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CITY OF DUBOIS Page 69
A medical book called "Dr. Gunn" was very widely
circulated. It contained diagnosis of various diseases and simple
remedies made from herbs.
Another book circulated was "Dr. Chase' Recipe Book,"
which contained one thousand recipes, covering household matters of
all kinds, as well as medical remedies.
One of the early treatments was that of "bleeding."
Someone in the community would have a small lance. When any one
concluded he had more blood than was necessary, he woud visit the
neighbor who owned the lance. He bared his arm above the elbow, a
cord was tied tightly around it, and when the veins were swollen to
sufficient size, the lance was struck and the subject allowed to
bleed until he thought he had shed enough of his blood to get well.
Teeth were pulled with a turnkey, and if no turnkey
were on hand, someone would set a nail on the aching tooth, and hit
it with a hammer. There was no question about the extraction of the
tooth.
Pow-wowing was a favorite remedy, for burns, bleeding
noses, and bleeding wounds, erysipelas and kindred complaints.
The secret was transferred from one to another, and
consisted of some words which were said by the person having the
secret and sometimes blowing on the diseased part. However, a good
powwower could stop nose bleeding or burn if he knew who the subject
was. This is looked upon as a superstition, but strange to say,
there is some belief in it this Twentieth Century. It is claimed by
this cult that a child born after the death of the father is one who
is best fitted for this class of cures.
The first physician to locate in Brady Township was Dr.
George Wilson who came to Luthersburg in 1846, and practiced his
profession for a number of years, later going to Big Run, Jefferson
County.
The first physician to locate in DuBois was Dr. W. J.
Smathers who came to the then town of Rumbarger on the 20th of June,
1873, and opened an office on South Main Street.
In an address made by Dr. Smathers to the Medical
Society some years ago, he stated that at the time he located on
Main Street there were sixteen families in the entire community.
There was one blacksmith shop, one small store, one shoemaker, a
peanut stand, but no hotel. John Rumbarger opened his residence,
which is located on North Main Street and is now known as the "Old
Rumbarger House," to the traveling public.
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