The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-04-04

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l was born on a farm eight miles out
from Brutusville and 1 expect to live
IN this county all my life I've been
practclns medicine here now for a lit
tie more than thirty years. 1t has
not been exciting, but l have had a
pretty good time after ALL I've got q
lot of friends who would go a good
way for me. That's one consolation
and, since I'm writing behind a screen
or anonymity, l may say that 1 feel
have my share OF good in the world.
It's a great pleasure to be able to be
really honest in saying what you think
without the least chance of being
caught at it.
My folks did a great deal for me. l
owe more to them than to anybody
else. Father was not a rich farmer,
but when he proposed that I should
go to college I jumped at his PROPOSE
ton with all the selflshness and
thoughtlessnesS Of youth. Here was
my opportunity and I accepted it Gag
erly, without thinking of the sacri-
fees on my parents part which the de-
cision involved.
In my second year at college I dis
covered that 7 wanted to be a ply
stefan. That meant three years more
study after 1 had taken my degree as
bachelor Of arts. Even that did not
end It, Three years at a medical col
lege and one in a New York hospital
only prepared me for a couple of years
in Europe. I was actually selfish
enough to propose that myself and
my father and mother concealed their
disappointment and insisted that I
must do it. They were determined
that should have every opportunity.
I went to Europe and spent not two
but three years in Vienna and Berlin.
1t was there that I came to my senses.
Perhaps 1t was because when I first
went over I was so homesick that I
came to see what my folks had done
for me and how utterly selfish I had
been in taking all they had offered.
At any rate I did grow to realize it
and I determined to do what I could
to make it up to them, so far as was
able.
Again I am glad that I am anony-
nous, for it allows me to say that
when 1 did finally sail for New York
I was better equipped to begin the
practice Of my profession than are
more than nine-tenths Of the young
doctors at the age of 81. I had even
made a few little discoveries of my
own and had made my name fairly
we'll known by series Of articles on
contagious diseases in the medical
Journals of both Europe and America.
It was not surprising. therefore, that
I should get an offer from a prominent
physician of New York Offering to take
me into partnership. 1t was a f1atter-
ing offer, for the man had huge prac-
tice and it took no wise man to see
that New York would be for many
years the greatest field in the coun-
try for a physician, no matter wheth-
er 1t is looked at from the standpoint
OF q financial success or purely pro-
fessional reputation.
Before gave him an answer went
on to the old home in Iowa. OF course,
father and mother were both proud
out that they expected me to settle
down to practice in Brutusville. We
were driving through the town one
afternoon when father pointed out a
second story room in the opera house
block opposite the court house and
said shyly: John, don't you think that
would make good location for a doc
tors officer" That was enough. If I
had announced my offer to go to New
York they would have urged me to
accept and would have hidden their
sorrow in their pride. But it would
have broken both their hearts, for they
wanted me at home after all these
years. Fortunately saw it all plainly
and I made up my mind that would
liOI QlSdppOl1t IueII 30 SAID nOIu-
ing about the New Yorker who wanted
to take me into partnership and week
later signed the lease Of the office
father had pointed out for q term Of
two years.
OF course It was slow work. The
people about Brutsvtlle had never read
or heard of the medical journals in
which my essays had appeared, except
as they had been shown about by my
fond old mother, and even then 1t did
not mean much to them. My discover
les in the handling Of contagious dis
eases had little effect except to rather
brighten the few poole who had heard
of them. Even the other doctors were
rather suspicious of me than otherwise
would be at the last to decry the vir-
tues cf the country doctor. AS q rule
he is most unselfish and useful man
in every community. But thirty years
ago he was not likely to be as much
OF student and as fully abreast OF
the times as he is today.
I remember one old doctor In Brutus-
Vile when located there. He was q
natural born physician, and what he
lacked in knowledge OF the new dis
coyeries in his profession was more
than made up by his native shrewd-
ness and common sense. His presence
in the sickroOzn was always like a
breath OF fresh air. He was always
cheerful ana never failed to look on
the bright side Q. everything. 1 re-