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Harvey Cushing Letters (Three) Signed Written to a Former Patient. ...
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Description
Harvey Cushing Letters (Three) Signed Written to a Former Patient. Three letters, each one page on New Haven Hospital letterhead, measuring 6.12" x 7.87". The letters are dated October 17, 1935, October 16, 1936, and October 2, 1937. Cushing writes to Esther Schiffmiller (later, Rozolsky), a patient he had operated on, to acknowledge receipt of her "anniversary" letters. Cushing asked that his patients write to him annually to give an update on their health. In his letter dated October 2, 1937, he writes, "I am so glad to have your anniversary letter and to know that you are planning soon to be married. I wish you all possible happiness and hope that you won't forget to continue to send me some word about yourself every year on this what in the future will be a double anniversary for you." All three letters are signed "Harvey Cushing." Also present is the hospital bill from Schiffmiller's stay at Brigham when she underwent surgery performed by Cushing. The letters are accompanied by their original transmittal cover.After Cushing's death in 1939, his former associate and pioneer neurosurgeon in her own right, Louise Eisenhardt, continued the practice of tracking the health of his patients. Although Eisenhardt wrote one letter on October 19, 1933, during her time studying under Cushing, she sent the remaining seven between September 20, 1941, and October 28, 1959. She checks up on Schmiffmiller over the course of nearly twenty years, commenting on the success and challenges of her condition. On October 28, 1959, she writes, "I find that the last time I heard from you was in May 1950, and it does not seem possible so many years have passed by. As you know, it was Dr. Cushing's wish that I keep in touch with his former patients, and I do hope you will drop me a line about yourself." Finally, the collection includes one handwritten and signed letter from Dr. William Mahoney, a colleague of Cushing and Eisenhardt in the Department of Physiology at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Known for his most famous discovery, Cushing's disease, Harvey Cushing not only developed several of the fundamental surgical techniques used to operate on the brain today but he is also credited with introducing the current method of measuring blood pressure to North America. Likewise, Louise Eisenhardt forged an impressive career as a neurosurgeon, helping to create and maintain a brain tumor registry with more than 2,000 specimens.
Condition: Light toning and creasing along mail folds on all letters. Some envelopes torn at the flap or sliced open. Numerous tears and chips to Schiffmiller's hospital bill. One major tear has been repaired with cello tape along the upper right margin. Left corner of the hospital bill is missing. Intermittent stains and smudges throughout. Pencil notations to verso of October 19, 1993 letter.
Auction Info
2023 September 21 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6272 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
September, 2023
21st
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 1
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 343
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