Drawer G, 
Balboa, Canal Zone. 
December 1955. 
GREETINGS. I am still trying to answer all of tbe letters I 
received, but it seems tbe pile of "urgents" only grows higher each year 
This year has been exceptionally busy. We were able to get for Barro 
Colorado Island all that I mentioned in last year’s "Mews Letter”, and 
quite a bit more. It is easy to order, but it takes a lot of hours of 
labor to install. And funds for such additional labor are not easy to 
get. But we are making good progress. 
I just said goodbye to two graduate students who spent their 
annual leave on the island and have only about two months to go in order 
to return to their universities. I wish all of you could have listened 
'to their account of their month on Barro Colorado Island. It is such 
reports that give us the urge to continue, despite the odds and tough 
sledding at times. 
I Tims told to take it easy, easy to say but not easy to do. 
I feel fine, but I doubt if I ever was more active than during 1955 * 
I doubt if work actually kills anyone, overwork is something else. The 
latter part of last month I caught ’’Herpes Zoster”, in plainer language 
"shingles”. No one knows much about it except that it should outlive 
itself in two to four weeks, followed not always by a post-herpal 
neuralgia that can last two years. The shingle stage is usually very 
painful, but I found that if one can bury himself in work that somehow 
the pain subsides. By the 12th, my birthday, I should be well over this 
hump. 
Mrs. Gomez had to make a trip to New York, to which she added 
Washington. Unbeknown to her the Smithsonian Institution prepared a 
special session for her, which was well attended, and at which Doctor 
Carmichael lauded her for her especially good work, faithfulness, and 
all, and then presented to her a Certificate of Merit, and an award. 
A recognition well merited. 
Dr. Cleve Soper continued to give to the island much time and 
work and technical advice. The Eastman Kodak Company has always been 
very partial to Barro Colorado Island. The electrical installation of 
the new building is Dr. Soper’s planning and supervision. 
Our two Diesel units broke down but we were able to have 
electricity even when both units were out of commission at the same 
time. One of these units is still waiting for parts, since mid- 
September. This is not United States. We still live in hopes that 
the logical solution, an underwater cable from Erijol.es , with trans¬ 
formers there and on the island, will eventually materialize. Diesels 
sure can give headaches» 
