Laurence M. Klauber

About Laurence Klauber
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Eponymous Species
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Sherlockiana

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Selected Journal Entries from the 1950s

Thursday, January 1, 1953

Started off the New Year by writing up the section of the snake-bite chapter on the duration of snake-bite cases, a small part. Not a very fruitful day. Listened to the Rose Bowl game in the afternoon.

As of this date the snake bite chapter, on which I began to work last March 1, is all finished, except for the present approved treatment. This shouldn't take very long.

Sunday, January 4, 1953

Today I finished the first draft of the snake-bite chapter. Treatment still needs some working over; and the other parts of the snake-bite chapter must have some new items incorporated. It can almost be said that the first draft of the book is completed, and I can now begin the overhauling, chapter by chapter, to include the new material and also the suggestions made by Perkins, Shaw, Schmidt, and Bogert.

Saturday, January 17, 1953

Made a revised table of contents for entire book.
Spent the rest of the day and late evening classifying the new items for the folklore section.
Richard Etheridge, stationed here in the navy, called and we talked herps.

Sunday, March 22, 1953

Spent the morning finishing the preparation of a copy of the snake-bite section (§13) to be sent to Bogert and Oliver. This section is now completely up-to-date with the most recent new data all incorporated.
Spent the afternoon and evening working on §5 and §6, Populations and Ecology. I can see that these are going to be tough, not only because of the quantity of new material available, but also because some rearrangement and co-ordination is necessary.

Sunday, July 19, 1953

Worked all day and evening and completed the revision of body proportionalities, including head and tail length. Slow going.

Sunday, December 13, 1953

Worked a little while today on the combination of sections 5 and 6. Also reread a long part of section 7.
Bert Lynch and Allen Chickering at supper tonight.

Thursday, December 31, 1953

This was my last day as Chairman of the Board and Chief executive officer of the San Diego Gas and Electric Co after 43 years with the company. I shall continue in a consulting capacity as a member of the board of directors, executive committee and finance committee.
I hope to get along faster now with my herpetological projects, especially the completion of the rattlesnake book. I have no regrets at quitting at age 70; I have no worries as to keeping busy, the trouble with so many retired people. There will be no let-down for me.

At the Cavanees[?] for a New Year's party tonight. Out later.