The daily star-mirror., 1923-03-20
SAYS ALL IN Days PRACTICE
Unusually Heavy Shows This Winter
In New England Impose Severe
Hardships on Country Doctor
Use of Snowshoes Common.
Did you ever think of the
country doctor as hero?
Don't you think this one real
one7

| North Adams, Mass-In this winter
Of heavy SHOWS in New England, the
| country doctor has been subjected tt
| unusual hardships. With hill roads
blocked by drifts for days, and some
times weeks at time, he has had to
resort to many expedients to reach pa
tents in isolated farmhouses The use
of snowshoes has been common and
one physician had built a special ski
runner equipment for his motorcar.
One of the outstanding feats of per-
severance in the face Of difficulty and
danger was that of Dr. John II. Riley,
the oldest physician in this city. The
January snowfall in North Adams was
80 inches, and in the outlying towns
among the Berkshire mountains the
wind swept the snow into huge drifts.
Early one evening, when blizzard
was raging Doctor Riley was notified
that little girl was apparently dying
from pneumonia in a farmhouse on the
side of Florida mountain. A boy who
had managed to work his way down
over the half-broken-out roads In an
automobile brought the word.
Starts UP on Foot.
Doctor Riley Immediately started out
with the boy In the car. A high wind
was blowing and when they reached
an exposed point on the main highway,
the snow had drifted so badly that the
car stalled. The physician, wearing q
heavy fur overcoat and carrying his
medicine case, started on foot up the
toward the farmhouse, sew
eral miles distant. On his way he met
two men walking down. They urged
him to turn back, declaring that he
could not get through the storm alive.
He refused.
After he had gone some distance the |
10Y, who had succeeded in starting the
ar, overlook him. They were able to
lrive to a schOolhouse, a mile and
lalf from the farm where the girl was
wing ILL., There they ran into drifts
hat stopped all further progress. The
highway to the farmhouse from this
'oint was hidden under snow many
eet deep and Doctor Riley, familiar
18th the region, struck into a wood
Dad where the forest provided some
from the gale
Misses the Trail.
Plodding along slowly he suddenly
2und he had missed the trail, and
rought up against barbed wire
ance. He followed the line Of the
snce for some distance, but could not
elocate the wood road. He was almost
Exhausted and was on the point of
iscarding his overcoat to tighten his
urden when he saw the light Of
yinging lantern. He shouted but I
le sound of his voice was drowned
' the wind He stumbled toward the 5
ght and finally came up with the {
carer of the lantern. young woman
the sick child's family. She had
,ntured out in the hope of meeting
m. If
After Doctor Riley had done all he
,uld for the sick girl he borrowed
v clothing walked down the trail to
e schoolhouse and came back to
orth Adams with the boy in the au- =
mobile. He had been at home but
few minutes when another call came
r him. A woman was dying In
arksburg, several miles distant. He
arted out without hesitation and was
lie to make this trip in his car When
got back, long after midnight, he re
IS nearly wornout from his expert I'll
ces, but the next day he was attend az
Z -,