GIBSON COUNTY, TN - SKULLBONIA - Doctors of Skullbonia
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                                DOCTORS IN SKULLBONIA

Skullbonia had several Doctors, including: Dr. Cochran, Dr. Rutledge, Dr.
Mackey, Dr. Hudkins, Dr. N. H. Travis, Dr. Elbert Walker, Dr. Gentry Dowland,
Dr. John Hedgecock, Dr. H. F. Hudson, Dr. "Tom" J. Moore, and Dr. Jessie Moore. 

Dr. Tom Moore, father of Dr. Jessie, lived in a large Southern Colonial type
residence, located right in Skullbone village, (old "North Gibson"). The old
"North Gibson postoffice was next to his "Doctors office". His Doctors office
was in reality a drugstore. No prescriptions used. He "made up" your medicine,
himself, and delivered it "in person", giving additional oral "directions" or
emphasizing those on the bottle. Dr. Moore was the patients' friend, counselor,
creditor, psychologist, humorist, diplomat and Doctor all rolled into one. His
patients' Pastor had to share the patients trust, honor and respect with Dr.
Moore. He went to see patients any time, day or night, regardless of how bad the
muddy roads were or how bad the weather, or how poor the patient. His
professional ethics were much higher in 1860, than the ethics of most of our
1960 Doctors. He never refused to visit anyone because it was a night call,
because it was not on a hard-surface road or because the patient had no money.
Nowadays, many doctors will ask about these things before they will go to a
patients' home, if indeed, they go at all. They much prefer that the patient
come to his air-conditioned "clinic". Instead of charging $5. to $10. a trip, he
charged only $1. a trip and credited everybody in the country, yet, he got rich
for that period, and everybody loved him.

The Barnes family lived in Skullbone village and now, in 1960, Ernest Barnes is
a successful druggist of Jackson, Tennessee.

In "ancient" Skullbone village, John Hedgecock made enough money there to study
medicine, became a good doctor, bur later moved to Sidonia and had a large
practice there. 


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Transcribed by Dixie Lea Wright