Register of
the Leo D. Eloesser Papers
1906-1984
MSS 20
Lane Medical Archives
Stanford University Medical Center
Contact Information
Lane Medical Archives
Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, California 94305
Phone: (650) 725-8045
Processed by: G. F. Pawlicki
Table of Contents for Eloesser (Leo D.) Papers
Title: Leo
D. Eloesser
Accession
Number: MSS 20
Linear feet
occupied: 3
Extent: 7
document cases
Provenance: Composite
collection consisting of materials transferred from Lane Library
Combined with
those donated by Joyce Campbell, Harris B. Shumacker, M.D., Leonard
Larson, M.D.,
and Roy Cohn, M.D.
Composite collection comprised of
materials transferred from Lane Medical Library combined with those donated by
Harris B. Shumacker M.D., Leonard Larson M.D., and Roy Cohn M.D.
Correspondence, articles,
photographs and newspaper clippings originating from period of Eloesser's
professional life and retirement, chiefly related to travel and clinical work
in Germany, Spain, China and South America.
Principal correspondents include
Alice Eloesser, Helen La Plant, Leonard Larson M.D., Roy Cohn M.D., and Harris
B. Shumacker M.D.
The majority of photographs were
gathered by Harris Shumacker for use in the biography, "Leo Eloesser :
Eulogy for a free spirit". An inscribed copy of the book and a
correspondence file relating to its creation are included in the collection.
Eloesser (Leo D.)
1881-1976
Thoracic surgeon and innovator in
providing rural and wartime health care. b. San Francisco, 1881 to Arthur and
Molly Heynemann Eloesser. He graduated,
with honors, a Bachelor of Science from the University of California at
Berkeley in 1900 and in 1907 received his M.D. summa cum laude from the
University of Heidelberg. He worked as a Volunteer Assistant at the Surgical
Clinic in Heidelberg in 1906, Assistant at the Cancer Institute in Heidelberg
during 1906-07, a Volunteer Assistant at the Royal Surgical Clinic ib Kiel
during 1908-09 and as a Volunteer Assistant at Augusta Hospital in Berlin
during 1909.
Returning to San Francisco in 1910,
he worked as an Assistant in Surgery at the University of California. He then
accepted a clinical internship at the San Francisco City and County Hospital
and in 1912 was invited to join the faculty as an Instructor at the new
Stanford School of Medicine.
With the onset of World War I, he
took a leave of absence from his academic appointment to work in Germany as
Surgeon to Reserve Hospital Ettlingen and Reserve Hospitals III, IV, V
Karlsruhe in 1915-16. After the entrance of the United States into the conflict
in 1917, he returned to America where he served as a Major in the United States
Army Medical Corps as Chief of Amputation and Orthopedic Services at Letterman
Hospital in San Francisco during 1918-19.
This was the first of numerous such
leaves that richly supplemented a career that eventually culminated in his
appointment as Chief of Service at the Stanford Division of San Francisco
County Hospital in 1938. Chief among
these were involvements in Moscow ; where he established the first Russian
Thoracic Surgery clinic in 1935-36 ; in Barcelona as the Head, Mobile Surgical
Unit, Republican Spanish Army under the auspices of the West Coast Hospital
Unit of the Medical Bureau to Aid Spanish Democracy during the Spanish Civil
War 1937-38 ; in Argentina as part of a teacher exchange program between
Stanford University and Buenos Aires University Hospital in 1943 ; and in
Mexico during the same year to lecture and demonstrate new techniques in
thoracic surgery.
Among his contributions to the
development of medical practice are numerous articles and techniques related to
his primary specialties of pulmonary surgery, orthopedic surgery and bronchial
disease.
Eloesser retired in 1945 to work for
the United Nations Rehabilitation and Relief Administration (UNRRA) and UNICEF
in various capacities related to the development of rural health care in China
until 1949. These included a term as director of the Bethune International
Peace Hospital and Medical School in Hsi Ching (Yenan).
His last years were spent in
Tacamburo, Michoacan, Mexico until his death in 1976. He there continued his
efforts to develop solutions to rural medical problems by using indigenous
resources to combat the high incidence of tuberculosis and infant death,
including support of teaching and surgical activities at the Pabellon de
Cirugia of the Sanitario de Huipulco, al Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades
Respiratorias and the establishment of a curriculum to train rural midwives.
I. Correspondence Box
1
II. Speeches and Writings Box 2
III. Miscellany Box
3-4a
-- Newspaper clippings
-- Memoria &
obituaries
-- Research
correspondence by H.B. Shumacker for
"Leo
Eloesser : Eulogy for a Free Spirit"
IV. Photographs Box
5 - 6
Eloesser (Leo D.) 1881-1976
Leo D. Eloesser papers, 1897-1986
I.
CORRESPONDENCE -- 1906 - 1976
ca.
400 items in 9 folders. Letters, their Envelopes,
and
postcards. Arranged chronologically under the
correspondent
headings :
Arthur and
Molly Eloesser
Alice
Eloesser
Helen La Plante
(nee Eloesser)
Leonard
Larson, M.D.
Myrtle and
Harris B. Shumacker, M.D.
Roy Cohn,
M.D.
Jeanette and
C. Runston "Runny" Maino
Dorothy and
Charles C. "Cub" Fahlen
Medical
Bureau to Aid Spanish Democracy
Mafalda and
Rowland Harper
Miscellaneous
with L.E.
Miscellaneous
about L.E.
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Arthur and Molly
Eloesser 5 Feb. 1848 -
46
items in 3 folders from 1906 through 1925.
The
majority are letters dating from the
period
of his voluntary clinical work in
Germany
prior to the entrance of the United
States
into WW I.
Box 1, Folder
1
Place of origin Date Form and Notes
26 Apr. 1906
3 Apr. 1907 letter
Leipzig 14 June 1908 postcard
Box 1, Folder
2
Place of Origin Date Form and notes
New York 19 May 1915
ship board 31 May 1915
ship board 1 June 1915
Heidelburg 12 June 1915 Letter, in German
[Baden] [15
June 1915] Postcard, in German
Ettlingen, Baden 24 June 1915 Letter, in German
" " 29
June 1915 " "
" " 8 July 1915 " "
" " 15
July 1915 " "
" " 19
July 1915 " "
" " 27
July 1915 " "
" " 2 Aug 1915 " "
" " 15
Aug 1915 " "
" " 27
Aug 1915 " "
" " 31
Aug 1915 " "
Karlsruhe, Baden 20 Sept 1915 Letter, in
German
" " ? ? Postcard
" " 3 Oct
1915 " "
" " 11
Oct 1915 " "
" " 1 Nov
1915 " "
" " 9 Nov
1915 " "
" " 14
Nov 1915 " "
" " 23
Nov 1915 " "
" " 27
Nov 1915 " "
" " 2 Dec
1915 " "
" " 19
Dec 1915 " "
Box 1, Folder
3
Place of Origin Date Form and Notes
Karlsruhe, Baden 3
Jan 1916 Letter, in German
" " 10
Jan 1916 " "
" " 16
Jan 1916 " "
" " 6 Feb
1916 " "
" " 22
Feb 1916 " "
" " 23
Feb 1916 " "
" " 6 Mar
1916 " "
" " 21
Mar 1916 " "
" " 27
Mar 1916 " "
" " 17
Apr 1916 " "
" " 14
May 1916 " "
Ohio 20
June 1916
?
Sept 1916 Letter, in
German
? 24
Mar 1918 " "
San Francisco 13 Sept 1918 Father's will
" " 31
Dec 1922 Father's autobiographical essay
Salamanca 27 May 1925 Postcard
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Alice Eloesser,
1903-1956
30
items in 1 folder. 1903 - 1956. Letters
primarily
from the period of his voluntary
clinical
work in Germany prior to the
entrance
of the U.S into WW I and the period
with
the Bethune International Peace Hospital
in
China 1945-49.
Box 1, Folder
4
Place of Origin Date Form and Notes
Boston ? ? Postcard
ship board 24 May 1903 Concert
program
Karlsruhe, Baden 1
Jan 1915 Letter, English
San Francisco 13 May 1915 Letter, to
Leo
" " 23
May 1915 Postcard
Heidelburg 20 June 1915
Karlsruhe, Baden 22 July 1915 Letter, in German
" " 16
Aug 1915 " "
" " 3 Sept 1915 " "
" " 13
Sept 1915 " "
" " 15
Sept 1915 " "
" " 20
Sept 1915 " "
" " 13
Oct 1915 " "
" " 14
Dec 1915 " "
" " 26
Dec 1915 " "
" " 20
Jan 1916 " "
" " 23
Jan 1916 " "
" " 15
Feb 1916 " "
" " 16
Feb 1916 " "
" " 25
Feb 1916 " "
" " 3 May
1916 " "
" " [May]
1916 " "
" " 16
Nov 1916 " "
Paris 22 June 1925 Letter, English
Shanghai 20 Feb 1946 " "
Nan King 12 Nov 1947 " "
Nan King 22 May 1948 " "
Shanghai 21 July 1948 " "
Shih Chuang 31 Aug 1949 " "
San Francisco 29 July 1956 Letter, to Leo
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Helen Eloesser La
Plant, [1907]-[196x]
ca.
100 items in 1 folder. [1907] - 196?.
Correspondence
primarily from the period of
service
as a surgeon in Barcelona during the Spanish
Civil
War 1937-38 and in China 1945-1949.
Box 1, Folder
5
Place of Origin Date Form and Notes
9 Apr [1907]
21 May 1913
22 May 1915
Karlsruhe 23 Sept 1915
Merida, Yucatan 26 Oct 1915
Mexico 20 July 1935
? [1937?] Postcard
Barcelona [Dec 1937] Postcard
" " 16
Feb 1937
" " [1937] Postcard
" " 16
Nov 1937
" " 29
Dec 1937
" " 23
Jan 1938
" " 21
Feb 1938
" " 7 Mar
1938
" " 10
Apr 1938
" " 30
Apr 1938
" " 2 June 1938
" " 12
June 1938
Paris 17 June 1938
New York 5 July[1938]
" " [July
1938] Postcard
29 July 1944 Photocopy. letter re: Leo's
departure for China
Chungking 23 Oct 1945 Telegram
Lu Hsien (Lu
Chow) 27 Dec 1945 Photocopy
I Pin 18 Jan 1946
Kolosan 2 Feb
1946
[Yenan] [3 Apr
1946]
Cheng Tu 11 May 1946
Lauchow 5 Aug
1946
Nan King 1 Jan 1947
" " 8 Jan
1947
" " 15
June 1947
New York 3 Dec 1949
" " 7 Dec
1949
Joao Pessoa,
Paraiba 15 July 1950
5 May
1953
2 Mar
1955
Tacambaro, 25 Nov 1956
Michoacan
? ? ? 196?
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Leonard Larson, M.D.,
1945-1976
38
items in 1 folder. Correspondence consists
primarily
of letters from China regarding
work
at the Bethune International Peace
Hospital
1945-49 under the aegis of the UNRRA
and
UNICEF and regarding various visits to
Mexico
after Eloesser's retirement in 1950 to
Tacambaro,
Michoacan.
Box 1, Folder
6
Place of Origin Date Form and Notes
Washington D.C. 18 July 1945
New York 23 Aug 1945
Kolosan 5 Oct
1945
Chung King 26 Nov 1945 Card
" " 4 Feb
1946
" " 12
Feb 1946
Peiping 13 Mar 1946
Cheng Tu 19 May 1946
Dec 1947 3
cards
Nanking 24 May 1948
" " 8
June 1948
" " 9 Oct
1948
New York 18 Jan 1951 UNICEF
28 Feb 1957
Tacambaro 20 Aug 1965
" " 3 Sept 1965
" " 13
Sept 1965 telegram
" " 20
Nov 1965
" " 21
Dec 1965
" " 11
July 1966
" " 8 Aug
1966 post card
" " 8 Aug
1966
" " 8 Nov
1969
" " [Dec]
1969 card
" " 1970 card
" " 1974 card
" " 26
Dec 1974
" " 12
July 1975
" " 31
Aug 1975
" " [1975] card
" " 25
June 1976 postcard
" " Oct 1976
Letter from Joyce Campbell
re : Leo's death
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Harris B.
Shumacker, Jr., M.D.
Myrtle
Shumacker
1959-1976
32
items in 1 folder. Correspondence dates
from
the period of Eloesser's retirement in
Tacambaro,
Michoacan.
Box 1, Folder
7
Place of origin Date Form and notes
Germany [1959]
San Francisco ? Calling
card
24 Apr 1961 postcard
Tacambaro 19 Mar 1963
" " 14
May 1963
" " 16
Oct 1963
" " 23
Jan 1964
" " 26
July 1964
" " 18
Dec 1964
Rio de Janeiro 31 Oct 1965
Mexico 25 Nov 1965
Tacambaro 11 Jan 1966
" " 10
June 1966
" " 14
June 1967
" " 14
July 1967
" " 9 Oct
1967
" " 18
Nov 1968
" " 5 May
1969
" " Aug 1969
" " 24
Dec 1969
Rome 28 Mar 1970
? Dec ? Christmas
card
? Dec ? " "
Tacambaro 13 Dec 1970
" " 6 Jan
1971
" " 30
Jan 1971
" " 8
June 1972
" " 18
Jan 1974
" " 15
Aug 1974
" " 25
June 1976 postcard
Chapas, Mexico 18 Aug 1976 postcard
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Roy Cohn,
M.D., 1948-1971
9
items in 1 folder. 1967-71.
Box 1, Folder
8
Place of Origin Date Notes
14 Oct. 1948 Christmas
card
Tacambaro 28 1959
Palo Alto 13 Mar. 1964
" " 1
May 1964
Tacambaro 16 Nov. 1967
" " 1
Dec. 1967
" " 30 Mar.
1970
Palo Alto 26 Aug. 1970
Tacambaro 16 Jan. 1971
" " 20 Jan.
1971
Palo Alto 1 Feb.
1971
" " 18 Feb.
1971
Tacambaro 25 Feb. 1971
Box 1,
Folders 9 - 14 added to collection June, 1990
Box 1, Folder 9 Jeanette and C. Runston
"Runny" Maino,
1949,
1965-76.
Box 1, Folder 10 Dorothy and Charles C.
"Cub" Fahlen,
1943-45,
1969-72.
Box 1, Folder 11 Medical Bureau to Aid
Spanish Democracy,
1937-38.
Box 1, Folder 12 Mafalda and Rowland
Harper,
1960-76.
Box 1, Folder 13 Jonathan Elkus,
1956-60.
Box 1, Folder 14 Albert and Elizabeth
Elkus,
1936-57.
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Miscellaneous
(Chronological) 1915-75
ca.
30 items in 1 folder. 1915 - 1975.
General
correspondence. Includes a group of
letters
relating to Eloesser's efforts to
establish
an anti-tubercular hospital in
Mexico
in 1954.
Box 1, Folder
15
Place of Origin Date Correspondent
Dr.
A Barkan
5 July 1912 Prof. L. Brauer
San Francisco 30 Dec 1915 A. Heynemann
San Francisco 23 Mar 1938 Friends in S.F. Symphony
San Francisco 5 June 1946 Mary Holmes
" " [195?] Dr. Francis Sooy, UCSF
Guatemala 22 Jan 1952 Josefin
Mediz de Peon
Peiping 28 Aug 1954 Dr.
Eufrasio Santana
Tecate, Baja
Calif.
25 May 1954 Dr.
Enrique Staines
4 Aug
1954 " "
18 Aug 1954 " "
Germany 10 Jan 1954 Prof.
Fritz Voelker
[n.d.] Dr. Donato G.
Alarcon
"Commentarios
al plan Eloesser"
21 Aug 1954 Dr.
Donato G. Alarcon
27 Aug 1954 " "
16 Aug 1954 Dr.
Elisu J. Gutierrez
19 Aug 1954 " "
19 Aug 1954 " "(telegram)
26 Aug 1954 " "
27 Aug 1954 " "
Warsaw 11 Dec 1956 A.
Bekier
Italy 196? E. Rosen, et.al. postcard
6 Oct
1973 Dr. and Mrs.
Bill Dock (Photocopy)
11 Feb 1974 Paul
Hanson
Lane
Medical Library
22 Feb 1974 " "
I.
CORRESPONDENCE Miscellaneous
about Leo Eloesser
ca.
25 items in 1 folder. 1938 - 1976
Box 1, Folder
10
Origin Date To From
Costa Rica 5 May 1938 Helen La Plant Dr. Roberto Chacon Paut
San Francisco 13 Jan 1939 Dr. L. Larson
New York 29 July 1945 Helen La Plant Bill Dock
Montreal 17 Jan 1947 Helen
La Plant C.L. Li
Tacambaro 18 Mar 1964 Myrtle
Shumacker
Joyce
Campbell
" " 2 July 1964 " " " "
11 Jan 1966 Dr.
L. Larson Dr. Jorge
Yarza
Carreon
12 Apr 1966 " " " "
San Francisco 21 Dec 1967 Dr.W.L.Rogers Roy Cohn, M.D.
Palo Alto 26 Dec 1967 Roy
Cohn, M.D. Russel V. Lee, M.D.
? 3 Mar
1971 Jon Cosovich Marshall Virello
? 30
June 1971 Frederick Martin Alice Wagnon Martin
? 30
Aug 1971 Leo Eloesser Fredericka
Martin
Mexico 3 May
1972 Leonard Larson Fredericka Martin
" 6
May 1972 " " " "
? 5 Oct
1976 Joyce Campbell Rowland
Stanford 6 Oct
1976 Joyce Campbell Roy Cohn, M.D.
Stanford 1 June 1977 Dr.
J. Gordon Scannell Roy Cohn, M.D.
Foster City 3 Apr 1990 William Neff Malcolm Bagshaw
II. SPEECHES
AND WRITINGS 16 items in 11 folders.
Box 2, Folder
1 Manuscript -- "Reminiscences" by Leo Eloesser
Box 2, Folder
2 Manuscript -- The
City and County Hospital of San Francisco :
Recollections
of "Far away and long ago"
by
Leo Eloesser. (See box 2.9 for reprint)
Box 2, Folder
3 Stanford M.D., Series 5, no.2, pp.2-5 (Oct. 1966)
"Some
Early American Chest Surgery".
Box 2, Folder
4 Transcript of Address to the San Francisco Surgical
Society -
Family Club,
2 Jan 1944.
Box 2, Folder
5 Notes : German Clinic 1925.
Box 2, Folder
6 Manuscript --
"Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn : a manual
for
rural midwives", by Edith Galt, R.N., C.N.M., Isabel
Hemingway,
R.N., C.N.M., and Leo Eloesser, M.D.
Manuscript
-- ibid. "latest version" 11
Aug 1953
4th English
ed. Mexico : Instituto Indigenista Interamerican,
1976.
159 p. ; 24 cm.
Box 2, Folder
7 Manuscript --
"Leo Eloesser, M.D.
Guide
for teachers of midwifery to accompany
Pregnancy,
Childbirth and the Newborn : a manual
for
rural midwives" by Eloesser, Galt and Hemingway.
Box 2, Folder
8 Manuscript of Report : "Apuntes sobre la organizacion hospitalaria
anti-tuberculosa"
by Leo Eloesser, M.D.