Greenbrier County, West Virginia - 160th Anniversary Booklet - Part 13

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Historical Booklet - Greenbrier County
160th Anniversary - 1778-1938
Published 1938
Transcribed by Lori Samples <dawg @mail.us-net.com>


HISTORY OF MEDICINE IN GREENBRIER COUNTY 1750-1938

Mediaeval indeed was the practice of medicine in the early days of the
Greenbrier Valley.  The terapeutics of the first white physicians were as
unscientific and as full of superstition as were those of the Medicine Man
of the Indians.

To the doctor of those early days "germs" were unknown, miasmas together
with the "humors of the blood" held sway.  Parasites, bacteria, viruses and
other infective agents with the exception of "worms" was yet to be
discovered.

Asepsis and antisepsis had not been dreamed of. Anethetics were unknown.
The physician had no idea as to the real cause of typhoid fever,
tuberculosis, pneumonia, malaria, yellow fever, diabetes, appendicitis, and
scores of other human ills.  Yet he had a plausible explanation as to the
cause and nature of each which satisfied the patient and assured the
relatives of his expert knowledge and he also knew the proper treatment
although he knew nothing of the yet to be discovered vaccines, vitamines,
X-rays, insulin, antitoxins and thousands of other scientific facts which
are known today.

The people as well as the physician still believed in witch-craft,
incantations, the signs of the zodiac, the influence of the moon (lunatic),
and other superstitious ideas as to the cause of the disease.  Many of these
superstitions still linger such as the ill omen for a black cat to cross
one's path.  It was believed that by applying the blood of a black cat that
"St. Andrew's Fire" could be circumscribed.

Due to their keen observation, native sense and practical turn of mind our
ancestors did many things in disease prevention, especially for nutrional
deficiency diseases such as scurvy, poly-neuritis, and the like, which are
practiced by the medical profession to this day and the modern medico has
gained by his knowledge of these thingsin the same manner as did they, by
trial and error, and thus has developed the empirical science of medicine.

The "ramp eaters," "sasafrass tea" drinkers, "greens" consumers, are keeping
up traditions of old while the moderns in our midst obtain the same results
from eating head lettuce, raisins, spinach, grapefruit, and drinking tomato
juice, sauer kraut juice and pasteurized buttermilk.

In the early days children had the diseases that are common to them now but
instead of intestinal infection in summer it was "worms" and the treatment
was to give salts.  Today the diseases have different names and causes but
salt is just as effacious in the treatment as it was one hundred and sixty
years ago.

Snake bite was an ever present menace because of the presence of the
copperheads in large numbers.  Treatment from this injury usually consisted
of concoctions made from native herbs used in the form of poltices.  The
practice of sucking the wound was used and today it is recommended as one of
the most efficient first aids for this condition provided the person doing
the sucking has teeth free from cavities and no open sores about the mouth.
It ws always essential that the offending reptile be located and killed to
insure a good result in treatment.

Another remedy was to kill a chicken and place the warm entrails over the
bite to draw out the poison.  In later times large quantities of whiskey
were given.  The rationale of this treatment being that it allays the
patients fears which were a very important factor to be considered and often
more serious than the snakes bite.  This is still a popular remedy.  Another
potent remedy was salt and gunpowder.

Because of the frequency of rheumatism the mineral springs became popular.
The efficacy of these were determined by the "stink."  This accounts for the
popularity of the numerous sulphur springs in the early days.  The odor of
the springs had about the same value as asafoetida had in prevention of
measles and other contagious diseases.  Idoform is a survival of the
odoriferous remedies.

The water from the "springs" was augmented by the oils from rattlesnakes,
wild geese, wolves, bears, racccoons, and polecats.  These were applied in
front of an open fire place of red hot embers.  While very lilttle credit
was given to the red heat waves for the embers  et they were the father of
the infra-red rays which today come from an electric coil at five dollars a
throw.

Surgery was indeed primitive.  The equipment consisted of a lancet,
tourniquet, cautery, needles, thread, and a bone saw.  The cautery was
applied after amputations or else the stump was immersed in boiling oil, a
real antiseptic.  If after operation white or yellow pus appeared in the
wound it was a favorable sign, because this was the greatly desired
"laudable pus."

If the room was cool where operations were performed which was usually on a
table in the kitchen, the "high" hat and "Prince Albert" coat were worn and
the buttonholes of the coat served as a convenient place for the thread
(sutures).  If the garments were discarded then the mouth was the holder for
the thread, being sterilized by tobacco juice.

The doctor carried his prepared drugs in his "saddle pockets" in bulk form.
He made free use of the herbs which had been gathered, dried and hung up in
the patients home, or if it was the growing season he would go out and
select them himself.  In prescribing the prepared drugs the bulk and weight
was arrived at by removing the drug from the container on the point of a
knife blade.  The drugs were mixed and made into powders.  Capsules,
lozenges, and sugar coated pills were unknown.  The prescriptions were of
the "shot gun" variety, containing many ingredients in the hope that one or
more might hit the spot.

The doses were large because homeopathy had not yet come to convince the
doctor that small doses are often more efficient than large ones.  Quinine
for "chills and fever" was given in large doses.  Calomel and blue mass were
favorite remedies for "billiousness," which no doubt included appendicitis.

Many of the practices mentioned above persisted until recent times.  There
are physicians and laymen now living who can recall many of the above facts
from actual experience.  Medicine and Surgery has only recently developed
into a scientific system.  As late as 1910 in a survey made by the Carnegie
Foundation it was found that there were only three medical schools in the
United States which were in the Class A group, whereas today all of the
"regular" schools are so classified.  So Greenbrier in the early days had
the advantages afforded by the best medical services of the  times.

Then as now members of the profession in Greenbrier desired after graduation
to keep abreast of the advances being made by the profession and endeavored
to add their bit to the promotion and dissemination of medical knowledge by
study, and writing for medical journals of the day.

Among these pioneer physicians was Doctor Thomas Creigh, born July 1812.  He
graduated with an academic degree from what is now Ohio University at
Athens, Ohio.  he received his medical degree from one of the most
outstanding medical schools of America, and the oldest, the University of
Pennsylvania, founded by Benjamin Franklin.

He had as his medical preceptor in Lewisburg another outstanding and
distinguished member of the profession, Doctor Simpkins.

Dr. Creigh was a public-spirited citizen and as such represented the county
of Greenbrier for several sessions in the Legislature of Virginia. He was a
contributor to medical journals and the first president of the Greenbrier
Medical Society.

Dr. Simpkins was well versed in medicine and was imbued with the spirit of
research and a desire to improve his knowledge of medicine and surgery in
order to better serve his patients.  The following incident illustrates his
scientific interest.  A negro slave, Tom, was condemned to be hung for a
murder he had committed.  The execution took place in Lewisburg on March 13,
1824.  In order to improve his knowledge of human anatomy Dr. Simpkins
purchased from Tom his body by providing him with all the gingerbread he
wanted from the day he was sentenced until he was hung.

After completing the dissection of the mortal remains of Tom he mounted the
bones on wire and hung Tom's assembled skeleton on a door that opened into a
room to othe rear of his waiting room.  It is related that many a timid
patient waiting for the doctor fled from his office when the wind would
accidentally blow the door open with the dangling, rattling skeleton of Tom.

Other early physicians were Doctor Samuel Feamster, Dr. Hugh Wilson, Dr.
Harry Feamster, and three Doctor Caldwells, one of whom was a woman, Dr.
Mary R. Caldwell, who was the first woman physician in Greenbrier county and
very likely the first in West Virginia.

Dr. Joseph Caldwell, born May 2, 1796, died December 21, 1878, was also an
editor and publisher.  His publication was "The Palladium of Virginia and
Pacific (Quaker) Monitor."  It was published in Lewisburg.  In it is
recorded the first visit of a circus to Lewisburg, the Feamster circus in
1824.

The traditions of these early physicians are being carried on by the medical
profession of Greenbrier today.  We find members of the profession who are
Fellows in the American College of Surgeons; Fellows of the American College
of Physicians; Fellows of the American Medicial Association; and furthermore
we find the names of some of them who have achieved distinction in medical
and surgical reserach included among those distiniguished Americans who are
listed in "Who's Who in America," and in "Who's Who in Surgery in America."

Within the confines of Greenbrier are represented all of the principal
medical and surgical specialties.  There is available to the people of
Greenbrier all of the therapeutic measures known to medical science and such
special treatment as hydro-therapy, electro-therapy, physio-therapy, etc.

Conveniently located hospitals are found througout the county.  These are
staffed by men who have had the most recent medical training.  Men who prior
to entering upon the study of medicine had completed four years in an
accredited high school and had then taken two or four years in an academic
collegiate course.  After graduation in medicine they served one or more
years as internes in a hospital approved for interne service.

But notwithstanding the availability of the best of hospital service we
still have the country doctor with us who renders a most indispensible
service.  He often travels on horseback or a-foot ministering to the sick
and afflicted as of old. Along with the administering of his remedies he
dispenses cheer, inspires hope, and renders sympathy to those who are sick
and afflicted or in distress because of the illness of loved ones.  He has
that same resourcefulness and human touch as did his predecessors of years
gone by.  Many and varied are his experiences.  Some are humorous, others
pathetic, all of human interest.  He is equal to every emergency.

When we remember that the country doctor renders ninety five percent of the
medical service of the country one can appreciate how large a place he
fills.

With the rapid progress made since the beginning of the present century we
predict that he who reads these lines one hundred sixty years hence will
regard our present accomplishments as puny compared with what will have been
accomplished by 2098 A. D.

NEXT:  EARLY INDUSTRIES OF GREENBRIER