Guatemalan
Visits Duke
Dr. Carlos Martinez Duran,
Minister of Education of the
Republic of Guatemala and
former rector of the University
of San Carlos, visited Duke Uni
versity over the commencement
weekend.
Dr. Duran’s visit was made
in connection with the affiliation
program now being developed
between Duke University School
of Medicine and the University
of San Carlos School of Medi
cine, Guatemala.
The University of San Carlos
was founded in 1681 at Santiago
de los Caballeros, the capital of
the provinces of New Spain com
prising Central America. The
medical school faculty was ap
pointed in 1(587 and the first
physician graduated in 1703.
At present, there is great
interest in accelerating change
in all aspects of the Guatemalan
medical school’s programs. Many
of its younger faculty have
trained in the United States and
have demonstrated dedication
and enthusiasm in their efforts
to assist their institution.
Within the past year, Duke
has become deeply involved in
programs related to interna
tional health. The feeling here
is that there is much to gain a.s
well as much to give in the af
filiation that is being developed
between the two schools.
Dr. Duran, scholar and author
of several books, was presented
a document commemorating his
visit and paying tribute to his
contributions to scholarship, cul
ture, and medicine. lie was also
presented autographed copies of
a number of books which Duke
faculty members have published
dealing with Guatemala, a paint
ing by Duke medical artist Bob
Blake, and a colored reproduc
tion of one of Mr. Blake’s paint
ings of the Duke Medical
School.
During his visit. Dr. Duran
gave a lecture on “Medical
Pathology in Mayan Art,”
which concerned itself with
small stone images and their
depiction of anatomical abnor
malities and disease entities by
Myan artists. The talk %vas
video-taped for future postgrad
uate programs .
Strudwick Mystery
Is Solved (?)
“'Well, it all started one Fri
day night when I heard this
noise somewhere near the nurses ’
station,” said Emilie Cromer,
K.N. on Strudwick, as she be
gan to relate the mysterious
events that had occurred on her
ward.
“The noise was so weird. I
a.sked the other nurse standing
nearby if she heard it, too.
When she said she didn’t, I
really got spooked! I looked in
the chart room, behind the desk,
and even in drawers and cabi
nets, but I couldn’t find any
thing. ’ ’
“Boy, I thought I was losing
my mind!”
“Later I heard the sound
again, but I didn’t say anything.
Finally, one of the other nurses,
Doris Hasse, said she heard
something.”
“Then an intern saw a pa
tient standing in the middle of
the hall looking up toward a
hole in the ceiling that Mainte
nance was getting ready to re
pair. He was greatly concerned
when she insisted she was hear-
Veriiice Wright, LPN on Strudwick,
is shown trying to lure the ward’s
mysterious visitor out of hiding.
ing noises, and he came to the
nurses’ station to report the in
cident.”
“Was I relieved!”
Along about midnight Miss
Cromer’s mysterj" was solved,
and the real problems began.
A small fuzzy head was seen
peering down through the hole
in the ceiling, and an emphatic
MEOWWWW was heard by
those standing below.
A eat!
^laintenance was called the
following morning, but this time
for a rescue mission, not re
pairs. Feline instinct prevailed,
however. “Cat” was nowhere
to be found by the time the
“rescue squad” arrived, and no
manner of cajoling could draw
the fuzzy head forth again.
The “squad” men brought
and left just beneath the hole in
the ceiling a very tall ladder,
on the top of which they left
the bait, a cupcake. And, just
to make sure that the ownership
of these items was clearly un
derstood, they left two signs—
one, on the middle rung of the
ladder, which read “THIS BE
LONGS TO MAINTENANCE”
and the other, near the cupcake,
which read “THIS BELONGS
TO CAT.”
‘ ‘ Cat’s ’ ’ dietary preference,
however, was simply not for
baked goods. Someone who knew
about these things thought to
put a bowl of milk just at the
edge of the hole.
“Cat” enjoyed this last ad
dition to the menu thoroughly—
but never while anyone was
around to catch him. Clever cat.
The hours of “play” and
temi:)ting bait were over then.
Animal traps were set above the
ceiling, and “search parties”
were sent up under the eaves
armed with flashlights.
These efforts finally met with
a frustrating reward the follow
ing Saturday when a cat was
caiaght—but a different cat.
Efforts towards capture con
tinue ; but, at last word, the
elusive animal remained in hid
ing. So ends the Saga of “Cat.”
Of course, there still remains
the mystery of how “Cat” and
friend got above the ceiling. But
only the two fuzzy felines know
aboiit that, and “friend” isn’t
talking.
Trophies Received At Tea
After five months a slate was chosen. In February nominations
were made. In Marcli a vote was taken. All of this went into the
decision of who would be the two 1967 “employees of the year”
in Dietetics.
The winners were announced and trophies were presented to
tliem at a tea honoring all eight nominees in ilarch. Shown at right
receiving congratulations from friends are: ilrs. Irene McKeiver,
(far left), a nominee; Mrs. Gladys Johnson, (middle), voted the
most outstanding among the suj)ervisory/office personnel; ilrs.
Shirley Taylor, a nominee; and !Mrs. “Van” Page (right), voted
the most outstanding among the other personnel in Dietetics.'
The two winners, Mrs. Johnson and jMrs. Page, have been em
ployed in Dietetics for many years. Mrs. Johnson has been with
the Department for seventeen years. Originally she worked on the
decentralized wards, and she is now an office clerk. ^Irs. Page also
INTERCOM - 7
worked on the decentralized wards when she first came to the
Department fourteen years ago; she is now working on the second
floor tray unit.
VOL. 14 NO. 1/1967