journals and encourage them to cover the dedication of Camp Lazear.

Hench seeks information on a photograph taken at the presumed site of Camp Lazear or Camp Columbia.