Dear Helen and Wilson, Willard and Grace, et al:

Where do you think I am writing this letter from. The hospital up here. And what have I got – the measles; and where did I get ’em; well, you answer that one. This is my eighth day and I haven’t been sick any of the time. Sort of an epidemic of it around here now though. They let two men go this morning and brought in 5 new cases. You just come over here and wait for the rash to disappear that’s all.

They’ve got several cases of mumps here too. They’re all brought in from Buffalo. They’re in another room and just a door separates us. Every time the door opens, a guy with the mumps grabs a magazine and begins swatting the floor to kill all the measles germs that escape from our room. I came in here with no money at all, bet another fellow he wouldn’t get out on two different days that he said he would. Then I got in a game of blackjack and run one dollar, which I won up to 3.50. Then we started playing poker and I lost 1.50. So right now I have $2.00 to lose. Quit a gambler don’t you think. However as I look at it I’m not even playing with my own money. We have fun at it.

All the boy’s clothes are stored in this room and yesterday I heard one of the mumps who was getting out complain that the measles had gotten at his clothes and at holes in em like moths. Pretty powerful – eh?

I ought to be out of here in a few days now as my rash is almost gone now.

That’s the joust of my news.
Russell
Fort Niagara, NY