HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY - 309 (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) CHAPTER XXV DOCTORS AND DENTISTS Dr. George Anderson was educated at the University of Pennsylvania under the instructions of Dr. Rush and came to Venice in 1817, before Sandusky was settled. In 1818 he came to this town which then had only a half dozen families and boarded in the first frame house that was built by W. B. Smith. His practice covered a large part of Erie and Ottawa counties. He was also a very active politician, and was one of the first directors of the Mad River Railroad, and one of the seven voters who voted for Jackson when he was first elected. He was also a great friend of General Cass. Dr. Anderson died during the first cholera epidemic. The Clarion of May 7, 1825, contains an advertisement by Dr. A. H. Brown, who had his office at A. Root's Tavern, which was afterwards the Portland House. Dr. John W. Russell came to the town in the spring of 1828, and left in the fall following. Dr. T. Davis advertises in the Clarion of August 29, 1829, that his office is opposite Victor's Tavern. This was where the Townsend House stood later. In 1831 he was joined in partnership by his brother J. Davis, who advertised himself as a dentist. Another pioneer in the profession was Dr. Jeremiah S. Cochran, who came to Sandusky in 1832, just at the time of the first cholera outbreak, and rendered efficient service during its continuance. He had his office with F. D. Parish, who was the second lawyer in Sandusky. Dr. Cochran died in July, 1845. The Clarion of January 6, 1844, contains an advertisement of Dr. I.. P. Randall with his office in the old Portland House. January 6, 1844, the Clarion published a notice that Drs. Aaron Austin, E. S. Lane and I. P. Randall had formed a partnership for the practice of medicine. On August 29, 1845, Charles Cochran, son of Dr. J. S. Cochran, advertises that he will practice medicine with his office on the square in front of the Congregational Church. On September 26, 1845, the Clarion contains an advertisement of a house to rent occupied by Dr. N. B. Welper. Dr. J. N. Winslow advertises in the Clarion of October 3, 1845, that his office is on Water Street opposite the postoffice. On April 17, 1846, Dr. J. J. Grassman advertises that he has removed his office to his house on the corner of Decatur and Adam streets. 310 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY On January 1, 1849, Dr. A. Brainard advertises in the Clarion that his office is at the corner of Fulton and Washington streets. Dr. Elwood Stanley came here during the cholera epidemic of 1849 and rendered efficient service during that and the subsequent cholera periods. Dr. George Hastings applied the healing art to the people of Groton Township as early as 1810. He died in 1864. In Perkins Dr. Richard P. Christopher performed a like service commencing in 1815, and in Milan were Doctors Goodwin and Guthrie. Waitsell Hastings commenced the practice of medicine in Oxford Township as early as 1811, but he afterwards moved to Parkertown, a hamlet of Groton Township, where he died. Doctor Strong succeeded Doctor Hastings in Oxford, and was in turn himself succeeded by Doctor Carpenter. The latter subsequently moved West, and Dr. George Carpenter took his place. Dr. Isaac Rogers, a botanical physician, also practiced in Oxford. At Huron Dr. Anslem Guthrie located in 1813, but after four years removed to Canada. Doctor McCrea, a former resident of New Jersey, practiced in Huron Township at a very early day. Dr. Charles H. Leggett came here in 1830 and practiced in the village about two years. He was drowned in the Huron River in 1833. Dr. George S. Haskins settled at Huron in 1832, and Dr. Joseph Caldwell in 1833. The first physician of Berlin Township was Dr. George S. Baker, who located here in 1822. Dr. Xenophon Phillips, Doctor Guthrie, Doctor Harkness, Doctor Fay, Dr. Daniel Butler, also David Butler-the latter a "root and herb" physician-practiced here, but all were not resident practitioners. Among others of later years were Prof. L. B. Hill and Dr. George S. Hill. In Margaretta Doctor Hartshorne established at Venice as early as 1817 ; Dr. Samuel Carpenter at Castalia in 1824, and at the same place Dr. M. J. Morseman came in 1836. Drs. James F, Wilson, R. C. Luce and J. D. McKim were also quite early physicians of Margaretta. Doctor Strong seems to have been the pioneer of the profession in Vermillion. Dr. A. E. Merrill, formerly probate judge of the county, and F. C. McConnelly were settlers of a later day. MEDICAL SOCIETIES On the 10th of April, 1824, an order was promulgated by the press (the old Clarion) for the formation of a medical society. This was at a time when Erie County was included within the territorial limits of Huron, and at a time when the idea of establishing such a county as Erie was unconceived. The order read as follows: "Medical Notice.—Pursuant to an act to incorporate medical societies for the purpose of regulating the practice of physic find surgery in this State, I hereby notify the medical. gentlemen, resident in the counties of Richland, Huron, Lorain, Sandusky and Seneca, that a meeting will be holden at Norwalk, the last Tuesday of May next, at 10 o'clock A. M., for the purpose of organizing a medical society agreeable to said HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY - 311 act. It is expected that there will be a general attendance of physicians of this district, as the eleventh section of the act provides that no person, other than members of one of the medical societies in this State, shall be permitted to practice physic or surgery after the 1st of July next. "Norwalk, April 10, 1824. DANIEL TILDEN. " ' At a meeting of the society held in 1830, a resolution was adopted approving of the efforts then being made for the suppression of intemperance. During the year Dr. George Anderson was the president, but no further mention of the proceedings of this society are found, and it is probable that the organization was not maintained much later than the year 1830. ERIE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY The Erie County Medical Society was the outgrowth of a meeting of physicians held in Sandusky on the 6th of April, 1850, at the office of Dr. E. S. Lane. Of this meeting Dr. Daniel Tilden was chosen chairman and Dr. E. Lauderdale secretary. This gathering was wholly informal and the main business transacted was the declaration of intention to organize the society, and the appointment of a committee on constitution and by-laws, as follows: Dr. E. S. Lane, Robert R. McMeens, C. Cochran and E. Lauderdale of Sandusky, Doctor Galpin of Milan, Doctor Caldwell of Huron and Doctor Wilson of Castalia. The constitution and by-laws were adopted and the society organized on the 13th of April, 1850. The first officers were Dr. Daniel Tilden, president ; Dr. E. S. Lane, secretary. The original members of the society were Drs. Daniel Tilden, Sr., Aaron Austin, E. S. Lane, Robert R. McMeens, E. Lauderdale and Charles Cochran. From that time the society received acquisitions in membership and was productive of much good, both to the members and the people of the county. The society continued in a prosperous condition for something over ten years, until the breaking out of the war, and thenceforth it seems to have suffered with the general disintegration, not only of societies, but of parties and all manner of civil associations. From 1861 to 1870 but few meetings were held and no proceedings were entered on the records of the society. In 1870 the society was again brought together, mainly to take some action upon the occasion of the death of Doctor Tilden, which occurred during that year, but since 1861 the society has never been as strong as at and prior to that time. Physicians and surgeons of the present time : Henry B. Beatty, Emily Blakeslee, Chester B. Bliss, G. H. Boehmer, William A. Crecelius, Harry B. Frederick, Edwin Gillard, Charles Graefe, Henry Graefe, Jr., William Graefe, James S. Hanson, William D. Hower, R. B. Hubbard, C. R. Knoble, Ferdinand Leblicq, John S. McClelland, George P. Maxwell, Charles H. Merz, James D. Parker, Hiram D. Peterson, Clarerice Schimansky, Fred Schoepfle, Henry C. Schoepfle, Parker F. Southwick, William S. Walker. 312 - HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY DENTISTRY The Register of June 15, 1890, quotes an old resident as saying: "I can well remember the time when there were no dentist in Sandusky. The barbers in those times did all the dental work. They pulled the teeth with the old-fashioned screws and clamps, and the person who was so unfortunate as to be obliged to avail himself of the services of the hardhearted tooth jerkers suffered more agony during the operation than he would today having his leg taken off without an anesthetic. I remember when a man came into a barber's shop to have an enormous fang jerked out. His face was swollen frightfully from toothache and his eyes were bloodshot from loss of sleep. He was in great agony and wanted his tooth pulled instantly, regardless of consequence. The barber pried the man's mouth open to the fullest extent, looked at the tooth and remarked it would be a tough job. The owner of the thumping, jumping fang insisted it must come out, so the barber prepared for the struggle, I am not exaggerating when I say the first tool he produced looked like a pair of modern ice tongs. He placed the victim in a barber's chair, inserted the tongs in his mouth, adjusted the clamps to the tooth, told his assistant to hold his head down firmly, braced his feet against the chair, and pulled with all his strength. The tooth broke off, releasing the clamps, the barber, fell backwards on the floor, while his victim emitted the most unearthly howls ever heard from a human being. He sprang from his chair and, just as the barber got to his feet, attacked him. Bystanders interfered and prevented a fight. The victim finally cooled down, and a few minutes later an instrument with a screw in one end and flanked by clamps was twisted into the tooth, and by the combined efforts of the barber and an assistant the refractory tooth was finally lifted out amid the howls and groans of the victim, whose gums and mouth were badly lacerated." Unless the narrator referred to some temporary want of dentists he had a good memory, for the first dentist came to Sandusky in the early '30s. The Clarion of January 1, 1831, contains the advertisement of two doctors, J. and T. Davis, one of whom advertises he will act as dentist and the other says he will engage in the general practice. The Clarion of July 30, 1843, contains the advertisement of Dr. William P. Thompson, a dentist. He is closely followed by Dr. R. L. Mills, March 1, 1845, with office at the Steamboat Hotel. Dr. M. F. Delano has an ad. in the issue of October 5, 1844, with office in the old postoffice. He was here as late as 1855 and later had an office in his residence on Market Street near the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In 1849 he spent the summer on the farm of the father of Mrs. Samuel Irvine in Margaretta Township, J. W. Aiken came next, with an office over S. W. Butler's store. He owned the house now occupied by Arthur Gallagher, in the West End, which was used as the Children 's Home in the cholera time of 1849. On September 11, 1849, L. T. Dryer advertises his office opposite the Veranda Hotel. In 1866 the firm of Tate & Stroud were Sandusky dentists. In 1867 the dentists were C. T. & C. E. Stroud, E. J. Waye and D. F. Wemple. In 1873 S. G. Ashcroft, C. T. Stroud; Waye & Reid and D. F. HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY - 313 Wemple were the dentists, and in 1874 Stroud & Wilson, Wemple & Sage and E. J. Waye were the fraternity. Reid was the father of the author of "Human Hearts." Later J. S. Chandler was for many years a Sandusky dentist. Dentists of the present time : J. K. Douglas, A. W. Miller, H. F. Chandler, Charles E. Stroud, D. F. Meyer, H. S. Rogers, W. F. Palmer, T. J. Maher, J. F. Schellert, R. A. Weckesser, Clarence D. Peck, John T. Nicholson, J. E. Herman, A. W. Nicholson, D. D. Smith, F. R. Ross, W. B. Daly.