Dr. John B. Hawes letter to Mrs. Elizabeth C. Clarke - November 9, 1920
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DR. JOHN B. HAWES. 2ND 29 GLOUCESTER STREET, BOSTON November 9, 1920. Mrs. E. C. Clarke Buckingham Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri. My dear Mrs. Clarke: I enclose my affidavit properly sworn to in regard to your son
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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: - This is to certify that the following is a true and correct statement as far as my knowledge goes of the case of Powhatan H. Clarke and my connection therewith. I was first asked to see Powhatan H. Clarke in consultation with Dr. J. H. Knowles for Gloucester and Dr. Henry Jackson of Boston, July 6th. 1920. Mr. Clarke stated that he was 27 years old, a lawyer, that his home was in St. Louis, Missouri, and that he has served during the War in the United States Army as an aviator. His family history was excellent. His mother is alive and well, his father died in an accident. There were no brothers and sisters. His habits were good. PREVIOUS HISTORY: As a child he had whooping cough, measles and scarlet fever with no complications. He was strong and wiry as a boy. He has had no serious illness but has always been subject to throat troubles. In school and college he was active and athletic, having played tennis, polo and golf and being a good swimmer. In 1912, he had a cold with a slight fever and was advised to spend winter in the South, which he did. PRESENT ILLNESS: In June, 1917 he entered the United States Army as an aviator. He spent nearly three years in Europe doing active flying. He recently told his mother and told me that he had a slight hemorrhage from the mouth once while in France but paid no attention to it. He seemed well on his discharge from the army in October, 1919. But caught cold on the trip to this country and on arrival here was tired out although weighing more than he did when he entered the Army. He did not go to work at his profession because he did not feel up to it although he has led a fairly active life since last October and he has not considered himself sick in any way. He did not care to exercise and having recently bought an automobile took still less exercise than before. Last Spring he played some tennis and golf and did some swimming. About the first of July he left St. Louis by auto and made a rapid and hard trip to Gloucester, arriving July 7th. He did not seem sick, however, until Wednesday, July 21st, when he woke up in the morning feeling very badly and did not get out of bed. He had some fever and took aspirin and salts. He had a slight hemorrhage that night at about 11:00, a larger one at 12:30, and a still larger one at 4:00 A.M. Dr. J.H. Knowles called shortly after this the morning of July 22nd. Dr. Henry Jackson saw him that afternoon and I saw him for the first time Friday, July 23rd. I found him a tall, fairly-well developed young man, pale, sparely built, with a considerable amount of blood, 4 or 5 oz., in a basin by his side. Only a superficial examination of his lungs was made but there was evidently a process involving the upper lobe on the right. I saw him every day in consultation for a number of days during which time his temperature went as high as 105 so that he was gravely ill. Gradually his temperature and pulse came down, the hemorrhages ceased, so that on July 31st, it seemed safe to move him from Gloucester to the Phillips House, the private ward of the Massachusetts general Hospital. He stayed here until August 11, 1920. Tu
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[page 2] bercle bacilli were found in the sputum and although he had no more real hemorrhages the process in his lungs appeared to be gradually extending although the symptoms were not so marked. I was imperative that he leave the Phillips House where he could remain only temporarily and on August 11th, he left for Saranac Lake, along with nurses and Dr. B.H. Ragle who, at my request, accompanied him. At Saranac Lake he was under the care of Dr. Robert C. Paterson from whom any further information may be obtained. REMARKS: In my opinion, there is absolutely no doubt that Mr. Clarke had had a tuberculous process in his lungs as back as 1912 when he spent the winter in the South and that this tuberculous process remained inactive and dormant until the stress and strain of war service brought it into activity. There is likewise no doubt in my mind, therefore, in regard to the definite connection between his war service and the pulmonary tuberculosis which was finally the cause of his death. In my opinion, his family and his estate are entitled to the consideration in every way as if he had died of wounds or had been killed in service. My diagnosis in this case is advanced fulminating pulmonary tuberculosis SIGNED John B. Hawes 29 Gloucester St. Boston [November] 10 1920 [ms illegible; 1 wd] and sum to before me this day. [signature and title] JBH MEY
Details
| Title | Dr. John B. Hawes letter to Mrs. Elizabeth C. Clarke - November 9, 1920 |
| Creator | Hawes, John B. |
| Source | Hawes, John B. Letter to Elizabeth C. Clarke. 09 November 1920. Clarke Family Manuscript Collection, 1540-1926. DOC MSS 30. Saint Louis University Library and Special Collections, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | Powhatan Hughes Clarke served with the 21st Aero Squadron and the Labor Bureau A.E.F. during World War I. He died from tuberculosis August 20, 1920. Clarke's mother, Elizabeth Clemens Clarke, corresponded with his friends and acquaintances to determine if her son had contracted tuberculosis while serving in the military. Mrs. Clarke also corresponded with the doctors who attended her son in his last illness, apparently convinced that he had not received proper treatment. In this letter, Dr. Hawes enclosed a notarized affidavit in reference to the care he provided Clarke at the time of his death. Dr. Hawes also stated what he believed was the cause of Clarke's death. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--Medical Care; World War, 1914-1918--Chemical Warfare; Gas; Tuberculosis; World War, 1914-1918--Aerial operations, American |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | DOC MSS 30 |
| Contributing Institution | Saint Louis University Library and Special Collections |
| Copy Request | Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Please contact the Saint Louis University Archives for details at 314-977-5516, or tachee@slu.edu. |
| Rights | Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Please contact the Saint Louis University Archives for details at 314-977-5516, or tachee@slu.edu. |
| Date Original | November 9, 1920 |
| Language | English |