Section VI: Coping with Health Problems and Family
Other concerns, namely her family and her health, delayed
the anticipated finishing date for Silent
Spring.
Born on May 27, 1907, Rachel Carson was always close to her
family. Her parents moved in with her in 1930. In 1935 her
father died. In 1957, at age 50, she adopted her five-year-old
grandnephew, Roger Christie, after his mother passed away.
Rachel Carson also took care of her ailing mother, with whom
she was close. In December of 1958, Carson's mother died.
Carson's own health also delayed her progress. In addition
to other ailments, Carson was diagnosed with breast cancer in
the early in the spring of 1960. She underwent a radical
mastectomy in April of that year. Until her death on April 14,
1964, she was continuously treated for cancer.
Due to her deteriorating health and to the massive amount of
information needed for the book, she hired Mrs. Jeanne Davis as
her secretary in 1959. Mrs. Davis played a significant role in
bringing the book to a conclusion. Carson said that she was
sustained by a serene, inner conviction that the book was going
to built on an unshakable foundation.1
Notes
-
1.PBS
video. (We have not used Rachel Carson's exact words
because Fran Collins, the Trustee of Rachel Carson's
estate, does not want any quotations from Carson to appear
on the WWW. You may read her exact words in the source
cited.)
Cite this page:
"Section VI: Coping with Health Problems and Family"
Online Ethics Center for Engineering
7/6/2006 12:16:33 AM
National Academy of Engineering
Accessed: Tuesday, January 06, 2009
<www.onlineethics.org/CMS/profpractice/exempindex/carsonindex/6-health.aspx>