History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

106 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisinterfere materially with the delicate sense of touch required in thesemanipulations. One such glove might well be sacrificed to the safety of themother in every labour." Such a glove was finally devised by Dr. W. S.Halsted of Johns Hopkins in 1890. As late as 1915, I saw physicians inIllinois who had never used rubber gloves while doing surgery or whileexamining and delivering obstetrical patients.In order to keep up with the revolutionary changes in medical practiceof the period, physicians in Illinois soon organized medical societies wheredifficult cases could be discussed, experiences exchanged, and the latestdiscoveries as reported in new books and medical journals could be considered.One of these, the first interstate society west of the Alleghenies,was the Lawrenceville Aesculapian Society, organized unofficially in 1845and officially in 1846. 6Notable Early Lawrence County PhysiciansDr. Dyler Catterton of Virginia arrived in Illinois in 1820, stoppingfor a short time atFort Allison and then locating a few miles north ofLawrenceville. He had served with Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.It is said that he was a well educated man for his time. Drs. J. A. Kuykendalland Gabriel T. Cauthorn came in 1821, and located at Lawrenceville. Dr.Thomas Cresap Collins settled three miles south of Lawrenceville in 1823.Dr. W. C. Anderson arrived in 1827; he later represented this district inthe State Legislature, being in Springfield when the Aesculapian Societywas organized and incorporated. He was a Scotsman, a good politicianand a great hunter. His hounds usually accompanied him on his calls.they struck a likely trail, the doctor usually forgot his patients until thegame was killed or escaped. It was necessary to blindfold one of the highspirited horses which he rode before it would go onto a ferry-boat. On oneoccasion the blindfold was removed in the middle of the stream and thehorse at once jumped over the rail into the river. Dr. Anderson was involvedin a warm political dispute with Abraham Lincoln while in theLegislature. He once fought a duel with a local adversary, pitchforks beingused as weapons.Other early physicians were Drs. G. C. Barton (1834), G. D. Wolverton(1835) and W. B. Caldwell (1836). Dr. Hiram H. Hayes came in 1840 andserved as preceptor for Elisha C. Banks, who was admitted to practice ashis partner in 1843. Dr. Thomas D. Washburn, a Kentuckian and a veryfine physician and gentleman, arrived in 1841. Dr. William Mead arrivedin 1842. All of these men located in Lawrenceville. Dr. David Adams locatedon the St. Louis Road near the west Lawrence County line in 1840. Dr. J.C.6For a history of this Society, the reader is referred to Chapter XXV in this Volume.—EditorIf