Vincent J. Grieshammer letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley - October 3, 1918
Transcript
Somewhere in France [October] 3rd 1918. Mr. [Henry Milton] Whelpley, Editor. Meyers Brothers Druggist. St. Louis, [Missouri] Dear Sir: Your letter of [September] 9th rec’d, and was deeply appreciated by me, as it recalled many pleasant memories of old St. Louis. Very glad to hear you have forwarded copies of the journal to this address and hope to receive them soon. I am not much of a descriptive narrator, and much that I could tell you is on the censors black list however I’ve had the good fortune of having been assigned for about two weeks detached service which necessitated an extensive trip by auto through France, from which I have just returned. I had a good opportunity to compare customs and methods over here with those at home, and found considerable difference. Perhaps the most striking difference of all is the lack of frame buildings here. I have yet to see the first dwelling
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[page 2] or stone building. Everything is of stone or brick, roofs are of slate, shingles or straw. On the farms the house and barn are all one building, and the ox is more common than the horse. Produce, lumber, gravel etc. is hauled by teams of oxen, while the horse is for the army almost exclusively. From what I’ve seen of the pharmacies they are run on a much different scale than the ones in the states and prices as a rule much higher. The country is very hilly and all the farms are smaller then any in the states, in fact they would almost be called truck gardens in [Missouri], however there are many very large vineyards from which eventualy comes the red and white wine, that is so common here. Nearly all the peasants wear wooden shoes, except for special occasions. One thing in particular I noticed while away was the great work the Red Cross is doing all along the line, and the boys sure appreciate all they do for them. I am sorry to say that there is
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[page 3] only ten Medical men assigned here at this infirmary, and I am the only pharmacist in the crowd, and very seldom meet any around here lately. Very truly, Vincent J Grieshammer Infirmary Camp 7. Base Section 1. A.P.O. 701. American [Expeditionary Force] France [censor’s signature]
Details
| Title | Vincent J. Grieshammer letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley - October 3, 1918 |
| Creator | Grieshammer, Vincent J. |
| Source | Grieshammer, Vincent J. Letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley. 03 October 1918. Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley Collection, 1826-1929. A1737. Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | Vincent J. Grieshammer sent this letter to Dr. Henry Milton Whelpley. Dr. Whelpley was the dean of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and editor of the Meyer Brothers Druggist magazine. Grieshammer wrote that he was on a new assignment that required him to travel throughout France in an automobile. He also described his experiences on the trip. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918 |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I; Infirmary Camp 7 |
| Site Accession Number | A1737 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | October 3, 1918 |
| Language | English |