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� December 21, 1917.

Maj. G. M. Elliott,
Maine Medical Corps,
Halifax, N.S.

My dear Major:

I am very sure from your telegram to Mr. Hart that you felt
rather uneasy in regard to your telegram and letters forward to this
office. The letter referred to was not received until yesterday
morning although upon receipt of the telegram I began asking for
doctors. Started for Portland and got in touch with Dr. Thayer, Dean 
of the Medical School and after 14 hours he was unable to locate a
single man. In the meantime I took this matter up with President
Spaulding of the Maine Medical Association and her felt very sure
he could find some one but after 24 hours gave up in disgust. So I 
was left high and dry. No doubt the reason for many of the doctors
now refusing is that the excitement has blown over. Yet probably when
you return there will be a number who will say they would have gone
and been perfectly willing to had they only known. Unfortunately
I am not acquainted with every doctor in the State of Maine.

At last I was able to get two doctors at Waterville, Drs. Poulin
and Gousse but they did not want to start till Monday, Sunday night at 
the earliest. However after considerable persuasion I was able to say 
they will leave Saturday night. I found a doctor in Rockland, Dr.
Bradford, who has been commissioned in the Army but does not expect
to be called for several weeks and as he has given up his practice is
very anxious to serve and I am trying to get him to leave tonight.
He is an eye, ear and throat specialist but says he would be very glad
to do general work, in fact do anything. Dr. Thayer informs me that
the young doctors throughout the State are either as actively engaged
in practice or interned in hospitals where they are very short of help
that it is impossible to get them.

Am just this minute in receipt of a phone message from Dr. Bradford
who says he will start tonight. I have advised him to take along some
instruments as possibly he may have to do some enucleation.

The people of Maine feel mighty proud of this Maine medical unit and
from reports received they have a good right to. The Governor thinks
you have certainly done a great work and appreciates it. I have taken
up with the Governor and Council the matter of a $25000 appropriation for
a field hospital. They seem very favorable and the Governor was very
much impressed with the idea. We have run astump among some of the med-
ical men in the State, which I will explain to you later but think we can