The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-04-25
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TIE COUNTRY DOCTOR


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was born on farm eight miles
out from Brutusvlle and ! expect to
live in this county all my life. rye
been practicing medicine here now for
a little more than thirty years. Il HIS
not be, exciting. but have had q
pretty ood time after all. I've got .
lot Of riends here who would go q
good way for me. That's one consola.
ton. and since I'm writing behind q
screen Of anonymity, ! may say that }
feol have my share of good in the
world.
My folks did great deal for me. J
eve more to them than 10 anybody
else. Father was not rich farmer
but when he proposed that should &c
to college | jumped at the proposition
with all the selhshness and thought.
fulness of youth.
In my second year at college ! dis.
1 covered that | wanted to be a physician
That meant three years more stu j
after had taken my degree as - On,
elor of arts. Even that did not end it
Three years at a medical college and
one in a New York hospital only pre-.
paved me for couple OF years IL
Europe. was actually selfish enough
70 propose that myself and my father
and mother concealed this disappoint.
ment and insisted that | must do Il
They were determined that shoulc
lave every opportunity.
went to Europe and spent not tw,
but three years in Vienna and Berlin
II was there that ] came to my senses
Perhaps il was because when fra
went over | was so homesick that
came to see what my folks had don,
for me and how utterly selfish ] hst
been in taking all they had offered A.
any rate did grow to realize il and
determined to do what could 10 max,
it up to them, so lar as was able.
Again. I am glad that : am anony
nous. for it allows me to say that wher
! did finally sail for New York / wa
better equipped to begin the practic,
Of my profession than are more thar
nine-tenths Of the young doctors a
The age of %. ] had even made fe :
little discoveries of my own and ha,
made my name fairly well known BY !
series of articles on contagious dis
eases in the medical journals Of boz
Europe and America. 1t was not sur
prising, therefore, that ! should get al
offer from a prominent physician o
New York offering to take me in part
nership. 1t was a ilattellng offer, 70
the man had huge practice and I
took no wise man to see that New
York would be for many years th'
greatest field in the country for
physician, no matter whether it i
! locked at from the standpoint Of
! financial success or purely professiona
I reputation.
Before | gave him an answer I wen
on to the old home in Iowa OF course
father end mother were both proud AM
delighted to see me. soon found on
Tat they expected me TO settle dowI
70 practice in Brutusvfle. We wer
driving through the town one after
room when father pointed out second
story room in the opera house blocl
opposite the court house. aud said
slyly: John. don't You think tina
would make good location for
doctors Office" That was enough
| had announced my offer to 90 to Ney
York they would have urged me T.
accept, and would have hidden thei
sorrow in their pride. But it woul
have broken their hearts, for the
wanted me at home after these years
Fortunately saw it all plainly, and
made up my mind that ! would no
dlsappoint them. SO said nothiE
about the New York man who wante
TO take me into partnership, and
week later signed the lease Of tn
office father had pointed out for
term Of two years.
OF course, II was slow work. Th
people about Brutusville had neve
read or heard of the medical journal
in which my esays had appeared, el
Cept as they had been shown about b
my fond old mother, and even then
cid not mean much to them. My dis
coyeries in the handling of contagiou
diseases had little effect except to ratl
er frighten the lew people who ha
heard Of them. Even the other doctor
were rather suspicious Of Inc tha
otherwise / would be the last 10 d
cry the virtues Of the country doctor