1968 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN DOCTOR WHO ANSWERS THE CALL BACK HOME TO ASSIST AFTER THE DEVASTING DASHT-E BAYAZ AND FERDOWS EARTHQUAKES

On offer is a fascinating, original manuscript diary handwritten by an American medical doctor of Iranian origin from Wilmington, North Carolina, containing a powerful account of the 1968 earthquake aftermath in Iran, and his participation in relief efforts. The Dasht-e Bayaz and Ferdows earthquake occurred in August 1968 causing massive destruction and killing between 7000 and 12000 people. The doctor, whose name is unknown, but who likely worked in Wilmington's Cape Fear Hospital, flew to Teheran on the 10th of September to join efforts organized by the Red Lion and Sun Society, then a member of the International Red Cross organization. Until that date the diary contains only scarce records made by different hands, probably by his wife and child, but the pages covering his trip to Iran are densely filled. After spending about two days in Teheran with his family and solving organizational issues, he flew to the earthquake-stricken provinces, where he worked in Mashhad, Torbat-Hydarieh, Kakh, Bidokht, Juimand, assisting local hospital staff treating patients: On September 23rd "visited almost all patients, most from disaster", 2 days later "afternoon headed west and saw the terrible site of total disaster in Kakh. Stench of dead flesh under ruins was nauseating". He shortly describes his interactions with doctors and officials, and provides details of the surgeries that vary from orthopaedic surgeries to ruptured liver repair, uterus reconstruction and delivering babies. It is touching to see when several days after the surgeries he returns to the records about his patients who had poor prognosis and proudly adds "saved life" or "excellent results". His mission was probably interrupted when he took ill with Hepatitis: "jaundiced - yellow as an autumn leaf". Hard mission also takes its toll, he complains on not being able to sleep "reminiscent of previous accidents, miseries". He leaves Iran on October 21, has several connecting flights, including in Tel-Aviv, where he closely misses a serious fire at the airport, the last entry is made on October 25th, 25 minutes before landing in Wilmington. In his account he mentions several people from Wilmington, including Doctor Albert Warshawer and nurse Mary Lambert from the Fear Hope Hospital, and doctors and administrators in Iran and Pakistan, including Dr. Qureshi, Dr. Radpour and Dr. Parviz Adle. Book condition: Good +; cover, mainly spine, is slightly worn, a small stain on the back cover. Language: English with few words in Farsi, probably some names of Iranians he worked with and of places. Additional materials: an article cut from a newspaper in Farsi. ; Manuscript; 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, IRAN, EARTHQUAKE, DASHT-E BAYAZ AND FERDOWS EARTHQUAKE, NATURAL DISASTERS, CATASTROPHES, DISASTER RELIEF, TRAUMA SURGERY, EMERGENCY MEDICINE, HOSPITALS IN SHAH IRAN, RED LION AND SUN SOCIETY, COMBINED MILITARY HOSPITALS, WILMINGTON NC, NORTH CAROLINA DOCTORS, TEHERAN, MASHAD, JUIMAND, KAKH, BIDOKHT, BABAKHANI, OSKUI, GANABAD, TARBAD, FERDOWS, TORBAT-E HYDARIEH, DR. IRAJ BASHIRI, DR. ABOL HASSEN SHEIBAN, 20TH CENTURY DIARY, CAPE FEAR HOSPITAL, FEAR HOPE HOSPITAL, PERSIA, PRE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, KEEPSAKE WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, ARCHIVE, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNAL, LOG, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D’ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL