By PATRICIA JONES
In the western part of Dobby’s Frontier Town along the south boardwalk is the Slagle Building. Like many buildings in frontier towns, this building houses three professions: barber, dentist, and doctor. The doctor’s office is in the back room; more on the other two next week.
A hundred years ago most doctor’s visits were in their home offices or were house calls. Most people gave birth and endured sickness, injuries, even surgeries at home. Broken bones were serious, often deadly injuries. A closed fracture could be set in plaster until it healed. Open fractures might require moving the bone into place and then splinting it with boards. Serious breaks might be set with pulleys and sandbags, but doctors often amputated. Until the 20th century most doctors did not understand the importance of sterilization, so patients often died of infection. Laudanum, a mixture of alcohol and opium, was a common painkiller.
Larger communities built hospitals, primarily to help the poor. All hospitals before the 1920s operated without much money. Physicians donated their time, and costs for nurses and staff (often Catholic nuns) tended to be low. Alliance’s first hospital was Saint Joseph’s, a 23-bed facility established in 1910. When Box Butte General Hospital was built in the 1970’s, they held a yard sale of old equipment from St. Joseph’s Hospital. The tools you see on the wall and the jars of bone screws are from this sale.
In 1920 the Slagle Clinic was built, with doctors Charles Slagle, Joseph Kuncl and George Johnston serving the Alliance area. The reference books, dating back to 1922, were from Dr. Slagle’s library. The examination table was used by Dr. Slagle, and then Dr. Wilkinson here in Alliance. The optometric equipment was purchased by Dobby at various auctions in the area.
The diathermic equipment concentrated heat to sore or damaged muscles. After a football injury, Dobby’s doctor put the pads on the front and back of his injured leg. He went to treat another patient and then went to lunch, forgetting about Dobby. Serious burns left permanent scars. When the same machine was sold at auction, Dobby decided he had to have it for his collection.
Dobby’s Frontier Town is located at 320 East 25th Street/ Nance Road, Alliance. The town is open 10-6 daily for self-guided tours. Donations are appreciated and much needed for repairs after our recent hail and windstorm.