Jackson County IL Archives News.....Lettie RAYNOR' S letter to the editor - 1882 January 7, 1882 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Karima Allison quest@insightbb.com July 5, 2006, 4:29 pm Carbondale (IL) Free Press, Jan. 7, 1882 January 7, 1882 Lettie RAYNOR' S letter to the editor. Jan. 7, 1882 Editor FREE PRESS Carbondale, Illinois Some events have transpired of late in our city which call for a public defense. As a wife may not appear as a witness for her husband, she has no alternative but to sit in silence and see a great wrong done, or to resort to the press in order to gain a hearing from an intelligent people who hate injustice and fraud. The citizens of Carbondale all know Mr. RAYNOR to be an untiring worker, who for years has given himself to his work, early and late, in season and out of season in the hope of placing himself on a sound business footing, and his family in good circumstances. We have foregone many pleasures and dropped out of society in the struggle to get even with the world, for it takes a long purse to do both, that is, to be a pleasure seeker, and a man free from debt. But what avails it when accidents befall or sickness overtakes, if one must empty his purse to every hungry claimant, who may put in his exorbitant charge, whether just or not? At the time Mr. RAYNOR was scalded, some of the hands employed in the shops near the woolen mills sent for Dr. Heber ROBARTS without asking either Mr. RAYNOR or myself our preference, although Mr. RAYNOR was in a condition to choose, as was shown by his coming to his house unassisted by any one. We both expressed a preference for Dr. MCANALLY, who had once been called into our family, but were told Dr. ROBARTS had been sent for and would soon be here. Knowing that medical aid was necessary at once I said not further at the time. Dr. Heber [sic] came into the house accompanied by Dr. SPENCER, whose presence was a surprise to me, to say the least; for we had no thought of sending for him. Presume the person who summoned him knows why he did so. After considerable delay and conversation showing a difference of views between them, they ordered boiled oil and lime water; which right here I want to pronounce the filthiest remedy known and altogether out of date among intelligent physicians who are up to the times. My injured bedding tells the story better than words can do. They made a hasty application of it and departed, saying where they could be found if wanted, to which information I made no reply. A friend coming in soon, I asked him to go for Dr. MCANALLY, which he did at once. Why? I was so ignorant as to suppose it to be no crime to act as a free American citizen, and when I saw my husband in the very jaws of death, to summon the physician in whom I had the most confidence. Dr. MCANALLY came and all through the trying days that followed, proved himself a courteous and Christian gentleman and a most skillful medical man. His sympathy and aid at that time are gratefully remembered. He daily dressed the suffering man's injuries, and did not leave it to unskilled or hired hands. This is the plain, unvarnished truth, and do you ask why I have taken this method of telling it? Simply for this reason, that some other one may profit by our sad experience; for it seems that if a doctor enters your house, whether he be your choice or not, even though it be for but the one time, he can charge what he pleases for that service. Yes, more than half as much as the one who was regularly summoned made for days of faithful and anxious labor. Call this un lady like if you choose, it matters not to me. I have written what I have written hoping it may serve to ventilate some of the hidden ways of our medical men, and hoping also, it may save some poor man the wherewith to buy bread for his children. Why should not doctors charge for their work as other men do? Why should they be allowed to follow out the dictates of their own sweet will and place their charge just where it suits them, regardless of the work done? Other professions do not practice such arts unless, indeed, it be the law which is hard to understand. Who will see to it, that there be something like concert of action between our physicians and that their charges be regulated according to something like justice? Lettie T. Raynor. Additional Comments: This is a letter written by "Lettie" (LINCOLN) RAYNOR, regarding the "over charging" for the care of her husband, Alonzo RAYNOR, at the hands of a physician (Dr. ROBARTS) following a fire which occurred at the Woolen Mill Mr. RAYNOR owned. Lettie (LINCOLN) RAYNOR was my paternal great-grandmother. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/jackson/newspapers/lettiera4nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb