Lafayette County, Missouri - Chapter 14: The Medical Profession in Lafayette County, 1910

Chapter 14: The Medical Profession in Lafayette County

In looking into the history of the men who were the pioneer physicians of Lafayette county one is impressed with the character of many of them. They were intelligent, resourceful, sturdy men, made powerful by the hardships they endured. They were active in the development of the country and influential in their respective communities. Many of them were well educated, not only in medicine, but in the sciences and literature, and it was not uncommon for the physician of the earlier period to be able to preach a good sermon as well as practice medicine successfully.

The relation between physician and patient was then very close. The physician was not only the medical adviser, but frequently the general adviser and friend and had a deep personal interest in his patient and the family into which he entered in a professional capacity.

The practice of medicine with the pioneer physician was oftentimes difficult work; the roads were frequently all but impassable and the only mode of travel was on foot or horseback. There were no bridges and it was often necessary to force the horse to ford swollen streams. During the sickly season many of the physicians were in the saddle, with but little rest, both day and night, going from one patient to another over the thinly settled country. Many times the people were poor and had but little with which to pay for medical services, although, as a general rule, they were honest and paid what they could.

While all the physicians of Lafayette county have not been of the highest order, the majority of them have been intelligent, well educated, gentlemanly men, well up to their times in professional attainments. This has been true of the physicians of the county from the beginning, and is no less true now.

Wonderful strides have been made in the healing art, each decade witnessing the introduction of new methods of practice which have, by experiment, been proven superior to former methods. And the accomplishments of the past, wonderful as they are, give promise of still greater progress in the future.

The first physician to settle in Lafayette county was Dr. Nathaniel C. Mitchell, who was born in Cocke county, Tennessee, November 26, 1801. He came to Missouri with his family in 1816 and located near Lexington in 1824 and began practicing his profession, being the first person in the county to exercise the duties of that vocation. Doctor Mitchell was elected a member of the state Legislature and after serving one term was elected to fill out the unexpired term of William McCausland, who had resigned that position. Doctor Mitchell died at the old homestead near Lexington September 24, 1 88 1, at the age of eighty years, honored and esteemed by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Dr. M. W. Flournoy settled in Lafayette county in 1833. He was a very eccentric man, as the following anecdote will prove : On one occasion he fell out with a man named "Wash" Ewing and he became so enraged at his adversary that he thrust his hand down in his pocket and, drawing out a handful of silver coin, threw it in his enemy's face, which was considerably cut and bruised by the assault, and then turned and walked away, leaving his enemy to pocket the insult, which he immediately proceeded to do.

Dr. William H. Ruffin was an intelligent and accomplished physician and a polished Southern gentleman of the old school. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in the year 1838. He settled in Lexington in 1847; in 1849 he went to California, returning to Lexington in 1852. He served as a surgeon in the Confederate army during the Civil war. He returned to Lexington in 1875 and a few years later removed with his family to Choctaw county, Alabama, where he died April 25, 1879.

5, 1825. He settled on a farm near Dover in 1836. Doctor Webb was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced medicine in the county near Dover up to the time of his death, March 4, 1896. Doctor Webb was a very intelligent man, a skillful and accomplished physician and one of the most courteous and kindhearted men I ever knew.

Dr. Samuel T. Meng was born in Buckingham county, Virginia, March 13, 1813. He was a graduate of the medical department of the University of Missouri in 1847. He settled in Dover in 1853. He performed the first laparotomy which was ever performed in the county and the operation was successful. Doctor Meng died in Dover after a long and useful life, October

Dr. William A. Gordon was born in Kentucky in 182 1. He began practicing medicine in Lafayette county in 1849. In i860 he was elected to the Legislature. During the Civil war he became a surgeon in the Confederate army. In 1873 ne was elected county collector and was subsequently reelected and served a second term. Doctor Gordon was one of the most honorable and high-minded men I ever knew. His devotion to principle, especially to his religious beliefs, was so great that I believe he would have suffered martyrdom rather than renounce them.

Dr. Joseph G. Chinn was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, April 1, 1797. Doctor Chinn was during his youth a soldier in the war of 1812, taking part in the battle of the river Raisin. He was a graduate of the Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky. Doctor Chinn joined the Christian church in 1830 and organized the first church of that denomination in Kentucky. He was a skillful and judicious physician and practiced his vocation in Lexington, Kentucky, and in Lexington, Missouri. He was elected mayor of both cities and ended a long and useful life honored and esteemed by a host of friends September 7, 1891, in the ninety- fourth year of his age, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Dr. John B. Alexander was born in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1820. He settled in Lafayette county in 1846, near Higginsville. He removed to Lexington in 1851, where he practiced until his death, in 1888. Doctor Alexander was a learned and intelligent physician. He was a walking encyclopedia of useful knowledge and information. He was one of the finest and most entertaining conversationalists I ever met. He was well informed on every subject.

Dr. Richard G. Buckingham was born in Troy, New York, September 14, 181 6. He was a graduate of Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1836. He came to Lexington in 1843, where he practiced nearly twenty-three years. He was one of the founders of the Baptist Female College of Lexington. About the close of the Civil war he moved to Denver, Colorado. He was elected a member of the Territorial Council and subsequently became mayor of Denver. He was a refined, polished gentleman and a competent and skillful physician.

Dr. C. Dorsey Baer came to Dover from Virginia in 1856. He entered the Confederate army at the beginning of the war and served as a regimental surgeon in the command of General M. M. Parsons. He was a fine surgeon and performed a great many important operations.

Dr. Jesse F. Atkison was born in Gallipolis, Ohio, and settled in Lexington in 1846. He was a prominent man in his profession and enjoyed a large practice. He died in Lexington on the 6th day of April, 1882.

Dr. Paschal H. Chambers was born in Kentucky February 16, 1824. He was a graduate of the University of Louisville in 1850. He began practising his profession in Dover, where he remained several years, after which he removed to Lexington, where he died December 22, 1896. Doctor Chambers was an intelligent and skillful physician, an elegant gentleman and a devout Christian.

Dr. P. S. Fulkerson was born in Lee county, Virginia, in 1827. He first practiced medicine in Lafayette county on Texas Prairie. Subsequently he removed to Wellington. While a resident of Wellington he was elected county collector, to which office he was re-elected, serving two terms. Afterwards he resumed his practice, which he pursued until his death, which occurred December 16, 1905. Dotor Fulkerson was a very skillful and successful physician and a most excellent man. Requiescat in pace.

Dr. Robert C. Carter was born near Richmond, Virginia, January 12, 1838. When a mere lad he emigrated with his widowed mother from Virginia to Knoxville, Tennessee, in wagons, and from thence by steamboat to the Missouri river and up the Missouri river to what was then called Seabrook's landing, now known as Berlin. This was in 1849 and the family settled in Dover. Doctor Carter took the degrees Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts at the University of Missouri in i860. He graduated at the Missouri Medical College in 1868. Doctor Carter was a great student, an accomplished and successful physician and a devout Christian. He was a man whom I was proud to call a friend.

Dr. James Henry Straughn was born in Johnson county, Missouri, May 30, 1839. After attending school in his native county, he entered the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and after spending a year in that school next attended the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, Missouri, (now the medical department of Washington University) and graduated from that school March 3, 1885. He then located in Ray county, Missouri, and practiced medicine two years and at the expiration of this time he moved to Lexington and has continued in the practice of medicine to this date. In 1891 the Doctor was elected as coroner of Lafayette county and by virtue of this office was made county physician ; he was re-elected and served a second term to the entire satisfaction of his constituency. In 1897 he was appointed pension examining surgeon and served out the term of his commission creditably and at the present time is a member of the board of health of the city of Lexington, and last, though not least from a professional viewpoint, Doctor Straughn was elected and served a term as president of the Lafayette Medical Society and is one of the landmarks and nestors of the

Unless otherwise stated, it will be understood that the physicians whose names are here given represent the "regular" school of medicine. N. B. Payne (homeopathic), Lexing- J. F. Mackie, Odessa.

County Medical Society

From the best obtainable sources, the writers of this volume are only able to give the following bit of history concerning the Lafayette Medical Society :

At Lexington, in 1852, a medical society was organized with about twenty members. Monthly meetings were held and much interest manifested for a time. Matters concerning the treatment of various diseases were discussed with much ability and research - especially that class of ailments that then troubled the people of the county. It sent as its delegates to the American Medical Association at its session in St. Louis in May, 1854, Drs. J. B. Alexander and J. F. Atkison. During the Civil war the society went down and most of the records were lost. Doctor Alexander was for many years its worthy secretary.

In June, 1865, a meeting was called to meet at the court house for the purpose of organizing another medical society, to be "composed of resident physicians of the city and county." One object stated was to establish by joint interest a medical library, which all might consult, of such costly books and charts as one physician could not well afford to purchase. Of this meeting Dr. W. P. Boulware was president and Dr. J. W. Teader was secretary. A committee, consisting of Doctors Atkinson, Cooley and Alexander, was appointed to draft by-laws. No other record can be found of this society and it probably did not exist long enough to form very much interesting history.

Again in November, 1869, in the court house, there was a meeting for organizing a similar society of doctors. Dr. J. F. Atkison was called to the chair and Dr. O. F. Renick was chosen secretary. This, too, had a brief existence.

In 1879 a "Lafayette County Medical Society" was formed at Higginsville, which for a number of years held its regular meetings at different places within the county, some of which were held at Higginsville, Odessa, Mayview and Lexington. A good society is still in existence.

In 1864 Gen. W. S. Rosecrans passed through Lexington on his way to the little Blue, and while here appointed Doctor Boulware as surgeon, in charge of the Federal hospital in the Anderson house, Doctor Anderson then being on duty in St. Louis.