Albert Shunk to Cary T. Grayson
Title
Albert Shunk to Cary T. Grayson
Creator
Shunk, Albert
Identifier
WWP15909
Date
1919 October 7
Description
Albert Shunk recounts an anecdote about an old patient, and offers his C.V.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
File
Dr. Albert Shunk
Mansfield, Ohio
Read before condemning
For private circulation only
Rear Admiral Carl T. Grayson
Dear Doctor
I see by this evenings paper many people are sending you suggestions as to how you should treat the President, and do not wish to be out of “the running.” When I saw the newspaper article I at once thought of an amusing experience occuring not so many years ago.
I had a woman under my care suffering from an endometritis as a sequence to a large uterine fibroid. She was losing a great deal of blood and, as she would not submit to an operation or even local treatments, I was giving some pills of Ergotin.
She noticed her pills were “going” very rapidly but one day her husband said “Mary I wish you’d go down to Doc’s and get some more pills. I’ve been taking them, as directed on the box and feel so much better! I tell you Mary those pills certainly are great for a man feeling as bad as I did.”
Have you any thing to beat it? Are you shurthe Presidents womb is all O.K.? I think you should take this matter up with the consulting MDs.
I graduated from the Medical Department of Columbia University, NY City in 1886, and I studied four (4) years before that. I also practiced medicine in NY City till 1899& then went abroad and stayed one year, brushing up my Lab. work under Prof Cruikshank in King’s CollegeLondon. I came out here, upon my return from Europe in , with the idea of retiring from the strenuous life I lead in NY. I am a Life Member of the NY Athletic Club, was a member of the NY Academy of Medicine and all the “regular” Assns.
I am not writing an Auto Biog. but started with the idea of helping our very much loved and respected President. It may help him to know the common people respect and love him dearly, and our most earnest desire (which is constant prayer) is he may soon be out and at it. Life is a great game and the President is “playing his hand” just to suit us common mortals and we constitute the vast mass of our body politic.
I do not wish to inject politics into this letter—but if some one could get a strangle hold on Lodge, Cummings, and a few “stand patters” to a worn out machine it would help some.
The only great dainger to the President’s stand is that Bryan agrees with him!!
Pardon my intruding on your valuable time, and sending my most earnest regards and hopes to Mrs and Mr Wilson, our greatest figure among Presidents,
I am,
Yours most sincerely,
Albert Shunk—
P.S. In 1886 the Med. Department of Col. University was known as the "College of Physicians & Surgeons" Dr. Dowd, a nice NY surgeon, and Dr. H. Berman Douglas, a throat & nose specialist now class mates of mine. Also the much lamented Prof. Bragin of the Med. Department of Col. University.
It is now 3 am Oct. 7th and I dated this the 6th but have been interupted several times by the telephone. D--n The Phone any way. This shows how successful I have been in retiring from "strenuous work" in NY City. But Mansfield is the town I was brought up in. That explains my coming here. But I have nothing requiring my coming. M. is a good up to date little city, and I must have the very best woman in the world, when I came here - My dear wife - my better 7/8ths.
They often say "the best part of a man is his wife" and it is most true in this case.
Yours sco. AS (one of the common people). Mrs. Shunk is sleeping the sleep of the just - I hear her, tho I am in "Our Den" some rooms away from her. Yet she says she never snores! Don't tell that for the love of Mike - Mrs. S. gets my thoughts by mental telepathy. Are not women wonderful? But you can, I am sad to hear an old back, So your opinion don't go. with any more. P.S.S I am married & happy and I promised to go to bed early so good night (or good morning).
Dr. Albert Shunk
Mansfield, Ohio
Read before condemning
For private circulation only
Rear Admiral Carl T. Grayson
Dear Doctor
I see by this evenings paper many people are sending you suggestions as to how you should treat the President, and do not wish to be out of “the running.” When I saw the newspaper article I at once thought of an amusing experience occuring not so many years ago.
I had a woman under my care suffering from an endometritis as a sequence to a large uterine fibroid. She was losing a great deal of blood and, as she would not submit to an operation or even local treatments, I was giving some pills of Ergotin.
She noticed her pills were “going” very rapidly but one day her husband said “Mary I wish you’d go down to Doc’s and get some more pills. I’ve been taking them, as directed on the box and feel so much better! I tell you Mary those pills certainly are great for a man feeling as bad as I did.”
Have you any thing to beat it? Are you shurthe Presidents womb is all O.K.? I think you should take this matter up with the consulting MDs.
I graduated from the Medical Department of Columbia University, NY City in 1886, and I studied four (4) years before that. I also practiced medicine in NY City till 1899& then went abroad and stayed one year, brushing up my Lab. work under Prof Cruikshank in King’s CollegeLondon. I came out here, upon my return from Europe in , with the idea of retiring from the strenuous life I lead in NY. I am a Life Member of the NY Athletic Club, was a member of the NY Academy of Medicine and all the “regular” Assns.
I am not writing an Auto Biog. but started with the idea of helping our very much loved and respected President. It may help him to know the common people respect and love him dearly, and our most earnest desire (which is constant prayer) is he may soon be out and at it. Life is a great game and the President is “playing his hand” just to suit us common mortals and we constitute the vast mass of our body politic.
I do not wish to inject politics into this letter—but if some one could get a strangle hold on Lodge, Cummings, and a few “stand patters” to a worn out machine it would help some.
The only great dainger to the President’s stand is that Bryan agrees with him!!
Pardon my intruding on your valuable time, and sending my most earnest regards and hopes to Mrs and Mr Wilson, our greatest figure among Presidents,
I am,
Yours most sincerely,
Albert Shunk—
P.S. In 1886 the Med. Department of Col. University was known as the "College of Physicians & Surgeons" Dr. Dowd, a nice NY surgeon, and Dr. H. Berman Douglas, a throat & nose specialist now class mates of mine. Also the much lamented Prof. Bragin of the Med. Department of Col. University.
It is now 3 am Oct. 7th and I dated this the 6th but have been interupted several times by the telephone. D--n The Phone any way. This shows how successful I have been in retiring from "strenuous work" in NY City. But Mansfield is the town I was brought up in. That explains my coming here. But I have nothing requiring my coming. M. is a good up to date little city, and I must have the very best woman in the world, when I came here - My dear wife - my better 7/8ths.
They often say "the best part of a man is his wife" and it is most true in this case.
Yours sco. AS (one of the common people). Mrs. Shunk is sleeping the sleep of the just - I hear her, tho I am in "Our Den" some rooms away from her. Yet she says she never snores! Don't tell that for the love of Mike - Mrs. S. gets my thoughts by mental telepathy. Are not women wonderful? But you can, I am sad to hear an old back, So your opinion don't go. with any more. P.S.S I am married & happy and I promised to go to bed early so good night (or good morning).
Original Format
Letter
To
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Files
Collection
Citation
Shunk, Albert, “Albert Shunk to Cary T. Grayson,” 1919 October 7, WWP15909, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.