Milestones, Apr. 4, 1960

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Died. Mary Agnes ("Polly") Thomson, 75, longtime word-of-finger translator and "sister" to blind, deaf Author-Educator Helen Keller; after long illness; in Bridgeport, Conn. Glasgow-born Polly Thomson, who never lost her Scottish burr, came to the U.S. in 1913, was hired by Helen Keller's formidable teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy, as secretary, stayed on after "Teacher" died in 1936 asking that Helen and Polly—"my two children"—remain together. Polly's "talking" fingers, working at a rate of 85 words a minute tapping out letters in Helen Keller's palm, became Helen's eyes and ears as the two traveled the world to encourage 'and teach the blind and handicapped. Polly helped Helen write My Religion, Midstream—My Later Life, and many articles and poems, served as finger translator when Helen interviewed India's Prime Minister Nehru and President Eisenhower, even went with Helen and described to her movies, plays and football games. Said Helen, 79, when Polly died: "I can only pray that she may soon be among the friends awaiting me in heaven, strong and full of joy in the beautiful work she has done on earth."

Died. Dr. Emil Herman Grubbe, 85, Chicago-born physician and radiation expert who generated X rays soon after Roentgen did in 1895, became the world's first known victim of radiation as it progressively caused cancer in his hands and left forearm, most of his nose, upper lip and jaw; of pneumonia (an indirect result of his cancer); in Chicago, after a lifetime of 93 operations.

Died. Martin Dalton, 91, convicted of robbery and murder in 1897, who, when offered parole in 1930, toured the outside for a day, wept at the sight of cars instead of buggies, short skirts instead of bustles, and refused to leave the penitentiary; in Rhode Island State Prison, where he saw his last visitor in 1898, received his last letter in 1939.