Nurse Maude story features Columbian's father
Letter to the editor

Dr.William H. Lacey II is shown in this photo in the Life Magazine (December 3, 1951) photoessay on Nurse Maude Callen. This baby was in need of a transfusion but because of fever and dehydration its arm veins had collapsed. Dr. Lacey was attempting a transfusion in the neck. The baby died before he could get the blood flowing.

For some time now, I've been following Warner Montgomery's weekly column on the history of Pineville and life of the people who made their home there. I have thoroughly enjoyed each and everyone of them, and for a native of Berkeley County stranded in the Midlands, they have provided me with a good dose of much appreciated nostalgia each week. Congratulations on journalism that is both well written and researched.

My intent had been to contact you well before now, however "Part 54: Life comes to Pineville" came closer to me personally than perhaps any of the others. It happens my father was a general practitioner during the time Ms. Maude delivered her magnificent healing powers to the poor black and white people of Pineville and the surrounding area. He was actually pictured in the

same Life Magazine

photo- essay captioned as Nurse Maude. My sisters and I are fortunate to have several copies of the magazine in our possession.

I have to say I was startled beyond comprehension when I read the account given by Mr. Smith in your article of the white doctor and nurse having objections to a white man giving blood to a black child. This in addition to the heart rending fact that the doctor botched the procedure and the child died.

All of this is incomprehensible to me given the values not only taught to me by my mother and father but lived by them as well. All too often people explain this kind of thing away by just saying it was the way things were. Sadly, I guess that is true for most.

Perhaps, one day I will have the opportunity to recount the experiences I had accompanying my father on house calls literally throughout the Lowcountry as well as playing with both black and white children in my room while their parents or a sibling were treated in the living room of our home. My father made it clear from the time he started his practice that no sick person need try to gain admittance to our home through the back or side door. The front door was open to anyone of need. Sadly, though his office was another matter with waiting rooms for white and colored.

My family was honored when our father's name was included with Ms. Maude's in the naming of the Callen Lacey Center in Moncks Corner. I know my dad had great respect for Ms. Maude and believed she felt the same way about him.

Please continue your fine work in bringing the history of our part of the world to others wherever they may be.

William H. Lacey III