Nicholas Vass papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-1013

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The Nicholas Vass Diaries are a collection of 33 stenographic notepads on which diary entries were written between 1961 and 1971 by a patient in the long-term care facility of the Maumee Valley Hospital.

Dates

Creation: 1961-1971

Extent

0.69 Cubic Feet (1 legal archival box and 1 half legal archives box)

Creator

Vass, Nicholas, 1910-1971 (Person)

Scope and Contents

The span of the Nicholas Vass diaries provide a glimpse of the life of a patient in long-term care at Maumee Valley Hospital in Toledo, where he was a resident for many years, due to numerous surgeries to try to alleviate his severe arthritis.

The diaries, written in spiral-bound stenographer notebooks, cover an initial summary of his hospitalization at St. Vincent's Hospital and treatments starting April 8, 1961 until July 8, 1962 when he entered Maumee Valley Hospital, continuing until just a month before his death.

He gives accounts of various procedures and medical treatments, medical personnel (doctors, nurses, aides, candy-stripers), visitors, other patients, trips out of the hospital, and outside events. While many entries are written in his hand, with noticeable deterioration of handwriting around mid-Nov 1964, some parts are probably dictated. One unusual feature is the inclusion of some random words in Hungarian, providing a hint at Vass's background.

Biographical / Historical

Nicholas Vass was born in Toledo, Ohio on December 16, 1910 to Michael and Veronica Pederi Vass. Not much is known of his life until the period of the diaries, during which he was a patient in the long-term unit at the Maumee Valley Hospital suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, working as a notary public during part of that time. Nicholas died on September 9, 1971 (the last diary entry is August 8, 1971), and was survived by a brother, Joseph, and sisters Stella Vass, Mary Strick, and Betty (Mary Elizabeth) Marczak.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was acquired by the Center of Archival Collections through a gift from Frances Adams of Bowling Green, Ohio in December 2004. She had been his caregiver during the period of his illness and is mentioned in many of the journal entries.