I just read “Frontier Medicine” by David Dary. He is a Kansas man who taught journalism at the University of Kansas for 29 years, and at the University of Oklahoma. His father was a doctor, so he was interested in how medicine evolved in our country from 1492 to 1941.

First, there was Indian medicine. Many plants were used. People thought they could mix plants and minerals to concoct medicines. Many frauds prevailed. Do you remember patent medicine, when men traveled around the country selling what they claimed to be mixtures that would cure any illness? Most were made with alcohol.

Then there were men claiming to be doctors. There was Dr. Brinkley in Kansas. He claimed goat glands could be placed in men for virility. He came to Marion when he ran for governor and almost won. He had a strong radio station and broadcast from Mexico.

Dr. Hertzler of Halstead built a large hospital. He drove a horse and buggy. Hertzler wrote “The Horse and Buggy Doctor.” He was an honest doctor.

Dr. Crumbine in Kansas City wrote a column about medicine in the Kansas City Star. As a young mother, I read his column every day.

Marion had early doctors. One was Dr. Joe Hannaford from our family. He would go out in the country to care for patients and often operated on people on kitchen tables.

As a young mother, I often called Dr. Smith or Dr. Goodsheller when my children were ill. I rated doctors next to God. I did not realize much of their treatment was trial and error.

— norma hannaford