USA > Ohio > Portage County > Portage heritage; a history of Portage County, Ohio; its towns and townships and the men and women who have developed them; its life, institutions and biographies, facts and lore > Part 27
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CHAPTER XVII Hospitals and Physicians By T. C. HUNSTON
The first hospital in Portage Coun- ty was established some time before 1900 by Dr. W. W. White. Some in- formation sources place the date as early as 1890, but the "Annual Re- ports for The White Hospital" for the years 1907, 1909 and 1912, set forth the date of the beginning as 1900. However, the annual report for the White Hospital dated April 30, 1912, contains a picture of the origi- nal hospital captioned "Where the White Hospital started in 1894."
In any event Dr. White did estab- lish the first hospital and called it the "White Hospital." It was located on East Main St., Ravenna, in a home once owned by Miletus Clark. This property later became the S. M. Reim- old Store and later still, of the present Wright Store at 126 East Main St., Ravenna.
The records available state that Dr. White came to Ravenna from Strongs- ville, Medina County about 1885 aft- er graduation from Western Reserve Medical College in Cleveland. He saw the need for a hospital and conse- quently took over the Clark property for that purpose. The original hos- pital was intended chiefly for accident cases. As the demands increased, ad- ditional beds were added and an op- erating room was set up.
The work of the hospital was then extended to include surgical work and the care of a few medical cases. About eighteen beds were the maximum pro- vided at the original site.
HAD UNUSUAL STAFF
The amount of work rapidly in- Creased so that it became necessary to have a more convenient and commod- ious building. Consequently, a site was selected on North Chestnut St., Ravenna, at the corner of Cedar for the erection of a hospital. According to the Annual Report for the White Hospital for 1907 the building was begun in the spring of 1903 and com- pleted for occupancy October 1, 1903.
The new hospital was a two-story, brick, steam-heated structure, divided into private rooms and small wards. There were 25 beds. The kitchen was located on the first floor and the op- erating room on the second floor. The hospital was under the direct super- vision of Drs. W. W. White and Les- lie A. Woolf who attended the acci- dent and minor operative work. All major surgical work was done by Drs. George W. Crile and William E. Lower.
By 1907 the following doctors were also attending patients in the hospital: Lawrence Pomeroy, C. J. Hoover, H. S. Upson, M. D. Stevenson and R. M. Manley.
According to the 1907 annual re- port, 145 medical cases were treated, 57 obstetrical cases were hospitalized and 219 surgical cases cared for. In the latter there were 20 appendicitis cases. There were 32 fracture cases and nine gun shot wounds.
By 1912 additional doctors listed at the hospital were Drs. Frank E. Bunts,
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The White Hospital as it looked in 1910.
C. O. Jaster and Bernard H. Nichols, who later became a roentgenologist and thereafter served the Ravenna hospitals and Cleveland Clinic for many years. He retired from the Clin- ic in 1945, and from the Robinson Memorial Hospital in 1952.
NOT PUBLIC INSTITUTION
An undated brochure after that lists the hospital staff as follows: Consult- ing and visiting surgeons, Drs. Crile, Bunts and Lower; Consulting Physic- ian, Dr. C. F. Hoover; Associate staff, Drs. H. C. Sloan, J. T. Osmond and T. P. Shupe; Attending Physicians, Drs. B. H. Nichols, Woolf and White; Supt. of Nurses, Misses Cover and Overholt. At that time the hospital contained 30 beds.
It was in no wise a public hospital, but Dr. White always stated that no urgent case would be turned away.
In June, 1917, the hospital was closed for a short time for reorganiza- tion. When opened again it was staff- ed with a full force of graduate nurs-
es. The latter included Miss Mannery, surgical nurse; Miss Cooper, night superintendent; and Miss Damon, head dietetic department.
In September, 1917, because of ill health, Dr. White gave an option to Portage County for purchase of the hospital property. A board of trustees, consisting of R. M. Wheeler, J. H. Bigalow, J. J. Jackson, Mr. Whittle- sey, H. W. Riddle and E. E. France, was appointed to present a bond issue on the ballot to raise money for the purchase, in the amount of $50,000.00. The proposal carried and the hospital was purchased.
The county then operated the hos- pital in the same location until 1932. Other citizens serving on the Board of Trustees included W. S. Kent, Geo. R. Robinson, Harry L. Webb, J. C. Yeend, H. R. Loomis and T. C. Men- denhall. For many years, Miss Kath- arine McConnell was hospital super- intendent under county ownership. The capacity of the hospital from 1920 to 1930 was 48 beds. Amount of
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work increased and in 1930 the num- ber of patients was 677 and the cost of operation was $30,306.82.
BECOMES ROBINSON HOSPITAL
The first building of the Robinson Memorial Hospital on South Chestnut St. was dedicated Sunday, Feb. 21, 1932, on property given in memory of Judge and Mrs. Geo. F. Robinson. Judge Robinson, a Civil War veteran and a common pleas judge for forty years, died July 14, 1917. When Mrs. Robinson passed away in 1929, the sons, Henry M., Richard H. M., and Thomas L., wished to establish a memorial for their parents and offer- ed the county the homestead, plus $50,000.00 for a new hospital. The offer was provisional on a like amount of $75,000.00 being raised by the county. In 1931 a $75,000.00 bond is- sue was approved by electors. The White Hospital location was then sold in 1941 to the government as a post- office site and the proceeds used for supplementing building and operat- ing costs.
The first unit of the new hospital was completed in 1932. It had space for 50 adult beds, eight bassinettes, two operating suites, delivery room, labor room, X-Ray, laboratory, emer- gency room, etc. The Robinson home- stead became the nurses home. Rich- ard L. Hendee was business manager in 1932. Dr. G. J. Waggoner was head of the hospital medical staff. The building commission included H. Warner Riddle, B. G. Kneifel, R. P. Nichols and W. J. Beckley. County commissioners then were E. E. Gor- don, D. O. Norton and Ensign Jones.
The Board of Trustees through the years numbered many representative citizens. H. Warner Riddle of Ra- venna served continually from 1917 to 1944. Others are H. L. Thomas, B.
G. Kneifel, G. A. Adolph, Ray A. Nichols, V. W. Filiatrault, P. M. Wil- son, A. V. Dix, W. J. Dodge, Jr., S. P. Harbourt, H. J. Uhlman, A. E. Wat- ters, Mrs. F. E. Richardson, W. W. Morris, Hugh W. Riddle, Chas. A. Begue and John I. Eldridge.
MORE FACILITIES NEEDED
Craig Smith replaced Mr. Hendee as business manager in 1933, who, in turn, was replaced by Elizabeth Hay- maker in 1936. She served until 1937, when Miss Ella Owen was named, first as acting manager, then super- intendent. Robert Southwick then held the position from 1943 until 1945, when Frank Hoover served briefly. Thomas J. Hunston was em- ployed in April, 1946, and presently is hospital administrator.
Demands on the hospital were in- creasing. More facilities were needed. By 1936, about 1700 patients were being cared for annually. The matter of help was again put before voters and in 1940 a new bond issue of $100,000.00 was approved.
The new Ravenna Arsenal was be- ginning existence and the sum of $171,325 was received from the fed- eral government as well as $30,000.00 more from county and private funds. The total amount permitted increas- ing facilities to 110 adult beds, plus 30 bassinets. When the new addition was completed in 1943, there were 22 ma- ternity beds, 76 medical and surgical beds plus 12 beds for pediatrics.
The building commission at that time was V. W. Filiatrault, Hale B. Thompson, Cyril Fulweber and J. L. Harris. County commissioners were Mervin Smith, Claude Watters and Charles Horning.
Still demands for service increased. By 1954, figures showed an average daily census of 121 patients, with 7,-
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008 adults and children admitted. Births numbered 1,577 and 8,511 X- Ray tests were made. There were 2,630 operations and 233,839 meals served.
In 1951 a laundry and storage build- ing was put up at a cost of $98,328.61, the money coming from several funds and gifts.
NEW WING ADDED
In 1953, a contract was entered into for the construction of the present Administration Wing at a cost of about $66,765.00, part of which came from the Operating Fund and part from the county. Addition of this wing resulted in more room for pure- ly hospital work.
But the expanded facilities were still not enough. The Board of Trus- tees in 1953 requested that another bond issue be placed on the ballot. This was done in November, 1954, and $1,600,000.00 was asked for to add 60 beds and do other work-make other changes. Again a bond issue was approved. Further financial as- sistance came from the federal govern- ment under the Hill-Burton Act after a series of disappointments in secur- ing priority rating and state approval.
At this time plans are going ahead for construction of new quarters for nurses on the Halstead property, south of the hospital. Other properties on Meridan St. have also been bought for the expansion program. If Federal funds are made available, hospital fa- cilities will be expanded to approx- imately 200 beds. If not, there will be fewer beds.
In 1955 voters authorized a $1,- 600,000 bond issue for further ex- pansion, which plus government grants, insured the desired re-build- ing.
Women of Portage County have been of great help in promoting hos- pital work. The Women's Associa- tion of Robinson Memorial Hospital was organized in 1942. It's activities are directed by fifteen board members -five from Ravenna, five from Kent and five from the county. This group supplied volunteer workers at the hos- pital, particularly in war years. With the opening of the Administration Wing in 1954, the "Hospitality Shop," which was part of the wing, was turn- ed over to this Association. With the exception of one paid worker, the shop is maintained entirely by vol- unteers.
ANTIQUE SHOWS HELP
In addition to these services, the Association raises funds for purchase of equipment for patient comfort. For several years it has held an An- tique Show at the Ravenna Armory each year which has been well sup- ported. Each show usually shows a profit of one to two thousand dollars. A membership drive is carried out each year, bringing in several hundred dollars from dues paying members. It also receives numerous donations for its work. It has purchased items of hospital equipment, the total value of which is over $30,000.00. This includ- es such things as delivery room table, beds, oxygen tents, cabinets, chairs, lamps, inhalators, incubators, ice cube machines, resuscitators, and other items. About 1945, past members of the Executive Board organized the Mary Robinson Hospital Guild to as- sist the active Executive Board of the Association. The Guild sponsored the Antique Show in 1954.
On Jan. 18, 1926, Mrs. O. L. Gil- bert invited a group of women to her home to help observe her birthday and organize the "Hospital Sewing
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View of Robinson Memorial Hospital from the West, showing new wing.
Circle," the object of which was to make and mend articles of clothing at the then White Hospital. In its nearly 30 years of activity it has made or mended over 20,000 articles. Sewing equipment was purchased to carry on its work.
A Nurses Training School was start- ed by Dr. White in 1904. It operated until 1917 and did invaluable service in training nurses. Hospital staff and local doctors were instructors. During the school's life nearly fifty nurses were graduated.
Officers of the School of Nursing in early years were Dr. W. E. Lower, Pres .; Dr. W. W. White, Vice Pres .;
S. F. Hanselman, Sec .; Mrs. Geo. Rob- inson, Treas .; and J. H. Bigalow, S. F. Hanselman, Marvin Collins, C. G. Bentley, Dr. W. B. Andrews, I. T. Siddall, R. L. Hawkins were trustees.
The Hospital Association was or- ganized in 1909 with the object of aiding the needy poor with hospital service. "Tag Days" was one method of raising funds. This association dis- banded in 1948 and turned its funds (over $2,000) in to the hospital.
First officers of the Benefit Associa- tion were L. J. Goddard, Pres .; Mrs. W. E. Stutts, Vice Pres .; Miss Ada E. Poe, Sec .; Miss Emma Stuart, Treas.
Older residents still remember when cultivation of corn was done entirely by hand, mainly by use of the hoe. First hoeing was called the "weeding." The second was the "half hilling" and the last the "hilling." When ripe, the corn was "topped" and husked. There was a time when it was the best crop to raise for money for it could be utilized for whiskey making which could be exchanged for some of the necessities of life, like salt or sugar.
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County Physicians
While health was a vital issue in early days, there was a lack of sanita- tion and hygiene and few facilities existed for prevention and care of sickness. People at that time were al- most self dependent. Knowledge of "roots and herbs," acquired from the Indians or which had been handed down, was considered adequate for the relief of ordinary maladies.
If a community had a doctor at all he was skilled in reducing fractures or dislocations and applying splints of green hickory bark. Mortality was great from bilious fevers, cholera morbus and various types of ague which were seldom fatal paved the way for more serious ailments.
Home remedies included concoc- tions of birch, balsam or ash bark, mullein or sassafras teas, cob-web pills, calomel, saltpeter, steel dust, or a freshly killed pullet applied to the soles of the feet. They then believed that contagious diseases, such as diph- theria, scarlet fever, typhoid, mumps, measles and smallpox, were unavoid- able. When vaccination was later in- troduced most physicians adopted it in the face of strong opposition. Pneu- monia was prevalent; rheumatism and attendant troubles, common. Cancer and heart disease attracted little at- tention because of the relatively short life span. Whiskey was a cure-all.
Prescriptions for sore throat, colds, croup and asthma, headache and itch, and folk and charm cures read like the treatment of witch doctors in pag- an lands. Asafedita, ground bugs or the leg of a toad worn around the neck, fended off many evils. There was always goose grease to be used inside or out for almost any ill. Child mortality was great.
OLD COUNTRY DOCTOR
Portage County had its share of those legendary figures, the country doctors. Tireless, fearless, often gruff to hide their tender hearts, they held, like the minister, an intimate, vital, personal relationship with their peo- ple. Few living today have seen the genuine old doctor's shop of the last century or inhaled the odor arising from brown paper bundles, bottles stopped with worm eaten corks, and open jars of ointments. His equipment was simple as he rode horseback, day and night. In his saddlebags, and lat- er, buggy, he carried a few drugs and possibly a crude set of instruments, some homemade splints and bandages, and even a pair of balances, mortar and pestles. By the late 1830s, the better equipped doctors carried steth- oscopes, tooth forceps, and a few ob- stetrical instruments. In the absence of complicated instruments, the doc- tor relied on his senses. He could feel temperature and pulse; color of skin, lips, eyes and nails were symptoms, as were voice, cough and breathing of a patient; while he could smell ty- phoid or measles.
NO PRESCRIPTIONS THEN
The early doctor was his own pharmacist, making his own pills and tinctures. He used the lancet, leeches and cups for the common remedy of bleeding. An iron, heated to grey in the fireplace, cauterized wounds and infections. Surgery was crude.
With the rise of the drug trade paralleling the development of med- icine, the ailing pioneer was ever ready to put his trust in the promises of the wonderful elixirs and curealls which came in bottles, just as he did
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later. In their earliest days the drug stores were also the department stores, as they were a hundred years later. For some years their business was confined more strictly to drugs. Such was the drug store of Dr. Isaac Swift, one of the earliest Ravenna physicians.
Castor oil, sweet oil, essence of lem- on, peppermint, cinnamon and win- tergreen, soda cordials, seidlitz powd- ers, quinine, calomel, horehound, salts, borax, copperas, saleratus, alum, herbs and patent medicines figured prominently in the drug trade. As doctors were often paid in promises or produce, so druggists often took beeswax, ginseng, hemp and flax seed in trade.
The name of the first physician to practice his profession in Portage is uncertain. It may have been Dr. Jo- seph DeWolf of Ravenna, Dr. Ezra Gilbert of Palmyra or Dr. Shadrach Bostwick of Deerfield. The latter was a part time preacher.
According to old histories De Wolf came to Vernon, Trumbull Co. in 1800, where he studied medicine un- der a physician for a time. He then came to Rootstown and started prac- tice but in a short time moved to Ra- venna. Dr. Gilbert came to Palmyra in 1806, and in 1805 John Murray, a millwright, came to Deerfield, but after studying medicine in New Lis- bon came back to open an office. Dr. Bostwick reached Deerfield in 1803. Dr. Rufus Belding was practicing in Randolph in 1807 and Dr. Ezra Chaf- fee was in Palmyra in 1810. In 1810 Dr. Ezekiel Squires arrived in Aurora but later went to Mantua which he thought a better location. There he helped start a distillery. Drs. Whipple and Pierce reached Mantua in 1820 and Dr. Edwin Cowles in 1825. Dr. Jason Moore was also in Mantua early.
THEY "READ MEDICINE"
In 1812 Dr. DeWolf was the only physician in Ravenna. It is said that many of his patients were men who wanted a medical excuse to keep them out of the army as the War of 1812 was then starting.
A Ravenna directory of 1841 show- ed four physicians in Ravenna-Drs. De Wolf, Job Clark, Lyman Collins and John D. Ward.
Dr. E. J. Goodsell was an early physician in Nelson. Dr. Bassett also located in the same place some time after Goodsell. There was also a Dr. Bassett in Rootstown.
From a Ravenna newspaper of 1855 it is learned that the following physi- cians were practicing in that city- Drs. Isaac Coles, William Eames, Wil- liam Caine, Hayes & Smith, James Peterman, Henry Pratt & Collins, and Belding & Prentice.
An early physician in Brimfield was Dr. Lincoln. Dr. Simeon Birge ar- rived in Freedom in 1835.
Joseph Price was a tailor in Ran- dolph when he was 22 when he de- cided to study medicine under his father-in-law, also a physician. He was the father of Dr. Emmett Price of Kent.
It was the practice for young men to "read medicine" to acquire profic- iency then just as law candidates "read law".
Infant mortality was high in early days. A Mantua item of 1825 says that in the previous 25 years there had been 45 deaths there of persons under three years and only 22 of over three years. In the same period there were 38 marriages and 369 births.
Dr. Noah Shurtleff was an early practioner in Franklin Township- about 1825.
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There have been a number of fine father-son physician combinations in the county but probably none quite like that of the Drs. Waggoner whose practice spanned nearly 100 years. Dr. Joseph Waggoner started practice in Deerfield in 1947, later removing to Ravenna, where he was engaged until his death in 1897-a half century ser- vice. His son, Dr. George J. Wag- goner, started practice in Ravenna in 1891 and continued until his death in 1939, a service of 48 years. Both rank- ed high in their profession.
Another long-time father-son serv- ice was that of Dr. E. H. Knowlton and his son, Edgar, Jr., of Mantua. The elder Knowlton practiced in Mantua 48 years, until his death in an accident in 1952. The son still prac- tices in Mantua.
MEDICAL SOCIETY FORMED
The Portage County Medical So- ciety was organized in June, 1866, with the following list of members (locations not clear in many cases): Drs. P. C. Bennett, A. Belding, J. G. Lewis, O. Frazier, J. W. Shively, Chas. L. Poe, G. B. Baldwin, George Sad- ler, A. M. Sherman, P. H. Sawyer, Jo- seph Waggoner, B. F. Pittman, Ezra Rose, E. Warrington, A. W. Alcorn, C. S. Leonard, and F. F. McCreary. Later, Drs. Joseph Price, F. C. Apple- gate, and W. S. Hough. Honorary members were Drs. Isaac Swift, P. Barron and Joseph De Wolf.
First officers of the society were Dr. P. C. Bennet, Pres .; Dr. A. Beld- ing, Vice Pres .; Dr. F. F. McCreary, Sec .; Dr. C. S. Leonard, Treas.
Physicians who came in later were Drs. Osman Ferris, J. A. Kirkpatrick, Wesley Strickland, L. B. Lee and C. S. Stedman.
The stated objects of the association were: 1. The association of the pro-
fession for the purpose of mutual recognition and fellowship; 2. The maintenance of union harmony and good government among its members, thereby promoting the character, in- terests, honor and usefulness of the profession; 3. The cultivation and ad- vancement of medical science, litera- ture and the elevation of the standards of medical education.
Officers of the Medical Society in 1955 were Dr. Edgar Knowlton, Pres .; Dr. Palmstrom, Vice Pres .; and Dr. A. Knight, Sec .- Treas.
In 1884 the society membership in- cluded the above and Drs. B. F. Loug- head, E. W. Price, J. W. Shively, J. D. Davis, Seth Sloane, G. M. Proctor, Chas. A. May, W. H. Connell, G. O. Frazier, C. S. Hiddleson, W. G. Smith, L. C. Rose, William Jenkins, B. B. Davis, Chas. A. May, W. H. McCon- nell and H. H. Spiers. Other county physicians, not members, were John Ewing, D. W. Coffin and C. S. Sted- man.
Portage County physicians who have since become affiliated with the medical association include the fol- lowing:
Ravenna - H. W. Bennet, A. J. Bietz, E. P. Bugbee, P. H. Harris, Marion A. McBride, R. A. Olson, S. U. Sivon, S. L. Sloan, W. A. Smith, Ruth Ellis Snyder, H. S. Wendorf, George J. Waggoner, W. W. White, L. A. Woolf, R. D. Worden, P. H. Zinkhan, L. J. Zupp, J. S. Dyell, I. M. Huffman, L. W. Pritchard, W. W. Hall, R. M. Manley, B. H. Nichols, W. H. Oviatt, Calvin Rice, G. W. Shepard, H. H. Primm, Nelson Klamm, R. C. Neeley, Max Sternleib, A. I. Tsai, W. B. Webb, E. P. Bugbee, John F. Hill, C. O. Jaster, M. S. Owen, J. L. Hondorf, A. C. Rideout, W. T.
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Gatchel, E. A. Webb, D. Palmstrom and A. Knight.
Kent-James Sweeney, W. B. An- drews, Esther Brenneman, S. A. Brown, Lena English, B. H. Jacob, N. F. Jacob, Elizabeth Leggett, J. T. Nor- ton, W. C. Ramsey, G. E. Rice, F. A. Russell, Emily J. Widdecombe, A. O. De Weese, J. C. Fiala, E. M. Kauffman, E. T. Meacham, John M. Painter, L. B. Baumgartner, Myrtle C. Dineen, Frances Herwig, J. H. Mowry, S. B. Peters, Robert Dumm, J. R. Turner, C. C. Voorhis, Florence Gebhardt, Dr. Tetrault, B. E. Gorham, J. H. Krape, Chas. W. Hains, W. W. Lang, J. A. Morris, W. I. Caris.
Garrettsville - James A. Miller, Wilson C. Pay, Clyde O. Roller, M. D. Ailes, Geo. R. French, A. M. Lands- borough, S. L. McManigal, A. H. Tid- ball, M. W. Thomas, H. B. Elwell.
Mantua-Owen J. Brady, Fred O. Newcomb, L. E. Drossell, Geo. E. Hull, R. T. Odell, E. H. Knowlton, O. T. Manley, Edgar Knowlton, Jr.
Windham-James Burnham, John R. Gleason, R. Nuthall, J. W. Shank, E. P. Reese.
Aurora-R. R. Hilborn, Sidney R.
Walker, S. H. Stevens, F. E. Bard.
Hiram-F. H. Hurd, H. C. Hurd, H. M. Page, Josephine Line.
Randolph-Sanford Barrett, Mar- ion Squire, J. J. Orton, John O. Per- ry, H. H. Van Horne, Dr. Traver.
Deerfield-John E. Longnecker, J. J. Waite, Frank D. Sovereign.
Atwater Comfort Cummings, Charles De Witt, A. J. Silbiger.
Others are Drs. P. M. Bell, Dia- mond; Edith R. Hornberger, Palmyra; Wm. Jenkins, Diamond; A. G. Kirze, Mogadore; W. F. McCray, Edinburg; W. H. McConnell, Brimfield; Ivor Campbell, Mogadore; H. J. Cramer, New Milford; W. L. DeVaul, Streets- boro; E. B. Dyson, Rootstown; W. E. Fulton, Suffield; B. F. Keller, Streets- boro; A. M. Powers, Rootstown; T. W. Jones, Palmyra; A. C. Rini, Ar- senal; A. W. Malinchus, Arsenal; A. F. Hassam, Charlestown; Chas. With- erstay, Nelson; W. J. Thomas, Pal- myra; Frederick Bauer, Suffield; J. C. Ferguson, Suffield; F. P. Russell, Suf- field; H. P. Hynes, F. R. Morath, E. P. Reese and E. J. Feeney, Arsenal; Drs. Hilker, Martinez, McGregor and Tropea, locations uncertain.
The Ravenna Arsenal
By A. R. HORTON
One of the noteworthy industries of Portage County, both in number of employees and in importance of its product, is the Ravenna Arsenal. It was constructed by the federal govern- ment for the primary purpose of load- ing medium and major caliber artil- lery ammunition, bombs, mines fuses and boosters and primers and percus- sion elements, and the storage of fin- ished ammunition and ammunition components.
The Arsenal is located on the east- ern boundary of Portage County and is bounded on the west by Highways No. 172 and 175; on the north by the right-of-way of the Erie Railroad; on the east by the Trumbull-Portage County line and on the south by High- way No. 5. It is nine miles from the city of Ravena, and fourteen miles from the city of Warren, Ohio.
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