The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-07-02
MEDICAL PRACTICE
And Medical Men In tae Early Days
of stark County.
Read at Last Meeting Of the Galen Club
, and Published by Request.

menceu IN lcOO--oO years ago. Durlng tne
succeeding three years, the accession
reached not less than one thousand. Up
70 that time, there was not physician
within reach.
In case of accident or sickness, the
friends were compelled TO rely upon them
selves for relief.
The FIRST case of sickness and death was
that of James Culbertson, October lsOo.
He was a member OF Leonard's surveying 4
corps, stationed at the Spring Immediate
ly north of the Fair Grounds. Tie was in
clined TO dissipate, and while on visit to
an Indian trading post at the mouth OF
Sandy, INDUCED too freely in tire-water
and subsequent exposure brought on
pneumonia with which he died. His mess.
mates administered warm teas made from
roots and herbs, applied hot lamentations
over his CHESTNUT he died, evidently of
congestion OF the lungs, ne the case term
mated in four days.
A son of John Bowers, living about three
miles east of the station, was taken with
fever. The scattered neighbors-"few
and far hctweeuN-were on hand to adj
minister as best they could to the relief Of
the patient. In charity l can believe they
did no harm, unless II was in denying the
suffering patient cold drink and fresh air
The question was discussed of sending to
Steubenville for a physician-the nearest
known within rcach-hut the want OF ma
terial aid, compelled the idea to be aban-
doued.
llt llThN case tl tNIRtINt WIS luhb OF
Phillip Smith, which occurred in the same
neighborhood. While at work in the
clearing, he was struck by falling limb,
and his leg fractured in two places. A
consultation was called of the best heads
within reach, and a sensible plan Of ac-
ton decided upon. The leg was adjusted
as near as possible, 20 its natural shape,
and held in that position by means of elm
bark, wound around with withes. The
patient was addicted to occasional indul- |
T.. Hi. 4.
in bed, he begged for dram this excited |
thirst for more, and he compelled his |
wife to furnish him what lac wanted. A |
witness coguizaut Of the fact (Benj. Cans, |
who died but few weeks since) told me |
that during his six weeks confinement to |
bed, he drank six gallons of whiskey. II |
should be mentioned, that the whiskey Of |
that day, was a different article from the |
mixture of the fusal oil manufactured at |
the present day, In due time, the splints |
were removed, and the leg to all appear
ance restored to its former usefulness.
The wife of John Matthews, residing on
Market street, between Seventh and
Eighth, died in childbed in the winter Of
1SU1-S. Her remains were the first inferred
in the graveyard on Plum street The
child was the first born in Canton.
Cases of obstetrics were attended by
women in the neigbb0rhood, who had
the largest experience in that line.
Grandmother ShOgb was the first profess
blOhal lllll "lIe To enter the Held She |
came in 1907, and maintained 4 monopoly |
of the business uuul forced by the innrm-
aties OF age to retire, which was long after |
physicians had located in town. can see
the good woman yet on her early morning
YisitatioDs, going from house to house ut a
uatcb mace, carrying a large bag, believing
Witt 9th. small boys, that it was her mis-.
sion to hrina babies 70 those who wanted
them.
In every settlement, there were those
who made pICtentipus to q knowledge of |
disease and It's treatment. They had no
idea OF principles in practice, but had nc
CURED routine System which they con- !
sidereQ applicable TO all Clses-likg Hahn |
emanH the founder OF Homeopathy, and |
Pricssuitz with his water cure, though not
iR!ng the same means, 10 was the same |
principle that governed he prlcucc-it
was bleed, phy.ic and p0u.ticc. No mat !
ter whether th patient was kicked by |
horse, had q faInunE iit or tEC itch, all the |
same; he or she must be bled, then |
physcbe ed "to cqua'iZe the circu!ation ana
remove the uecCant natter" as nave
often heard noted quaCk express Il. II
that vigorous treatment did not cure, then, |
were all parties rcconCi|gd to the issue, !
believing the tune had come when the |
patient had TO die, as Il was so toreordain-
ed from the beginning.
The early settlers OF Stark county, at
least those in tue neghborhOod of Canton,
were from Pennsylvania, and OF Ger
man descent. They we're not much
in favor of education, but had
an idea, that too much learning
was calculated TO wean the person from
work-made them proud and lazy. With
this ignorance and prejudice came the
superstition, and hence were they inclined
to believe in witchcraft, and give credence |
to all sort of absurd notions about sickness
and its treatment. There was general |
disposition TO believe in the efficacy o.
words, especially If spoken in German
and interlarded with scriptural quotations. |
There are those who would undertake to
stop bleeding, arrest felon, take out
poison, remove the pain of burn, cure
cancer and do many other strange ana
wonderful feats by words alone. 1t was
the faith cure under different name:
The prevalent diseases of this localityin
early days we're OF zymotic origin, fever
and ague, bilious fever and dysentery.
The remedy for ague was boneset OF dog
wood. II that failed, peruvian bark in
tablespoon full doses. Quinine was then
unknown.
There was an infatuation, popular at
that time, that women enceinte should be
periodically bled at least once month, |
during the period of INTERPRETATION. The
idea was that il would make labor less
severe. There were complaints common
ilfty and sixty years ago OF which we sell
'iom hear mention at the present day,
among them were worms, itch, and "liyer
crown" with nursing children, especially
Of German birth.
The first physician to settle in Canton
was DR.. Andrew Rappe. be was born in
Paris, France, but obtained his medical
education in Frankforton-the-M Main. He
came to America in 1905, landing in Balti-
more, where he remained about year
and then came to Steubenville, the Ohio
river then being considered the western
border Of civilization. Here he remained
until 1908, when he came to Canton. He
soon acquired large practice, which ex-
tended over large territory, de made
an eye salye which went by the name OF
0Rappe's Invaluable Eye Salve,n that &C.
uuired an extensive reputation in the
treatment of certain forms Of infiamma-
tory troubles of the lids.
incident occurred at his funeral
which created considerable talk at
the time, may be mentioned.
Mrs. Rappe was Catholic, and her
father, John Shorb, had donated the
ground upon which the first Catholic
church was erected, and had a family
burial ground adjoining. In this ground
DIR. Rappe was inferred. AT that day the
corpse was borne upon bier TO the place
OF interment upon the shoulders OF men,
the mourners and friends following the
.-ocession on foot A hearse and car
age had not then come into use. Soon
Ter the procession started from the
90 use, a gander was observed In front,
d, rching as stately as militia captain
4, ding his company. Several efforts
s. 20 made 10 drive him away, but he in
yariably returned to the head OF the col. |
unn, and continued there until the burial |
place was reached. Dr.Rappe was known, |
TO be skeptic, a follower of sPythagoras |
and believed in the transmigration OF |
souls, and the remark was made thatlthe |