1942

From Doug Duffy, a brief (and reassuringly lucid) report, best transmitted in his own words: "I'm just finishing a long series of medical tests which indicate I have just passed through my first transient ischemic attack, which, as you know, confuses die brain. But listen, Alex, if you start out with a confused brain, maybe a T.I.A. can straighten it out! In any case, suddenly during my attack I realized I had attributed (in a note to you) to Voltaire an aphorism which in truth derives from Descartes! You were very nice indeed not to point it out to me!" De rienmon ami, at bonne chance.

Many thanks to our distinguished physician, Jim Dietrich, for sharing with me an article that appeared in a recent Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons about Joe Wilder, whose paintings are exhibited at the college's Clinical Congress this year. After listing Joe's published contributions to medicine as a surgeon-artist, the article reveals that he has "just completed a series of paintings that reflect how technology is affecting the surgeon in the operating room." For the future, it is Joe's intention over the next five years "to produce a series of paintings depicting women in the various disciplines of medicine." When painting male physicians, Joe says, he has functioned as an historian, but "a visionary knows that the 21st century will be a different story in terms of women's roles and representation in medicine."

Bob Gale reports that he and Maureen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last November 18 in Tenerife, "a glorious island in the Canaries." Bob says he's back in touch with Dick Ensor, who is busy with "writing, some acting, and church work." Bob also reports that his own most recent major opus, a 240,000-word Melville encyclopedia, (Greenwood Press), is due out this year.

A note from Bob Taylor: "Some news for classmates who knew my wife, Mae. Celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary May 12, 1995 MaediedJune 27 after being in nursing homes and hospitals for nine years and three months all caused by a stroke on March 28, 1985."

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