By: Bob Gunter
(Wilma Allen remembers Sandpoint when it was
much different than it is today. She recollects
how an old-time doctor responded to some of the
needs he saw while he was making his rounds.)
The
story Wilma tells, in her own words, allows us
to see what the practice of medicine was like a
few years back and just how involved the country
doctor was in his/her community.)
The
doctors of Sandpoint have always been a part of
the backbone of the City of Sandpoint. They
practiced their skills, sometimes at great
sacrifice, to provide a service to the people of
Bonner County. On many occasions they did not
get paid, in money, for their services. Doctor
bills were often paid with eggs, vegetables,
fruit, and wood for the stove. Here is one
instance that comes to mind. In 1937 a man
contacted F.G. Harrell, my father, who was the
chairman of the Bonner County Red Cross, hoping
that he could get some help for his wife, as she
was very sick. He had snow shoed to the highway
from their home up in the Grouse Creek area. He
caught a ride into Sandpoint hoping to get some
medicine. My father, after hearing of the
family's predicament, contacted Dr. F. G.
Wendell. After hearing the story Dr. Wendell
told the man he would accompany him home to see
his wife. Dr. Wendell drove with the man to the
Grouse Creek Road and from there they snow shoed
to the man's home. Dr. Wendell did all that he
could do for the woman but all he had with him
was his medical bag.
The
doctor asked the husband to accompany him back
to the highway and his car. The man was
instructed to wait there while Dr. Wendell drove
back to Sandpoint to get the medicine the
patient needed. While he was treating the woman
Dr. Wendell had observed that the children of
the couple had no shoes. When he returned to
Sandpoint he told Mr. Harrell about the plight
of the family. While he was in the couple's home
Dr. Wendell had estimated the size of the shoes
the children would need and he and my father
went to J. A. Foster's clothing store and with
Red Cross funds they purchased shoes for the
family. Dr. Wendell returned to the place where
the woman's husband was waiting. He gave the man
the medicine his wife needed as well as the
shoes for his children. Needless to say that
this was a very appreciated kindness. The wife
got well and many of the family still live in
this area.
Dr.
Wendell was not the only doctor in Sandpoint
that made house calls. Many of the physicians in
town would make a house call and often did not
get paid. I remember that most of the doctors in
town made house calls into the late sixties and
would go to a person's home late at night,
weekends and on holidays.
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