April 29, 1935
Dear Father,
I was recently elected to Sigma Xi (pronounced Zi) which is the highest honorary scientific fraternity. Dr. Ochsner and I are the only ones in the department of surgery that belong to it. This is quite an honor and I have Dr. Ochsner to thank for this. He was the one that put my name up.
Dr. Ochsner recently received a letter from Dr. Leriche in Strasbourg, France. Dr. Leriche is the best known surgeon in France and is known all over the world. He is professor of surgery there. He told Dr. Ochsner in his letter that he would be very happy to have me come to his clinic and would give me as much work as I wanted. I am thrilled at the thought of being able to work with him for a year. Dr. Ochsner is also planning to get me one of the best places in Germany. I think he has been very nice to me. Of course he wants me
[END PAGE ONE]
[BEGIN PAGE TWO]
to get all this training so that I will be better equipped and will be of greater value to him. He has some very big plans for me when I get back.
I expect to be able to leave here about the latter part of July. It is necessary that I stay that long in order to complete the papers that we have started. At present I am working on two papers with Dr. Ochsner, one of which will be published here and the other will be read in Baltimore on June 5th.
I delivered a paper before the Orleans Parish Medical Society 3 weeks ago and then another before the Touro Hospital Staff Meeting. I was told by a number of Doctors that they were excellent.
I have at present four exhibits at the Louisiana State Medical Society. The one on Blood Transfusion is one of the most beautiful exhibits there. I am enclosing a page from the program and have checked the exhibits that I planned.
Write me soon,
Your loving son,
Michael.
P.S. When you write me dictate the letter yourself to Goldie. I know you are very busy but if you knew how happy I am when I read a letter that I know you wrote you would not mind the time it takes.