USA > Indiana > Shelby County > Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, Vol. 1 > Part 21
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It is now generally conceded by the medical profession that pure air, proper food, proper exercise, and in fact, corect modes of living, together with symptomatic treatment of functional disorders gives the only hope of cure in consumption and that much can be done along these lines to prevent it. One might go on particularizing in all diseases and the same principle prevails.
Much experimenting along the lines of preventing diseases has been done and much good accomplished, but much yet remains to be accomplished and a more thorough study of sanitation, ventilation, foods, and of all of the laws of nature must be given; for the great white plague (consumption) claims its victims each year in appalling numbers. Regardless of almost uni- versal vaccination, small-pox continues to exist and frequently causes death, regardless of the use of anti-toxin diphtheria claims its scores of victims each year and the same may be said of tetanus and many other diseases which are treated by the serum theraphy. And yet so much has been accomplished in the science of healing in the past that the future gives great promise of still greater progress.
The progress in surgery during the last quarter of a century has been rapid. The discovery of anesthesia in 1847 had removed from it many of its horrors, and the discovery of antiseptics a few years later, many of its dan- gers. Some wonderful results have been obtained and yet much has been done in the enthusiasm of success that had better been left undone. \ lesson has been learned and a more conservative surgery is now practiced than a
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few years ago. It has been said that a certain surgeon acknowledged that he had removed a plateful of practically healthy ovaries, a confession that could probably be duplicated by some others.
Superstitions among a certain class of the laity have not all disappeared. I have been told by credulous persons that a tea made from the bark of a peach tree when the bark had been scraped up would cure diarrhea, and that a tea made from the same bark when the bark had been scraped down woukl cure vomiting. I have seen a child to which the parents had given fishing- worm tea, and it is perhaps needless to say that the child died. Even now parents of good intelligence frequently have their babies "measured" for "flesh- decay" (inanition ). This is a process in which the baby is measured with a string and the child then put through a loop made of the string and some words or prayer recited. The "measuring" is done by some woman who has gained her "knowledge" from some other woman who imparted it shortly before death and it can be imparted to but one person by the same individ- ual. The physician often comes in contact with other equally ridiculous things and scarcely takes the time to remonstrate.
The patent medicine habit is one of the evils to which the gullible afflict- ed is addicted. It is claimed that each year, in the United States alone, more than seventy-five millions of dollars are spent for patent medicines. Most of these medicines belong to two classes, one containing a large amount of alco- hol or opium, or other habit-forming narcotics, or acetanilid or other danger- ous heart depressants ; the other class is inert or harmless, and designed only to get the money from its users. There may be, and doubtless are. some meritorious remedies of this class, but the deleterious or inert are very largely in the majority.
While all of the physicians of Shelby county have not been of the high- est order, as would be found in any community, the large majority of them have been well educated. intelligent, gentlemanly physicians, well up to their times in literary, scientific and medical attainments. This has been true of the physicians of the county from the beginning and is no less true now, for no better treatment for any disease either acute or chronic, no better surgery in either minor or major operations can be secured than from Shelby county physicians.
During the first years of the history of the county the mode of travel by the physician was either on foot or on horse-back, and if the roads were now no better than they then were the same methods would yet be necessary, but the county is now traversed by excellent gravel pikes. . \ little later during the dry season the two-wheeled sulky was frequently used and as the roads became better improved the buggy displaced the sulky. At the present time
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the largest number of physicians use the horse and buggy, but it seems that they are rapidly being displaced by the automobile.
PHYSICIANS OF THE FIRST DECADE IN SHELBY COUNTY'S IHSTORY.
Dr. James Kipper is said to be the first physician who ever came to Shelby county. He probably came as early as, or prior to, 1820. He was said to have been a man of very ordinary ability and very little professional knowledge although fairly successful in the treatment of the diseases prevalent at that time. 1
Sylvan B. Morris, M. D., was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, November 24, 1795, and came to Shelby county and opened an office in the house of Alexander Vanpelt, at the mouth of Conn's Creek, in 1821, or near- ly two years before Shelbyville was laid out, in July of 1822. He then im- mediately moved to the new town of Shelbyville, where he continued to make his home until the time of his death. September 6. 1843. During his twenty- two years' residence in Shelby county Doctor Morris practiced medicine and was active in all of the affairs of the community. He was a real pioneer of the county and the one pioneer physician of Shelby county, of whom we have the earliest reliable record. He was a son of David and Sarah Morris, natives of Pennsylvania, of Welsh descent, who moved to Warren county, Ohio, when Sylvan B. was a small boy. Here he grew to maturity and received his edu- cation in the public schools and the Lebanon Academy and Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, from which he graduated. Immediately after grad- uating from Jefferson Medical College he opened an office at Lebanon, Ohio, where he continued in the practice of his profession until he came to Shelby county in 1821.
He was married to Catherine Knox, in Lebanon, Ohio, May 25, 1825: she was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1801, and they were the parents of three children, Martha H., John K., and Sylvan B., the latter still being a resident and retired merchant of this city.
resident and retired merchant of Shelbyville.
Doctor Morris was an Assessor and Land Appraiser in Shelby county, and in 1828 and 1831 he was elected to represent the county in the State Legislature. In 1829 he was elected Clerk of Shelby county, and continued to serve the county in that capacity until February, 1843, when he resigned. only a few months before his death.
For that early day Doctor Morris' education, both in literature and med- icine, was far in advance of the time and he naturally took a prominent place among the citizens of the new county and town, and was a prominent figure in
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all of the affairs of the community until the time of his death. His death was deplored and his loss keenly felt by all of the citizens.
Dr. James Wray was born in Buncombe county, North Carolina, in 1793. He came to Indiana and located in Shelby county, near where the Wray churches now stand in the early twenties. For a number of years he did con- siderable practice in the community where he resided and also did some prac- tice among the Indians.
He was also a preacher and frequently preached in the neighborhood and at different locations, near where he resided.
For a number of years before he died he occupied his time in managing a large farm, which he had secured in an early day. He died at the old home in Shelby county in 1869.
Dr. David Tracy was one of the very early pioneer physicians of Shelby county. He located at the Muths Crossroads, one and one-half miles west of Morristown in the early part of the twenties. This time is well established from the fact that he organized the first Masonic lodge ever organized in Shelby county. This lodge, which was known as Lafayette Lodge, No. 28, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized October 5, 1825. and as no suitable hall for the meetings could be found in that locality the sessions were held in the second story of Doctor Tracy's house. He was the first worshipful master. The lodge continued with considerable prosperity for about three years, when it disbanded and later became Shelby Lodge, No. 28, Free and Accepted Ma- sons.
Here the doctor and his family lived in a two-story log house for many years. He endured the hardships of the early pioneer physician and aside from his professional duties he was prominent in all of the affairs of the new county which he had selected for his home. He died about 1840 or 1845. at the old home. He had a wife, two daughters-Sophronia and a Mrs. Sophia Gordon, and one son, Isaac.
Dr. Archibald Smith came from Brookville, Indiana, in 1826, but nothing more is now known about him.
Dr. Edward Beall probably came to Shelbyville about 1827, and while nothing further is known positively of him an epitaph on an old tomb-stone in the oldest part of the city cemetery probably refers to him. It is as follows: "Sacred to the memory of Edmund J. Beall, who departed this life March 16. 1837. Age thirty-one years, nine months and five days." If this surmise is correct he was twenty-one years of age when he came here.
John Y. Kennedy, M. D., was born in Northumberland county, Penn- sylvania, in 1792. He received his early education in the public schools of his native county, and later attended the Lewisburg Academy, from which he graduated. He first studied medicine under Doctor Priestly, of Sunberry, Pennsylvania, who was the discoverer of oxygen, and was one of the original
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investigators of that day. He then studied for a time under Dr. John Syng Dorsey, of Philadelphia. Doctor Dorsey was one among the most celebrated surgeons of America at that time. After his preliminary study in medicine, he entered a medical college in Philadelphia, and after completing the pre- scribed course, graduated. He was a surgeon in the War of 1812, and after the close of the war returned to Pennsylvania, where he practiced medicine and surgery for several years. He first came to Shelby county in 1828. and located on a farm near Noah ( Marion) and soon after moved to Noah, where he practiced his profession for a time. He then moved to Shelbyville, where he opened an office and continued in the practice until a few years before his death, when he retired from practice and moved to Acton, Indiana, where he lived until he was almost ninety years old.
Doctor Kennedy was a man of uncommon vigor of intellect, a good physi- cian and an excellent surgeon for that early day, and an influential citizen. He was married to Mary Mckinney, also a native of Pennsylvania, about the close of the War of 1812, and they were the parents of a large family of chil- dren. He died at Acton, Indiana. July 10, 1882.
Dr. Sanmiel Randolph was one of the pioneer physicians and preachers of Jackson township. He located there probably about the year 1829 or 1830, and remained there until about 1855. He was a preacher in the Separate Baptist church, and practiced medicine in the community where he resided. He left Jackson township about 1855 and finally located at Bloomington, where he died. He was the grandfather of Dr. Daniel F. Randolph. who is now located at Waldron. He had a wife and a large family of perhaps ten or twelve children. He claimed to be able to cure the then prevailing malady known as milk-sickness. He was among the first settlers of Jackson township. and took an active part in everything pertaining to its welfare.
Dr. William Silcox was born in Scotland and emigrated to this country at an early day. He graduated from a medical college in Baltimore. He came to Shelby county and located at Freeport about 1830, and continued in the practice of medicine there from that time until his death about 1843. About 1838 he was married to Miss Lucena Burtch, who survived him, and a few years after his death was married to Morris Pierson, father of Dr. W. M. Pierson, now of Morristown. He was prominent in all of the enterprises of the community, and largely instrumental in the building of the mill at Free port in an early day.
DECEASED PHYSICIANS WHO PRACTICED MEDICINE IN SHELBY COUNTY FROM 1830 TO THE PRESENT TIME.
Dr. James M. Adams was born in Scott county, Kentucky, January 15. 1820. He was the eldest in a family of eleven children born to Isaac and
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Nancy ( Polk) Adams. They came to Indiana in 1825 and located in what is now Hancock county, where they continued to live until 1838. when they moved to Shelby county. He moved with his parents to Rush county in 1841, where they remained for three years, when they again moved to Shelby county. He received his education in the public schools and by study at home until he was able to teach. In 1841 he was married to Miss Phoebe J. John- son. of Rush county, and from then until 1850 he followed farming. In 1850 he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Hiram Comstock, and con- tinted under him until 1853. when he entered the Ohio Medical College. where he took a course of lectures. He then located at Pleasant View, where he practiced for a few months, when he moved to Freeport, where he contin- ved in the practice for fourteen years. In 1867 he moved to Wabash county and practicell for seven years, when he returned to Shelby county and located at Marion ( Noah), where he continued in the practice until his death, Sep- tember 16, 1894.
Mrs. Adams died June 18. 1864. and the following December he was married to Miss Belinda Johnson. He was the father of thirteen children. eight by his first wife and five by the last. He was a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church for more than fifty years, and a licensed exhorter in that church for more than thirty years. He was always active in the Sunday school and paid especial attention to the music.
David Hunter Adams was born at Chillicothe, Ohio. in 1830. and grad- uated from the Ohio Medical College about 1866. He practiced medicine prior to his graduation at Johnstown. Pennsylvania, for four or five years, and came to Shelbyville where he practiced until the war broke out, when he enlisted as surgeon in the army and remained three years. He came to Shelby- ville in 1856, and after returning from the army located at Fairland, where he practiced for several years. He then moved to Edinburg where he practiced until a few years before his death, which occurred there June 7, 1895. He was married March 11, 1858, to Miss Allie J. Morris, and to their union six children were born. Two live here, Miss Kate and Frank.
Dr. Joseph Ardere was located near the Copeland Mill, ou Flatrock for a few years about 1848. He boarded at Copeland's until he was married to Miss Wooley, when they moved to Hartsville, where he died some years later.
Walter K. Baylor, M. D., came from Decatur county. Indiana. where lic had a large practice, to Shelby county, about 1880. He immediately located on a farm in Noble township, where he continued in a small practice until his death about twenty-five years later. Although of rough exterior he had a kind disposition, and was considered by many to be a good physician.
He was married in early life and his wife died six months later, and after her death he always lived alone.
Dr. John W. Belk was born November 28, 1818, and died at Marietta.
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Shelby county, Indiana, July 14. 1853. He located at Marietta during the latter part of the thirties, and continued in the active practice there until the time of his death. He married Miss Martha Miller, who survived him. His remains were buried in the old city cemetery, of Shelbyville, and these dates were taken from the tomb-stone.
Lovell M. Bruce was born in New Castle. Kentucky. January 8. 1808. He graduated from an Eclectic Medical College either at Cincinnati or Louis- ville, about 1839.
He practiced medicine for a time at New Castle. Bedford. Louisville, and Mount Sterling, Kentucky, and about 1860 came, to Shelby county and located at Mount Auburn in Jackson township, where he continued in an ex- tensive practice until the spring of 1872. when he. with his family, moved to Shelbyville. He left Mount Auburn and came to Shelbyville on account of poor health, and never had an extensive practice in Shelbyville. He continued to live here, however, until the time of his death, October 6, 1873. His death was caused by a severe coll taken while making a midnight ride to see a char- ity patient in Jackson township during the winter of 1872. From this time he went into a decline and never again regained his health. He was the son of Andrew J. Bruce, a Kentucky slave owner. Doctor Bruce, however, was a strong Union man, and this was the principal reason he left his native state and came to Indiana, when the war cloud was hanging heavily over the country. He was married July 29, 1847. to Miss Eliza J. McHenry, of Vevay. Indiana, who died in Shelbyville, Indiana. November 25, 1896. To their union four children were born : Mrs. Georgia Rinehart, who is the wife of City Coun- cilman John Rinehart : Mrs. Ada Deitzer, who was the wife of County Clerk J. H. Deitzer. now deceased : Clarence R. Bruce, and the late Don C. Bruce. ex-City Marshal.
Dr. Harvey Benham practiced medicine at Flatrock. Shelby county, for a number of years along about 1860. After the death of Doctor Treon he purchased the old Treon homestead and moved there, where he continued in the practice for some years. He finally moved to Richmond. where he died some years later. He was married to the widow of Martin Warner.
Daniel Booher. M. D., was born in Shelby county, Indiana, .August 24, 1869. He received his literary education in the public schools of the county. He was raised on a farm and employed himself at that occupation until he was twenty years of age. when he entered the Ohio Medical College at Cin- cinnati, where he graduated in 1894. He then located at Marion ( Noah), having purchased the office of Doctor Bowlby and practiced medicine in that vicinity until about 1900, when he was compelled to change climate on ac- count of failing health. He then went to Colorado and practiced medicine until his death, which occurred December 20, 1905. His death was caused by lung trouble. His remains were brought back home and buried in Forest Hill cemetery. He was married to Miss Maggie Peters September 13. 1893.
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They had no children. Ile was an enthusiastic member of Chillon Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and was buried under the auspices of that lodge.
Joseph Bowlby. M. D., was born in Rush county, Indiana, February 17, 1854. He was the youngest in a family of eight children born to Dennis and Eliza A. (Cregar ) Bowlby, who were natives of New Jersey. They moved to Rush county at an early day and removed to Shelby county in 1869, where they resided until their death. He worked on a farm in the summer and at- tended the public schools in the winter until he was enough advanced in his studies to teach school, which he did in Rush county for six terms, devoting his time to farming during the intervening summers.
He commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Lot Green, of Rushville. in 1880, and continued to study with him and at the Ohio Medical College until he graduated in 1883. After graduating he located at Marion (Noah ), Shelby county, where he continued in the active practice until 1894, when he moved to Shelbyville and opened an office where he continued in the prac- tice until his death. June 28, 1906.
He was a member of the Presbyterian church, of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics he was a Republican, and in all of them he was active. April 28, 1885. he was married to Miss Mary E. Yearling. He left besides his widow two daughters. Bertha and Bernice.
Dr. E. T. Bussell came here to practice medicine about 1845 and con- tinned in the practice for a number of years. He was here during the cholera epidemie of 1850, and treated many patients during this epidemic. He was quite a musician and an inventor of no mean ability. He had a number of patents, some of which were manufactured rather extensively. He had a large family of children.
Frank Gillespie Campbell. M. D., who was the son of Thomas and Bridgett ( Gillespie) Campbell, both natives of Ireland, was born in Johnson county. Indiana, February 27. 1869. He received his education in the public schools and in Franklin College, where he attended four years. He then spent three years in the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis, where he graduated in 1894. After graduating he immediately located at Shelbyville for the prac- tice of medicine, and continued until the time of his death. October 2, 1908. He was an active member of the Eagles and Elks lodges. He was never mar- ried, but resided with his mother.
Dr. G. M. Collins practiced medicine at Noah ( Marion). Shelby county, for a number of years along about 1870. He finally left there and went to the northern part of the state, where he died some years later.
Hiram Comstock. M. D., was born in Madison county, Ohio. March 17, 1820. His father. James Comstock, was a native of Vermont, and his mother, Chloe ( Bull) Comstock, was a native of Connecticut. They came to Ohio at an early day and lived first in Madison county. then moved to Hamilton
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county, where Hiram grew to manhood and finally moved to Montgomery county. It was here that Hiram commenced the study of medicine under the instructions of his father, who was a physician, and continued his studies until he was qualified to practice. He commenced the practice of his profession at Greenfield, Indiana, in 1843, and continued there until 1846, when he first came to Shelby county and located at Freeport. After practicing at Free- port for a year or two he entered the Ohio Medical College and continued his studies there until he graduated in March, 18449. After graduating he re- sumed his practice at Freeport, and continued to practice there until 1855, when he removed to Marietta, this county. Here he enjoyed a large practice for many years and in this neighborhood he continued to live until the time of his death, March 11. 1888.
He was a member of the Methodist church and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in politics a Republican. He was married three times, first to Rebecca J. Mills in 1843. who died in 1851 ; then to Nancy E. Mor- gan in 1852. His second wife died in 1856, and in 1857 he was again mar- ried. this time to Lucy .A. McCrea,'who survived him two weeks. He was the father of six children, three each by his first and last wife.
Doctor Crew came here from Ohio, and was in partnership for a few years with Dr. J. C. Slocum. After the dissolution of the partnership he went back to Ohio and died there some years later.
E. E. Cripen, M. D., was born in New York, July 23. 1833. He grad- uated from the University of the City of New York in 1857. He located at Blue Ridge (Cynthiana ) for the practice of medicine in 1885, and remained there for about three years, when he removed to Milroy, Rush county, where he died a short time after.
Doctor Culbertson practiced medicine here for a few years along about 1860.
Doctor Cull is mentioned by a former Shelby county history, but nothing more could be learned of him.
Dr. Richard Cummins was another of the physicians who practiced medi- cine in Shelby county during the thirties. He came here, probably about 1830, and died here some time near 1840. while yet in the prime of life. He was married to a daughter of John Walker, his wife being a sister to the wife of Doctor Teal and Doctor McCoy. He lived on the southwest corner of Harrison and Pennsylvania streets. He had no children. In politics he voted with the Whigs. He was one of the leading physicians of that day, and had a fair share of the practice and stood well in his community.
Samuel Davis Day, M. D., who was prominent in the medical profession in Shelby county for almost a half century, was born in Dalton, Massachusetts, March 2, 1811. of sturdy New England Puritan stock. His parents were Amasa and Hannah Day, who were natives of Connecticut. but who in early
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life settled near Pittsfiekl. Massachusetts, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Of these parents Samuel D. was the third in a family of five children, three sons and two daughters. During the winter months he at- tended the district schools of his neighborhood, which were generally taught by the students of Williams College, who were fine classical scholars, thus giving great advantage to the pupils of the district schools. During the sum- mer months he attended the Pittsfield Academy until he arrived at the age of fourteen. By this time he had become proficient in the different branches of the English language as well as a good Latin scholar. In 1824 he entered the office of his brother, Dr. Jonathan Day, of Syracuse, New York, where he remained until 1830, when he entered Berkshire Medical College, from which he graduated in December, 1831. Early in 1832 an effort was made to prevent the spread of cholera in New York, and Doctor Day was appointed quarantine physician and located at French Creek on the St. Lawrence river, where he remained until August of that year, when his brother. Doctor Jon- athan, died of cholera. He then returned to Syracuse to settle his brother's estate and remained until 1834. The next two years he spent in Ohio as a traveling salesman, selling surgical instruments. In 1830 he came to St. Omer, Decatur county. but soon moved to Milroy, Rush county. He remained there but a short time, when he moved to Wilmington, Dearborn county, where he remained until 1838. He located in Shelbyville in 1838, where he remained until his death July 23, 1893. He continued active in the practice of medicine in Shelbyville for forty years, or until 1878, when he retired from active practice on account of failing health. Doctor Day always enjoyed an extensive practice and took an active interest in all public affairs. Although the fees received for medical services at that time were never large, he ac- cumulated considerable property and lived in comfort during his declining years. He was an enthusiastic Democrat and active in politics, although a strong Union supporter during the war. On October 28. 1847. he was mar- ried to Miss Jane Thompson, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. who was a cousin of ex-Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks. No children were ever born to them. They were active members of the Presbyterian church.
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