History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

12 History of Medical Practice in Illinoiscountry as observed by the early white man. "But beyond the upper WabashRiver, the Grand Prairie began its long sweep westward. The woods endedand abruptly there was a flood of light. For 250 miles that wavelike plainbroken only by thickets of bottom timber along the Kaskaskia, the Sangamonand the Illinois, rolled on to the Mississippi. In Indiana the prairiewas a vast pasture of bluestem, tall as a mounted horseman, with occasionalswamps of bull grass. Westward in Illinois were whole counties of tallbeardgrass mingled with waving stems of cup plant, compass plant, varicoloredox eyes, blazing star, dragonhead, and large purple patches of ironweed.In the shorter grasses grew profuse cone flowers, bluebells and brightbur marigolds. For all its sameness this was a varied landscape. Over itslong swales and swells the prairie wore a coat of many colors. In the prairiecountry occasional stands of trees rose like islands from the grass lands.Here the word 'grove' came into use, and clearing had no meaning. Illinoishas groves—Little Grove, Camp Grove, Funks Grove, Downers Grove—asOhio had plains—in each case the exceptional feature became distinguished.Groves of oak and maple dotted the central prairie but in theNorth the forest began again. There the open places were exceptional, sothe 'oak openings' of Illinois and Wisconsin are meadows framed in timber."3Some of the animals were small, the many rodents for example. Otherswere large mammals, such as the bison, bear, deer, elk, wolf, fox, beaver,coyote, otter, raccoon, etc. They were multitudinous in numbers andvariety, and ranged widely over these regions. In doing so,they followedpaths of least resistance and formed well worn trails to sources of food,salt, water, shelter and other necessities of life. They followed rivers,streams, ridges and valleys. They crossed prairies and penetrated swampsand forests. These trails and paths later became important in determiningthe initial localizations, first, of the Indians, then of modern civilized communitiesand centers. They also directed the many intercommunicatingroads and highways of today.It was relatively latePrimitive Man Enters the Illinois Countryin the course of these events that primitive manfound his way into this Illinois country. Early records are fragmentary atbest. Possibly 20,000 years ago (Krogman), the peoples we now call AmericanIndians (Amerinds) first entered this region from the north and west,presumably having come originally from Asia by way of the present BeringStraits. As in the case of animals, hunger, exposure and curiosity drove3For an adequate discussion of the forests of Illinois and adjacent regions in theirphysiographic relations the reader is referred to Deciduous Forests of Eastern NorthAmerica by E. L. Braun, 1950, The Blakiston Co., Philadelphia.