|
HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 273 CHAPTER VIII. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. All honor to the pioneer physician! Many are the stories that have been related in the chronicles of pioneer days of the patient, self-sacrificing services of these earnest servants of humanity, but the whole of that story never can be told. The printed page never carried all that was written on the hearts of the people thus served in the hours of their deep distress, and it is perhaps just as well. A labor of love rarely is properly requited, rarely is narrated in vaunting print. "Love seeketh not her own." And much of the service of the pioneer physician was purely a labor of love, performed without thought or hope of recompense. Hard night rides in killing weather, plodding on the patient pony over indescribably; bad roads to the distant bedside of a stricken neighbor, followed perhaps by sleepless hours of vigil at that bed side, doing with inadequate medical supplies all that heart and mind could dictate to relieve suffering wherever found, fully aware oftimes that no money recompense would be forthcoming—all this went into the daily task of the pioneer physician, and in thus rendering his account to humanity he laid up a store of honor that still is being paid him. There were fourteen physicians engaged in practice in this county in 1848, the year in which the county was erected. In those days, under the old constitution, physicians and attorneys were listed for special taxation, being required to pay a license of $1 for the privilege of practicing. The tax duplicate for that year reveals the presence here at that time of the following physicians : In Duchouquet township (Wapakoneta), G. W. Holbrook, John H. Nichols, George (17) 274 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY W. Trumbull, Paul Abits and Adolphus Steinhoff; German township (which also then included what now is Jackson township), E. A. VonBeseler, J. P. Schmieder, William Haverman and B. H. Neiberg; St. Marys, ____ Holderman, ____ Goodrich, A. 0. Connell and R. W. Stearnes, and in Union township, William Craig. There was much illness then, the greater part of this being due to that distressing scourge of fever and ague, "chills," which seemed to follow man in his work of opening the new country all through the middle West, and these doctors no doubt had their hands full. It also was about that time, apparently following the line of construction of the canal, that terrible scourge of Asiatic cholera, of which the history of that period of settlement Ohio and eastern Indiana is so full, visited this region, hundreds falling under the scourge—so much so as almost to halt settlement hereabout for a considerable period. It is narrated that in German township alone, following the operations there of the canal crew, that no fewer than 150 persons died of the dread disease, while at St. Marys there also was a shocking toll of death. In one of the older chronicles of this region there is a little story relating to Dr. Washington G. Kishler, who fomore than forty years was engaged in practice at St. Marys. that may be regarded as typical.. Doctor Kishler served as a medical steward in the army during the time of the Mexican war and in the spring of 1848, about the time this county was organized, located at Wapakoneta, presently going thence to St. Marys, where for more than forty years he continued in practice. Of him it is narrated that "the Doctor soon became widely known and very popular, not only on account of his social qualities, but for his success in contending with the prevailing diseases, which were principally chills, bilious and intermittent fevers, etc. He visited his patients on horseback for many years, often riding long distances over rough roads or through forest paths, and many a time has seen deer and other wild animals not now found in this part of the country. During his long practice of forty-five years HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 275 he has had many varied experiences and has had to deal with many strange and difficult cases. The young doctor of today can have no idea of what the physicians of the past had to go through with in pioneer times." REGISTERED PHYSICIANS OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY. In accordance with the legislative act of February 27, 1896, "to regulate the practice of medicine in the state of Ohio" and requiring the filing with the clerk of the probate court of the county of the certificate of the state board of medical registration and examination of the physicians's fitness to practice medicine in the state, the following physicians have registered in Auglaize county, the list being set out with the name of the college from which the registrant was graduated, together with the date of graduation : Cicero Berlin, Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati, 1863 ; Colston L. Dine, same, 1886; Franklin C. Hunter, Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, 1872 ; J. A. Kussman, Medical College of Ohio 1889 ; Stephen B. Lusk, Starling Medical College, Columbus, 1888; John H. Nichols, Medical College of Ohio, 1872 ; Ernest B. Nichols, same, 1883 ; Nathan T. Noble, same, 1869 ; Rudolph A. Rulman, same, 1881; S. H. Sibert, Starling Medical College, 1881; Simpson M. Ekermeyer, Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, 1881; William Seth Turner, same, 1884 ; Edgar McCormick, Medical College of Ohio, 1888; J. Homer Schaeffer, same, 1891; Edward Marshall Phelps, same, 1896; arles H. Phelps, same, 1876 ; J. W. Hurlburt, Homeopathic College of Cleveland, 1877 ; E. R. Freeman, Pulte Medical College, Cincinnati, 1883 ; E. F. Everist, Medical College of Ohio, 1882; L. D. Bryan, Columbus Medical College, 1878 ; W. E. Schoonover, Pulte Medical College, 1885 ; J. E. Bayliff, same, Hirman Edgar Pintler, Hahneman Medical College, Chicago, 1895 ; Henry E. Fledderjohann, University of Pennsylvania, 1886; Peter Radebaugh, Miami Medical College, Cincinnati, 1887 ; Peter Van Trump, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1874 ; Rufus I. Kebs, Pennsylvania Medical College, Philadelphia, 1853 ; Bert Eugene Thomas, Ohio Medical Uni- 276 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY versity, 1893 ; Frank H. Anthony, Hahneman Medical College, 1893; C. W. Meely, no college given; Miltonum Jennea Longsworth, University of Michigan, 1896 ; Grant S. Staub Toledo Medical College, 1896; Joseph H. Fisher, no college given ; Isaac Elmer Williams, Kent School of Medicine, Louisvile, 1892 ; Charles H. Thomas, same, 1891; Henry S. Noble, same, 1893; S. Spencer Griffiths, Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, 1896 ; Carl Ludwig Mueller, University of Marburg, Hessen, Germany, 1886 ; Robert M. Sproul, Medical College of Ohio, 1880 ; John Michael Criley, Hahneman Medical College, Philadelphia, 1869 ; Wesley Turner, Starling Medical College, 1881. All of the above certificates were filed in the office of the probate court in 1896, the year in which the registration lair went into effect, and since then the following physicians have registered for practice in this county: Virginia Harley McKnight, Medical Department of the University of Michigan, 1873 ; Theodore Ambrose Campbell, Medical College of Ohio, 1897 ; Charles B. Cheser, Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, 1876 ; Joel Dubois Holston, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1896; Vallindingham Body, Starling Medical College, 1895, all of whom registered in 1897 ; H. M. Northam, Medical College of the University of Michigan, 1893 ; Charles Cicero Berlin, Medical College of Ohio, 1898 ; Alvin S. Thomas, Kentucky School of Medicine, Louisville, 1894 ; Fred Delbert Arthur, same, 1898 ; Jacob H. Heilman, Starling Medical College, 1897 ; B. E. Carlock, no college given; John P. Scheib, Pulte Medical College, Cincinnati, 1888 ; Walter Sherman Stuckey, Ft. Wayne (Ind.) College of Medicine, 1892 ; Harry G. Pyle, Cleveland University of Medicine and Surgery, 1894; G. Glen Frost, Homeopathic Hospital College, Cleveland, 1892 ; George Washington Chapman, Physio-Medical College, Chicago, 1897—all in 1898 ; James Malland Greenslade, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1899 ; Emanuel Reuben Fast, Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, 1899; Thomas E, Griffiths, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1869—all in 1899; Albert C. Goode, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1899; Charles H. Moor HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 277 Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1868 ; Thomas John Blakesley, Barnes Medical College, St. Louis, 1897 ; Burt Hibbard, Medical College, University of Buffalo, 1900; Charles William Mackenbach, Medical College of Ohio, 1900; Charles Thomas Ernsberger, Miami Medical College, Cincinnati, 1900; Frank Albie Shuffleton, Hahneman Medical College, Chicago, 1900— all in 1900; Jesse Franklin Conrad, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1901; William Henry Fesker, Medical College of Ohio, 1900; Ernest Mullen, Medical College of the University of Sewannee, Tennessee, 1894; William Irving Wood, Medical Department, Wooster University, 1888; Ion M. Pfauts, Ohio Medical University, 1898—all in 1901; J. F. Good, Columbus Medical College, 1880; Roy C. Hunter, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1902—all in 1902 ; Albert La Du Campbell, Medical College of Queens University, Ontario, 1889 ; Charles A. Straus- burg, Pulte Medical College, 1903 ; Robert C. Alexander, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk, Iowa, 1883 ; Ferdinand F. Fledderjohann, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 1903; Harry Bony Faulder, Cleveland Homeopathic College, 1901—all in 1903; Jackson Frank, Starling Medical College, 1904; James Merton Day, same, 1902; George W. Burner, Columbus Medical College, 1892—all in 1904; Benjamin Franklin Beardsley, Medical College of the University of Buffalo, 1865; Charles William Harbour, Miami Medical College, 1885 ; Guy Eugene Noble, Starling Medical College, 1905; Harvey Charles Maurer, Medical College of the University of Iowa, 1905 ; Charles Porter McKee, Starling Medical College, 1995; George Albert Havemann, Miami Medical College, 1905; L. Walter Naus, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1899 ; Edward Frederick Heffner, Medical College of Ohio, Cincinnati, 1904—all in 1905; Harvey Leslie Smith, Pulte Medical College, 1893; Richard D. Doughty, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1904; G. F. Starr, Baltimore University of Medicine and Surgery, 1889—in 1906; Jefferson L. Talbot, Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, 1867; Richard J. C. Eiche, Pulte Medical College, 1886; Augustine A. Baucraft, Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1869; William Heilman Hossler, Medi- 278 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY cal College of Ohio, 1907—in 1907; Augustus Lee Faler, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1905; Henry Joseph Gadenkauf, Ohio Medical University, 1907; Albert Andrew Dougherty, Starling Medical College, 1896—in 1908; Henry Louis Meckstroth, Jefferson Medical College, 1908; Oliver Hubbard Gibbs, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1891; Robert W. Sharp, same, 1873; Irwin Henry Boesel, Homeopathic Medical College of the -University of Michigan, 1909 ; George E. Brattain, Medical College of Ft. Wayne, 1882—in 1909 ; Andrew Robinson, Queens University, Kingston, Conn., 1895 ; Nettie B. Streight, College of Osteopathy, Des Moines, Iowa, 1905—in 1910; Chester L, Shimer, New York Homeopathic Medical College, 1883; Nathan Vernon Noble, Starling Medical College, 1911—in 1911; John Alvin Bolton (1912), Medical College of Western Reserve University, 1910; William Henry Tippie, Starling Medical College, 1895; William August Deerhake, School of Medicine, Indiana University, 1908; William A. Gaylord, Still College of Osteopathy, Des Moines, 1901—in 1913; Edmund Grothaus (1914), American School of Osteopathy Kirksville, Mo., 1914; William Anson Forrester (1915) Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, 1888; William E. Bloyer, Eclectic Medical Institute, 1879; 0. L, Mapes, no college given; Clarence Frederick Rulman, Medical College of the University of Ohio, 1915 ; Aldo -Vernon Sibert, same, 1915—in 1915 ; George Leslie Lyne (1916), Dartmouth Medical College, 1895; Charles Edwin Meekstroth (1920), Starling Medical College, 1914; John J. Han- more, Kentucky School of Medicine, 1884; George Benjamin Faulder, Medical Department of the University of Michigan, 1914, and Fred Blaukner, Marion-Sims College of Medicine, St. Louis, 1916 in 1921. Some of the names above set out perhaps may not be recognized in the community, no doubt some of the physicians thus registering having been traveling or transient practitioners temporarily in the county and who registered as a mere legal formality. The great majority, however, are the names of men who have become important factors in the HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 279 community and this roster therefore will have value in the years to come. THE AUGLAIZE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY. In 1904, largely through the energetic efforts of Dr. Carl L. Mueller, of Wapakoneta, the Auglaize County Medical Society was organized. This society has been a continuing force for good hereabout since then and undoubtedly has been largely beneficial in its operations. Since the organization of this society the following names have been included in the necrology of the society, members who have died since then: C, H. Phelps and B. E. Thomas, of St. Marys ; E. R. Freeman and E. M. Phelps, of Wapakoneta ; M. S. Ekermeyer, of New Bremen; R. W. Sharp, of Buckland; J. W. Hurlburt, of Uniopolis; J. W. Turner, of Santa Fe; G. N. Rulmann, of Minster, and J. M. Day, of Waynesfield. The present (1922) members of this society are H. S. Noble, F. A. Shuffleton, I. E. Williams, G. E. Noble, C. P. McKee, J. E. Heap and V. N. Noble, all of St. Marys; C. C. Berlin, T. A. Campbell, H. B. Faulder, G. B. Faulder, E. F. Heffner, R. C. Hunter, C. L. Mueller, G. B. Nichols, W. S. Stuckey and G. L. Lyne, of Wapakoneta ; H. E. Fledderjohann and C. E. Meckstroth, of New Knoxville ; F. F. Fledderjohann and H. G. Rawers, of New Bremen; C. L. Dine, R. A. Rulmann and H. J. Gudenkauf, of Minster; S. H. Sibert, of Freyburg; J. E. Bayliff, of Uniopolis; J. H. Schaffer, of Cridersville; W. E. Bloyer and Doctor Burnett, of Buckland, and J. H. Heileman, of Waynesfield. There are two practicing physicians in the county who are not affiliated with the medical society, H. Henmore, of Waynesfield, and C. A. Strassburg, of Cridersville. Dr. Carl L. Mueller, of Wapakoneta, for years the executive secretary and "mainspring" of the county medical society, sometimes drops into verse in making up the programs for the meetings of the society. In connection with the meeting held at Wapakoneta in December, 1906, the Doctor's con- 280 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE. COUNTY freres were much taken with the following from his versatile pen, submitted under the title of : THE MESSAGE OF WAUGHPAUGHKONAUGHTAUGH. On the banks of the Auglaize stream Where the sycamores are murmuring And the willow trees are chanting Of old bygone days and struggles, Of true love and Indian hatred, Stood the grim old Indian warrior, Stood the great Waughpaughkonaughtaugh, And assembled close around him Were his battle-proven tribesmen. After offering silent prayers To the great and mighty Spirit, After bowing in devotion To the east where sun arises, The great Chieftain spoke as follows : Warriors, tribesmen, friends and brothers, Tried and proven, battlescarred, Proven to be true and loyal; Long since Indian war has ceased Tomahawk and knife are rusty And no longer scalps are dangling From the belts of fighting redmen, Withered is the bow, the trusty, And the only thing remaining Is the calumet the peaceful. Times have changed and now the whitemen Cannot live in peace together. The great spirit has appeared In a vision to your Chieftain And has told of whitemens' struggles, Of the medicine-mens' quarrels, How they try to fight each other, How they follow Indian methods, HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 281 And are hunting scalps of others. Not with knife or bloody weapons, But they scalp by words and actions. The great spirit gave me orders To go on a peaceful mission And to call them all together In my wigwam for the twentieth Of the month of ice and snowstorms Of the month when days are shortest. To create harmonious feeling And subdue obnoxious passions. You go forth now with this message, Bring it eastward, west and northward, Bring it southward, and wherever Medics may have settled down, Tell them that the day just named Brings addition to their knowledge, Brings enjoyment to their hearts, And the blessings of true friendship, And must therefore be observed By all Sawbones nearby, faroff, By all Cure 'ems, by all Kill 'ems. They must lay aside their satchels, They must let alone their pills, They must only think of Wapak. On this great illustrious day, They shall come to meet their brothers, They shall learn to love them all. And the calumet the peaceful Shall be in supreme command. They shall all come here to listen To the flowing words of wisdom From the lips of learned men. On sending out notices concerning the meeting of the society held at St. Marys in January, 1909, that being in the days before "the act of distillation, and also that of fermenta- 282 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY tion" had been placed under official ban, Doctor Mueller included the following bit of polysyllabic versification as a supplementary inducement for the members to attend: St. Marys is your destination For Thursday's great jollification Of The Auglaize Med. Association. This meeting is a great creation Consisting of a combination (Or, if you please, amalgamation), And is for friendly recreation, And for your wisdom's augmentation. As we accept no resignation; Be sure to come for presentation, And you will hear of palpitation, And of the latest transplantation, And up-to-date sterilization, Of sounds that mean regurgitation, And of the needed compensation, Of grave and serious dislocation, And defective articulation, Of our foods' assimilation, And points of identification, Of all the germs' annihilation, Of frequent painful urination, And of old-fashioned constipation, And all the best recommendation, Against all evil machination, And you will hear some great oration, And of displaced imagination, And need of quick organization, And of all needed legislation, But if this poem's bad compilation, Should cause profound mortification, Do not succumb to quick prostration, And do not get in consternation, As there is still in store salvation, Thanks to the act of distillation, And also that of fermentation; But if too much of imbuation, Should bring about hallucination, Then we will call for Carrie Nation. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 283 THE AUGLAIZE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH LEAGUE. In the spring of 1922 a number of public spirited men and women representing all sections of the county met at the office of City Health Commissioner Mueller at Wapakoneta and set on foot a movement which presently resulted in the organization and recognition by the Ohio State Public Health Association of a local branch of the affiliated health leagues of the state, which have to do with the promotion of the general public health movements which have become accepted forms of social activity in many parts of the state. The local league adopted the form of constitution prescribed for such organizations and elected officers and a board of directors to have charge of the activities of the association in Auglaize county and the state association issued a charter to the Auglaize County Health League. The officers of this league are as follows: President, Albert Herzing of St. Marys; vice-president, John W. Brackney; treasurer, J. F. Moser, and executive secretary, Dr. C. L. Mueller, of Wapakoneta. The primary object of this county league is the dissemination of knowledge concerning the prevention of diseases, with particular reference to the prevention of tuberculosis, to promote the cause of public health in the county, to become a constituent member of the Ohio Public Health Association and to co-operate with State and local authorities, thus encouraging and supporting all official work for the prevention of diseases and to secure proper legislation along this line. These activities include the encouragement of the establishment of hospitals, sanitaria and dispensaries, the holding of clinics and arrangements of nursing service, as well as the study of conditions regarding the prevalence of preventable diseases, especially tuberculosis, in the county. The initial board of directors of the league in this county follows: Mrs. Ida Barber, Salem township ; P. E. Blank, Waynesfield ; Dr. W. E. Bloyer, Buckland; H. D. Bowsher, Logan township ; John W. Brackney, Clay township ; Mark E. Brewer, Noble township ; B. Brockman, New Bremen; G. C. Chronic, Buckland; Henry 284 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Detjen, Moulton township ; Amos Dowty, St. Marys township: Carl D. Fisher, Jr., Wapakoneta ; Mrs. Fred C. Garber, Noble township ; Charles E. Green, Union township; Dr. J. E. Heap, St. Marys ; Albert Herzing, St. Marys; Chester Howell, Pusheta township ; Elmer Jordan, New Bremen; Earl Kent, St. Johns; Mrs. August Kruse, Moulton township; Mrs. E. C. Kuenzel, New Bremen; Henry Kuhlman, New Knoxville ; Miss Loretta Laufersweiler, Minster; Herman Laut, New Bremen ; J. F. Moser, Wapakoneta ; Mrs. E. H. Moser, Wapakoneta; Dr. Carl L. Mueller, Wapakoneta; Dr. C. P. McKee, St. Marys; J. E. McNoughton, New Hampshire; Mrs. H. S. Noble, St. Marys; O. E. Pepple, Wayne township; Mrs. T. E. Reed, St. Marys township ; F. J. Rinehart, Uniopoplis; George Roess, Cridersville ; Dr. R. A. Rulmann, Minster; Mrs. Grover Sammetinger, Pusheta township ; Mrs. R. K, Schultz, Wapakoneta; Mrs. F. M. Smith, St. Marys; Mrs. Fred South, New Knoxville ; Miss Thecla Stueve, Wapakoneta ; and Mrs. Thomas A. White, St. Marys. The county public health leagues are parts of the state association and are nation-wide institutions. As was remarked when the Auglaize County Public Health League was organized, "they have come to stay." The executive committee of the local league is composed as follows : Albert Herzing, H. D. Bowsher, J. W. Brackney, Ben Brockman, Dr. C. P. McKee, J, F. Moser, Dr. C. L. Mueller, F. J. Rinehart and Dr R. A, Rulmann. A well equipped free emergency hospital in the Hunter block at Wapakoneta, established years ago by Dr. Franklin C. Hunter and open to all physicians in the county, has long proved its usefulness in emergency cases. Doctor Hunter started in practice in 1872 and has many an interesting story of the discomforts attending practice hereabout in the days when oftimes the roads were impassable even for a horse, much less for a buggy or "sulky," and when not infrequently this condition led to long tramps through the fields and woods in order to reach a patient at some distant point within the range of the physician's practice. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 285 Dr. J. Morton Howell, of Dayton, Ohio, who in the summer of 1922 was appointed by President Harding to represent the United States as minister to the court of the khedive of Egypt, is a native of Auglaize county, reared at Waynesfield, and has for years ranked well up in the front of the medical profession in Ohio. Doctor Howell received his early medical schooling at Wapakoneta under the capable preceptorship of Dr. Henry L. Mann, who in the '80s of the past century was not only one of the leading physicians of that city but had attained a reputation as a practitioner which extended widely throughout the state. Many years ago Doctor Mann moved to Washington, D. C., where he became engaged in practice and where he still resides. |