USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 63
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
Here a digression is necessary to show how a doctor was prepared to cope with the numerous ills of humanity forty-one years ago. I hold no brief for the University of Michigan when I state that it was above the average of medical schools in its requirements at that date, for it required two sessions of six months each. It gave two courses of lectures and only one of these courses could be taken in one year. Thus, in order to graduate, a man had to pursue the study of medicine two years, while in numerous medical schools, you could enter in October and be a full-fledged doctor the next June.
The professors in the University of Michigan had written lectures. and the same lectures were used at both sessions, with the exception of the professor of anatomy, who had no written lectures and was really the great- est anatomist of his time with this exception. The time of the student would have been more properly spent in reading text books. There were about two hundred who graduated in 1871, mostly Union and Confederate soldiers, all quite as ignorant as myself.
We had not seen an amputation, had not attended an obstetrical case, had examined no cases of disease, had seen no fracture, knew nothing of asepsis or antisepsis, but we were well drilled on the materia medica. Now a medical education like the above was considered first class at that time. and so it is seen that a large share of the doctors who flocked to the fron- tier had no real medical education whatever. Some went West after a little study in a doctor's office ; some with no study at all. One prominent practitioner was an end man in a minstrel show. another was a street car conductor. The minstrel man attained to such a practice that he actually . died of overwork. While it was impossible for a man to be prepared for
638
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
the work that was laid on his shoulders, still, it must be conceded, that. taken as a whole, we pioneer doctors were a "rotten lot."
My outfit on starting out consisted of the following: Flint's Prac- tice, Smith's Diseases of Children, Meig's Obstetrics and Diseases of Won- en, Erichsen's Surgery, Dalton's Physiology and Gray's Anatomy. I had a pocket case of instruments, a few tooth forceps, an amputating case, and a pair of saddlebags. I did not at that time have a horse, and worst of all, did not have a fur coat.
I located in a town in southwestern Minnesota in February, 1872, and here my troubles commenced. I think I cursed the day of my birth every day for at least six months, and on some days cursed it twice for good luck. Some of my mistakes were tragic, some were funny, but all were intensely interesting to me at that period of my existence ; some were doubt- lessly interesting to my poor patients. I can only say that thrice and four times happy was Sibley to have missed me at the time I was learning to be a physician. I was finally forced to leave my first location on account of the grasshopper scourge and, after practicing a year in eastern Minnesota, came tto Sibley with my horse on October 16, 1875. I had two hundred and twelve dollars when I arrived, and that was practically all the money I had on earth after spending about four years in honest if not skillful practice.
I am glad to say that the people of Osceola county took me at once to their hearts and I soon had a good practice. But there was no money to be had, the board for myself and horse was a dollar a day, and by the next spring I was absolutely penniless. I had spent what money I brought with me to Sibley as well as the little that remained when I entered practice four years previously. Still, I was not discouraged. I loved the people, loved the work and the country, and never thought of leaving.
How I existed for the first few years, I do not know, for my ledger for 1876 shows that I only received $315. In this connection I will state for the benefit of some young medical students that my gross receipts from my medical practice from 1872 to 1912, inclusive, was about $74,500. At least two thousand dollars of this was for the examination of pensioners. Did I earn it? I think you will agree that I did after reading my story.
In 1878, realizing my limitations, I borrowed some money and went to New York City and in 1879 graduated from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College. This I afterwards supplemented with a course at the New York Polyclinic, and thus was much better fitted for the duties of my profession.
Although I was in debt in the sum of three hundred dollars, on October I, 1879, I was married to Ella J. Whitney, a teacher of the county, and it .
639
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
was a good investment, for she made a present to me of herself, and with it a world of love. To this union three children were born, all girls and all still unmarried.
The rest of my life is so well known that it would be useless to recount any of its incidents. For the benefit of future generations I will now relate some of the many interesting experiences of my forty years of practice in this county, and I trust that no one will be able to recognize any of the actors that I will throw on the screen of memory.
In the medical history of the county, I have purposely written nothing about its midwifery, believing that the subject could be better elucidated by a relation of cases. I will state that I came into the county with an exper- ience of four years, most varied and stormy experiences, with more bad cases than the ordinary physician would have had in twenty years of prac- tice. As each case presents a risk of life to two human beings, it naturally is the greatest responsibility which can confront the physician. I have al- ways approached each and every case with a prayer that I might be able to assist the suffering mother to bring safely a human being into the world, and I will state that I left no woman undelivered during my whole residence in Sibley. I never had assistance and, if responsible for any death, it is related in these reminiscences. As will be noted, I have not confined myself to the subject of midwifery alone, but have tried to make a pen picture of a frontier doctor's life. I will not attempt to separate the tragic, or the comic, but will relate them just as they occur to memory.
I was called to see a woman in twin labor, and on my arrival found the woman dead from hemorrhage, one of the children dressed, and the other in the body of the dead mother. The husband, for fear of expense, would not send for a doctor until the women in attendance sternly ordered him to do so. Here were two lives snuffed out in which there was a fight- ing chance to save one and an absolute certainty in the case of the other. I was called to see a woman during a storm and arrived about midnight. I found the patient very ill with a distinct odor of sepsis. I at once asked the husband what he had been doing. He replied, "She would not have any more children." Upon my asking by what means she had attempted to procure the abortion, he produced the remains of an old pitchfork, one of the tines of which had been broken. With this she had evidently pierced the womb in her mad attempt. She died that night and in looking over the little brood of half-clothed children I could hardly condemn her. I trust her Savior took the same view.
I was attending a Norwegian woman, who was very ill after a severe
640
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
labor, and at times suffered severe pain, necessitating the use of morphine. The women present noticed that when I administered a dose of morphine. she became quiet. They greatly admired the effect of these "leetle powders," and the baby being peevish and crying a great deal, they reasoned that the morphine tablets would be good for the baby. They gave it one; it fell asleep, and it still slumbers.
I was called to see a woman, who had been in labor for sixteen hours, and found her absolutely exhausted, and the unborn baby with a presenta- tion that made it absolutely impossible for it to be born by any effort of nature. The doctor in attendance had made the diagnosis, but why he had not called for assistance sooner I do not know. I saw it was a case of the destruction of the child, or of turning and delivering it by the feet. As the woman was greatly exhausted, I chose the latter alternative, and delivered a living child. Although I used extreme care, the womb was ruptured and the woman died. To tell the truth, the agony of mind that this case oc- casioned me I cannot express, and to this day it is an incubus.
After these sober memories, it might be refreshing to the reader to learn something of the humorous that occurs in a doctor's life. I was called to see a woman, who, the husband stated, was about to be confined. I found the woman in bed with women in attendance. On examination, I found that she was not pregnant and so stated. Both the woman and her hus- band said I was badly mistaken, that they had been married nine months, had complied with all the prerequisites, and they were going to have a baby. This sounds like a fairy tale, but it is the truth.
Two married sisters were living in the same house. One of the sis- ters was confined about two weeks previous to the episode which I am about to relate, and I noticed at the time that the other sister was very much interested in the progress of the case. One night about two A. M. I was called to go to the same house. When I arrived I found the sister, who had not been confined, in what seemed to be all the pangs of labor. I learned that I had been called, but not being at home, they had procured another doctor, who had remained with her for twenty-four hours with no result. The husband became dissatisfied, discharged him, and called a little cock-eyed Englishman, who pretended to be a doctor. He stayed with her for an- other twenty-four hours, and then told the husband that the child could not be born without a Caesarian operation (opening of the abdomen), and that he would go to his office and prepare for the operation. He evidently thought better of it, and went into hiding. At this juncture I was sent for. Upon examination I found that she was not pregnant, and so in-
641
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
tormed her, and told her I wanted her to quit her fooling, discharge her attendants, get up and get ine some breakfast, which she did. This was a case of hysteria on her part induced by suggestion-but what ailed the other two doctors?
I was called to see a German woman and found the whole neighborhood at her bedside, most of them weeping. The woman would make explosive sounds in her throat and then her whole body would spring about eight inches upward. Then she would subside for about a minute and the gym- nastics would be repeated. I learned that this had been going on for more than twenty-four hours, with the result that the woman and her friends needed rest. I had no medicine that I thought would fit the case, but I had heard of an old remedy for hysteria, that I thought might fit the case. I asked with all soberness for a hammer and a kettle of hot water. I put the hammer in the water and waited until it was thoroughly hot and then ap- plied it to the patient's spine. It produced a very satisfactory redness, and relieved the gymnastics effectually. On leaving I told the patient that if the attack returned again the hammer was to be reapplied. The attack did not return.
I was called to see a case of labor and made a ride of twenty-four miles across an unsettled prairie. I found a woman that had been in labor for three days. She actually, on account of the agonizing pain, had almost lost the semblance of a human being. Her people had given her up for lost. Happily, I delivered her of a dead child in about ten minutes. The people present did everything but worship me. On leaving the husband said, "Doc- tor, I am a very poor man, but if there is anything about this place that you want, just take it with my blessing." I am impelled to state that being able to do a service to these good people gratified me more than anything in my poor career.
Oh, women! surrounded by love, luxury and pleasant environments, think of the sufferings, both physical and mental, so imperfectly portrayed in these pages, of your sisters during maternity and childbirth! Imagine yourself in labor in a shack out on the distant prairie, with women as igno- rant as yourself, or alone with a frantic husband and a fierce wintry storm raging! Then thank God that you are not a woman of the seventies.
In a novel by "Ian McLaren" there is a story of an old doctor and his horse, and I think it not inappropriate to give a brief sketch of "Moro," my matchless bay gelding (born 1867, died 1894), which was almost my only means of transportation for about twenty years. If it had not been for
(41)
612
O BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
that noble animal, I would have been financially unable to give proper service to the people of the county in the early years of its settlement. I believe that he was the best horse that ever lived, and to say that I drove him a distance more than twice around the world, is susceptible of mathematical proof. That would be less than ten miles a day and therefore three times around would be nearer the truth. I swam rivers with him several times in order to reach patients; twice he saved me from injury by jumping fron falling bridges, and at times I got him into snow drifts that no other animal could have extricated himself. He never was tired, and always was as playful as a kitten.
Speaking of snow drifts recalls an incident of pioneer life. On a morning in March, at a time when the snow was melting, I approached a ravine that contained an enormous snow bank. Having entire confidence in his great strength I rode right into it, and immediately both horse and rider dropped into its depths and almost disappeared. I managed to get out of the saddle and crawled in front of him. At once the noble animal jumped right over me and plunged me into the snow and water. After a while I managed to get out in his wake, but was wet from head to foot. At a short distance ahead was a one-room shanty, and I approached it at a gallop; a woman came to the door, and I told her "explanations were useless," and gave her my name. She said that her husband had some clothes that she thought I could use, and at once produced them, saying, "I will go out to the stable and look for some eggs and when you are ready call me." She went to the stable and I changed into her husband's clothes. On my re- turn trip, she had my clothes dried, again she went to the stable for eggs, and the incident was closed. My opinion at that time was that the woman was an angel and it is still unchanged.
Referring to the subject of typhoid fever: in the novel "Beside the Bonny Briar Bush" by "Ian McLaren," he tells of the old doctor who carried water all night to reduce the temperature of a delirious patient; that was fiction. At the risk of being called egotistical, I wish to relate an incident that is not fiction, and the patient and the doctor are still living. It oc- curred north of Sibley in 1879. I was attending three brothers in one house who were ill with the disease. Two of the brothers were convalescing at this particular visit, but the other had a temperature of 106, and was wildly delirious with very grave symptoms. I knew that a cold bath was impera- tive, for cold sponging had not reduced the temperature. Of course, there was no bath tub, but there was a pork barrel outside. As the mother was tired, I filled the barrel with water from the well, removed the patient's
643
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
shirt, dumped him into the barrel and watched him for fifteen minutes. When his temperature markedly subsided, I pulled him out of the barrel dried him and shortly afterward he fell into a quiet slumber. I directed the barrel to remain, and if he became delirious again to repeat the bath. The bath was repeated twice and he eventually recovered.
In this connection I wish to relate an unusual incident in typhoid fever. viz: acute delirium in the early stage of the disease, although insanity is not uncommon as its sequelae. I was called in consultation by a neighbor- ing practitioner in the capacity of a commissioner on insanity. I noted that the doctor told me to "go right in," but did not go in himself. Later I learned that the patient had driven the doctor away with a shotgun that morning. On examination I found a well developed case of typhoid fever. Under cold sponging, he soon rested, eventually recovered and is still living in the county.
A HUMAN PINCUSHION.
As a surgical curiosity, I wish to relate the following case: The wo- man was about fifty years of age, truly a "mother in Israel" and one of my warmest friends. She gave a history of severe attacks of pain in the stom- ach, which at times would necessitate the inhalation of chloroform to relieve her agony. These attacks of pain had recurred at irregular intervals for years. Sometimes I would lose four nights' sleep in succession in order to make her condition bearable. This continued for years, until, on account of my absence from the town, she came under the care of the late Dr. Gurney and under his care she died. When I first attended her she com- plained of her breast, and I noted an opening into the gland, which, she said, had existed for years. At times the breast would swell, an abscess form and discharge through the opening, and when the medical attendant would intro- duce forceps, a needle or a pin would be extracted. She showed me quite a collection of these pins and needles. In some way, I was skeptical, for I believed that her former doctor had deceived her, but after about four months' attendance, an abscess formed, which I opened and introduced a probe that revealed a foreign body, which on extraction proved to be a pin. In about three months the same process was repeated, and this time it proved to be a needle. Then the opening in the breast healed and no more were extracted. This woman was not a hysterical subject nor was she a maling- er, if she had been either, more pins would have been forthcoming. The reader can form his own conclusions.
I feel that I have related too many of these reminiscences. Others
644
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA
there are, just as sad, just as tragic and just as humorous, but those related, I trust, will give the reader some idea of a pioneer doctor's life. If space would permit, I would like to make some acknowledgment of the great kind- ness bestowed on me by some of the living, and more by those of the dead. To the former, and more especially to the noble women that so freely trusted me. I tender my heartfelt gratitude ; to the memory of the latter I consecrate an undying love. Of the hard drives, the cold, the wet, the sleepless nights. the worry and anxiety of such a life, there can be no record unless in the book of God's remembrance, and in that Book which records "even a cup of cold water." let us trust that the pioneer doctors will, at least, have a red mark.
BELA A. WILDER (NON-GRADUATE).
Dr. Wilder came to Sibley from Atlantic. Iowa, in 1885. While the profession never took him seriously as a doctor, it liked him as a man. Re- served in his manner and inclined to be secretive, yet he was always genial and met the world with a smile. With one exception, I never heard him make an unkind remark of any one, and on this occasion he was abundantly justified and ought to have caned the villainous doctor. He was the most self-centered man the writer ever knew, had no library, but few instruments, never read a medical journal, and seemed to be perfectly satisfied with his attainments and gloried in his past experience. I never knew that the Doctor had ever practiced surgery until one day, during the writer's absence, he walked into his office, amputated an arm, using the writer's instruments, and performed the operation in good shape. His practice was mostly con- fined to obstetrics and diseases of women, and he seemed to enjoy the con- fidence of his patients. He was a strict follower of Hahnemann, and con- fined himself entirely to that materia medica. The Doctor in his last illness (diabetes) dosed himself with large amounts of sugar, thus showing his faith in "similia similibus curantur." Although the Doctor, like every one else, had his faults, nevertheless, he was a lovable man.
WILBUR S. WEBB, M.D.
Dr. W. S. Webb was born in Wisconsin about 1860. He graduated from Rush Medical College in 1884 and came to Sibley the same year. Nothing is known of his early history more than that his mother was a widow, and that he was a self-made man in every respect. He came to Sib- ley with but few books, less instruments, and absolutely penniless. He was
645
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
associated with Dr. Neill in practice until 1886, when he removed to Ells- worth, Minnesota, where he practiced his profession until 1888. He then removed to Worthington, Minnesota, entered into practice with Dr. Curran, and died there from typhoid fever in 1894. The Doctor was a good, con- scientious man, strictly honest and fair in his dealings with his confreres, society, and his patients. His was an impulsive nature, easily excited, but vet under control. He was a good practitioner, a diligent student, and well informed on medical subjects. If his life had been prolonged he would have made an excellent surgeon. Like a good many doctors, he knew nothing about finance and the only estate he left was the love and respect of his medical brethren and a small life insurance policy.
Dr. Neill has given quite a sketch of his experience of his forty years in the practice of medicine in Osceola county, now who is to tell some- thing of Dr. Neill? Probably there is no one better qualified for that task than the editor of these sketches, as he was here before Dr. Neill came and is still on the map.
It has been a rare experience to be blessed with health and strength to come into a new country and stand the hardships of so many years' practice and be alive to tell the tale. Dr. Neill is not only alive but well and strong. Although he is past seventy years of age he is well and strong and has every appearance of a man of much younger age. One would not think he had buffeted the storms and defied the weather of all the seasons, night and day, in this rigorous and changeable climate for so many years. He left in 1913 for a tour around the world, a trip which no one of his age, except he be well and strong, would dare to undertake. He and his old horse, Morro, were for a long time the most familiar figures known in this county and many times, especially in stormy winter weather, their ap- pearance driving into an afflicted settler's yard were looked upon as a God- send. He has assisted hundreds of children in making their advent into this world of smiles and tears, has seen many of these same children mar- ried and helped them in turn to bring in their children; he has wept witlı them in their bereavement in the loss of some of their dear ones, when their loss seemed unbearable. Amid all this work and worry and exhausting hardship he was never too weary to respond to a call for help. If, as he says, he was not very well qualified for the tasks he undertook he was en- dowed with a good mind and quickly learned by experience, that best of all schools, and soon was very skillful in the treatment of the diseases of the
646
O BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
time and place. It is doubtful if any one could have averaged better than he, probably few could have done as well.
So much for Dr. Neill as a doctor. The more difficult task is to de- scribe him as a man. His is a rare combination of Irish wit, Scotch caution and Methodist earnestness. He is seemingly uncouth, yet a gentleman, rough and hard hearted in appearance, yet tender as a child, and most rare of all -- a Democrat in politics, yet a prohibitionist and teetotaler. As a financier he has been a marked success. When times turned for the better and he found himself a few dollars ahead, he exercised fine judgment in making his sur- plus dollars earn other dollars until he has amassed a comfortable fortune. Yet he always has given freely to the church and all philanthropic enter- prises, always provided he could be made to see merit in the proposition. His was the moving spirit in the donation of the Grand Army hall to the Sibley public library. He has always been the friend of the old soldiers. A pensionable disease or injury had to be very elusive if he could not discover it, and its trail exceedingly obscure or he could trace it to service in the army. J. F. Glover, pension attorney, and Dr. Neill, examining surgeon, made a team that was hard to beat.
CHAPTER VI
THE LEGAL FRATERNITY.
The first attorneys were Winspear and Blackmore, both identified with and leaders in the "get-rich-quick" gang. The overwhelming majority of our early settlers came here with an intention of establishing a home and adhered only to strictly honest methods in the pursuit of their laudatory ef- forts. They were a sturdy and resolute class of people who could not be hoodwinked or cajoled into crooked methods. At the same time they were so busy with their own legitimate efforts that they were not watching the dishonest fellows, but when knowledge of crookedness manifested itself, action was spontaneous and effective. While Winspear and Blackmore were busy with their game, along came J. F. Glover, J. T. Barclay, C. I. Hill, Hugh Jordan and very soon, D. D. McCallum and others, all of whom lined up on the side of the people and honest methods. So swift was reformation that within one year the boodlers were fugitives from justice and the county never again saw them.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.