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DIRECTOR GENERAL
HENRY HANSON
M. D.
I. H. B.
Hanson-
BAJO LOS AUSPICIOS DEL
GOBIERNO PERUANO Y LA
JUNTA INTERNACIONAL DE
SANIDAD DE ROCKEFELLER
FOUNDATION .. .. ..
Campaña Sanitaria contra la Fiebre Amarilla en el Perú
OFICINA CENTRAL
AVENIDA PIEROLA 545 - TELEFONO 3428
LIMA -- PERU
JUne 15,1922.
NUMERO
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Dr. H.R. Carter,
2121 California St. N.W.,
Washington, D.C.
My dear Doctor Carter:
Referring again to the records which you wanted of
previous yellow fever in Peru, Dr. Ezayguirre the other day sent you his
library copy of the monograph which he wrote on the subject in 1906. This
was his last copy, (due to the fact that wheh Wrightson entered the Salubridad
he ordered the porters to throw away a lot of old pamphlets and papers which
he found on taking the office) but fortunately Ezayguirre had previously given
me two copies which enabled me to return one to him. Had I not had this he
probably would not have had a copy. I am sorry that you did not come to know
him better as he is a man who is quite a student, very modest and unobtrusive,
and usually tending to his own business. He is in charge of the department f
section on statistics for the Health Department. He said that he know of no
other complete publication on other yellow fever epidemics. Possibly Dr. Julian
Arce (the man with whom I had my recent arguments) has other records as he
was looking up quite fully the records on yellow fever, in connection with his
discourse on the "fiebre hemoglobinurica". I have been thinking that it would be a good thing to make a collec-
tion of the articles written by you which I have had translated, togather with
the last one which you sent me and have them published in the spanish. I think
I have most of them. In as much as I have the translations they could all be
compiled and published in a small volume and be made available for the spanish
medical literature. What do you say? I suggested the idea to the President and
he took to it very readily, and took occasion to say that he was very impressed
with Dr. Carter. Dr. Lavoreria could translate your "Note on the Spread of
Yellow Fever in Houses", which is very interesting, and shows your great powers
of observation . In my last "acuerdo" I told the President that I expected to leave soon,
and that I thought that it proper that I should do so since the country had no t
funds to go ahead with their sanitary program, and I thought it unwise to have
a foreigner in the position of Director. It appeared to me better to have foreign-
ers as advisors or in charge of some special work than in that of Director, an
administrative position. He did not like the idea of my leaving. The next day I
also told the Minister of Fomento that I expected to leave, and he made very
much more demonstartion in the matter than the President did. He and Dr. Lavorer-
ia argued quite extensively that I should stay on, trying to convince me that
I was a necessity to the country- that I could do things here which the Peruvians
themselves could not do - that Congress would accept recommendations from me which
they would not from Wrightson or from the Peruvians themselves, and that at the
present time they had no one could fill the place. The American and British Colony
are also quite anxious that I saty on. But is it worth while? If I did I would
only want to do for sufficient time to see whether it were possible to improve
the organization and the legislation. This could be done in a year, providing
congress could be made to see the point. A congress is a congress in any country,
and a Latin congress in a Latin country is also a congress which can not be counted
on to do logical things always. However if I were a young man without a family I
think I should enjoy the venture for a while,- and I think I could accomplish
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#2. June 15, 1922 1 Dr. H.R. Carter, As things are at present I am out of touch with things in the states,
and I have no previous standing with the International Health Board, so can not
expect them to make any special provision. What they are planning I do not know.
Dr. Rose once wrote me to let him know whether or not I had any definite plans
after finishing the work of the campaign. To this I replied that I expected to
go to the states and take a few months rest, and to arrange some work which I
have not had time to do during my time in Peru. I have heard nothing further
from them in the matter and have asked no questions. I rather feel that I would like to report in person on the campaign
and see if some arrangements can be made to work up a complete report on the
Peruvian work. I have very extensive files now, a great deal of which is in
such shape that one could work it over quite rapidly. However what value, except
as an historic one would such a complete report have. You are writing the final
history of yellow fever. I am beginning to believe that we shall soon reach the
stage in the world which we have now reached in Peru, namely the extinction of
Yellow fever. Hence much of what I might report on this last campaign will not
have a practical value in that it could be adopted or adapted to future yellow
fever campaigns. However if I had another similar proposition to this in Peru
I think I could improve considerably on what we have done. In the first place
I would organize properly right from the start, and I think I would pick several
of the men I have had with me here. One of the first to be chosen would be Sr.
Arturo Sainz, he certainly has made good !!! Corrigan and Pickett also are real
material for this kind of campaigning. Seeley is good when you have him with you.
He is almost a tireless worker, but does not have as good judgement as Pickett of
Corrigan. Well I presume that this will probably be the last letter until I leave.
We are planning to sail on the Eoro , which leaves here some time between the 28th
of July and the 1st of August. This should get us to New York on or before the
15th of August. Trusting that both your aciatica and your "kink" have mended, I am As ever, Very sincerely yours,
Hanson
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