CUMBERLAND COUNTY, ILLINOIS
CUMBERLAND COUNTY DOCTORS
In the early history of Cumberland County, the prevailing family remedy
or cure-all for the shakes, ague, chills, fever, malaria, milk sickness
and other ailments was roots, barks, berries and whiskey. Many families
would have a jug containing this concoction and all members of the
family were given a swig each morning, the old man usually
partaking of a double swig. No doubt the only benefit received was the
stimulation the whiskey provided, but many believed in it.
Physicians were few and located at distant points, but if this had not
been the case, the settlers did not have the money to employ them for
every recurrence of the familiar illnesses. Fortunately, along
came the old-time doctor with his quinine, dovers powders, squills,
paragaric, castor oil, blue mass pills and a variety of poultices.
There were also in all communities one or more women who practiced as
mid-wives at childbirth and usually without receiving any pay for their
services.
The first doctor coming to Prairie City (Toledo) was Dr. Lewis
Brookhart, who came in 1855. Other doctors in Toledo were John W. Lee,
J. H. Yanaway, John Chapman, Mintor, Edward Miles, Joseph Eskridge, W.
W. Park, A. J. Reeves, D. C. Chambers, R. G. Megath, Robert Bloomfield,
G. E. Lyons, Virgil Carter, McCarthy, Hershel Donivan, Charles R. Bird,
R. F. Stephens, William Smith, F. M. Brayshaw, M. M. Brayshaw, Supple,
W. R. Rhodes, and David Boyce and Dr. Phillippi.
The current doctors in
Toledo are Dr. Lowell E. Massie, Dr. L. E. McNeill and Dr. Robert J.
Wochner.
Two early doctors in Greenup were Dr. Harrison Rodebaugh and his wife,
Mary Good Rodebaugh. Other doctors in Greenup were Jonathan Shull,
Lafayette Mintor, J. W. Goodwin, Samuel W. Quinn, N. G. James, W. L.
Lechrone, W. Frank Wetty, Anthony Goodwin, James Ewart, Richard
Colliver, C. J. Duncan, A. J. Peters, C. J. Hancock, C. G. Cochran, F.
A. Fisher, Elver Garrison, C. M. Brown, N. J. Haughton, Joseph
Miranti, N. J. Beck, and Laszlo Varju. Dr. Varju is still in Greenup.
Some of the smaller towns had doctors in the earlier days of history.
Hazel Dell had B. F. Little, Charles Cochran, J. F. Adams, W. E.
Harris, and George Thorns. Diona had Franklin, Butler and O'Connor.
Jewett had L. Downs, James, Myers, Mondy, Frisbie, Zobrist and Rawlins
and his son, John Rawlins.
The present doctor in Neoga is Dr. Robert F. Swengel.