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Dr. C.C. Messner   April 19, 1930.

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the settlements of Arctic Alaska except at so great a travel expense that it would be prohibitive.  On the other hand, I no not think the natives should be pauperized.

The irregularity of my detail was one of the real surprises to me.  Just why I should have been honored with it will, I presume, always remain a deep question with me.  However, I accepted it as a sort of a challenge to make good for your sake, that of the Public Health Service and for dentistry, and I earnestly hope my efforts may justify the confidence someone must have placed in me.  To accomplish less than this would indeed be a bitter disappointment to me.

Captain Jones and I had a number of conversations regarding dentistry, a matter in which he was deeply interested.  When I first went aboard he was of the opinion that it would have been better to have had the dentist join the "Northland" before she left Oakland and remain aboard throughout the entire trip.  However before I left, when he saw that I had not waited for dental troubles to appear but had systematically gone over the mouths of all aboard except three or four who hade made other arrangements, thereby preventing trouble, he told me before leaving that I had accomplished in the sixty days aboard what it would have taken the average man the summer to do and he hoped I could be aboard again this year.  I assured him that the feeling was mutual.  He did however say that he felt it would be better could I join the Cutter a month earlier, namely June 15th.  For this reason I am arranging to go on the First trip of the Victoria, leaving Seattle June fifth - there is no earlier boat - and I presume I shall not board the "Northland" until I reach Nome, as the cutter aims to go north ahead of the "Victoria", because of the rough sea and not calling at any settlement there would be practically no chance to do dentistry until after June fifteenth.  I shall again want to remain aboard sixty days and feel confident that I can take care of all those aboard and the natives in all of the settlements, as the cutter calls during this period.  In order to return within the three months' leave granted me by the University, I shall have to be allowed to leave the "Northland" to start for home about August 15th to 20th.  Please be assured that I shall not knowingly neglect anything.  I am glad to learn from your letter of the sixteenth that travel can be allowed in June.

I shall of course again take my cameras, this time adding a new one for color-movies as I want to get the flowers and gorgeous sunsets in natural colors if possible.  When I was down in February something was said of films.  I was sorry that I could do so little for Dr. Parran, but I certainly tried to get all available information and shall deem it a privilege to add to what I did last year.