Military Medicine

Reed writes of Emilie Lawrence Reed's health. He discusses finances and plans for their house at Keewaydin. He expresses concern over the experiments since they have not yet achieved positive results.

Reed writes about the possibility of Emilie Lawrence Reed coming to Cuba. He also describes the visit of the examining board from Havana, and records responses to the mosquito theory.

Emilie Lawrence Reed will not visit Cuba. Reed discusses additional research questions, including the larvae of infected mosquitoes. The experiment involving the injection of infected blood was successful.

Reed writes that he cannot return home. He describes the enthusiastic response to the experiments, and he prepares a paper for the Pan-American Medical Congress.

Reed reports that sixteen Cuban physicians have visited to confirm the experimental yellow fever cases. He responds to Washington social news.

Reed describes a dinner given for Finlay and the general acceptance of the mosquito theory. He will continue tests involving infected clothing.

Reed writes about Emilie Lawrence Reed's recovery, as well as his toothache. He discusses financial matters, including expenditures at Keewaydin. His last yellow fever patient is recovering.

Reed hopes that his wife's health improves. He offers news of colleagues at Fort Apache and hopes for an assignment back east. He has received no letter from her.

Reed describes a carriage ride. He responds to a letter from Emilie Lawrence Reed, giving her financial advice and offering news of acquaintances.

Reed teases Emilie Lawrence Reed. He offers news from the base. He is glad to hear that she is feeling better.

Reed expresses empathy for his wife's gout. He writes that the experimental camp is almost completed and will soon be ready for work.

Reed is astonished that yellow fever remains unrecognized at Pinar del Rio. He recommends measures taken to avoid an epidemic, and the use of human experimentation to study the disease.

Reed suggests several methods to determine whether patients have typhoid or malarial remittent fever. [Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration]

Reed discusses the mosquito as the vector for yellow fever and the amount of evidence necessary to prove this hypothesis.

Reed arrives in Washington. He discusses an article for the Journal of the American Medical Association and comments on the editor's changes. No promotion for Carroll is forthcoming.

Reed discusses the probability of a mosquito vector for yellow fever. He regrets his absence from Cuba. He will not experiment on himself, and anticipates a publication on the etiology of the disease.

Reed notifies Jennie Carroll of James Carroll's improved condition.

Reed accepts an invitation to appear before the U.S. Surgeon's Examining Board, and explains that he would have responded sooner had he not contracted a fever. [Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration]

Reed states that the mosquito theory for the propagation of yellow fever is a fact, not a theory. Reed's postscript gives credit to Kean for cleaning measures against the mosquito. [Reed mistakes the year, it should be 1901, not 1900.]

Reed is sending Howard specimens of mosquitoes from Lazear and is planning on seeing Howard in a few days. Included is a listing of the types of mosquitoes. [Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration]