The long road to the doctor: Arbon Valley's sick and hurt in 1915

All through 1915 the Arbon Valley columns of the American Falls Press reported who was sick or hurt and where they had gone for help. Often it meant a long trip: over the mountain to Malad, across the Fort Hall Reservation to Pocatello, or on to Ogden.

The valley, often still called Bannock Valley, had belonged to Oneida County, governed from Malad, until 1913. In February 1915 the Pauline correspondent set out the distances: "At Pauline we are forty miles from Malad," and about twenty-seven miles from American Falls or Pocatello.

Winter

On Friday, January 15, David A. Daniels was taken to Pocatello with appendicitis; he died at the Pocatello General Hospital two days later, after an operation. He lived on the Daniels ranch at the lower end of Bannock Valley; the Press called him "a young man of sterling worth." The Pauline column added that he had diabetes and had spent much of the summer before under a Salt Lake doctor's care. He was buried at Malad, leaving a wife and five children. He was the second son of the West Fork cattleman Dave Daniels (the Daniels family); the Press gave his age as about 28, though the family record says he was born in 1883.

A doctor at Crystal

In May the Arbon column mentioned a doctor nearer home: Monroe Honeywell had taken a position with "Dr. Petit of Crystal" and would run the doctor's ranch while he was away. The next week the column reported the death of "Grandma" Horton, wife of Elias Horton:

Mrs. Horton had been ailing nearly all spring but at the time of her death appeared to be as well as usual, when she became suddenly ill and before anything could be done for her she had passed to the great beyond. A few days before her death she had been over to Crystal, Idaho to consult Dr. Petit who thought he would be able to cure her.

A town item said she was taken ill while feeding the chickens and died within two hours. The two reports date her death May 7 and May 8; May 7 was the Friday both name. She was buried in "the new cemetery near the Pauline postoffice" (the first Pauline burials).

A garbled June item seems to say that a boy with a broken thumb was also taken to Dr. Petit. The doctor was probably Henry J. Petit, named that January with three other Crystal men as a witness in a homestead notice. No paper found says what kind of doctor he was or where he trained. The site's first doctor entry names Dr. Leo Castle, settled at Pauline in 1918, as the earliest resident doctor found; these 1915 reports show valley people consulting Dr. Petit three years earlier.

Summer

At the south end, Sydna Cram, probably the S. A. Cram of later reports, had been two weeks in an Ogden hospital and was in critical condition, the column reported early in June. He seemed to be recovering, but by mid-June he was almost totally blind, his neck swollen "like mumps," and his face and one side of his body partly paralyzed. He was taken to Malad for care. The doctors did not know the cause; some thought it "an infection from wood tick bites." In August the South Arbon column reported:

S. A. Cram is home again after spending most of the summer in Malad where he has been under the care of a physician. He is somewhat improved but still fears he will loose his sight.

By September he was out again.

Jack Folsom, newly come from Dayton, Washington, with his bride, fell sick in June. After a week, someone made a Sunday-evening trip to Holbrook, beyond the valley's south end, "to telephone for a doctor." It was typhoid. He fell very sick again in early August, when "a doctor was over from Malad to see him," and was soon better.

One sick man went home to Utah: Miles Larsen, of a Cache Valley family farming at the south end, was taken to Mendon "where he could receive proper medical attention." Sometimes the doctors came out. When a boy fractured his hip that summer, the Kern doctors of Malad "were out to see him" and found him in serious condition. He was an Iverson boy; no later word of him has been found.

In July, on the way home from Malad, three-year-old George, son of Luther Fellows, fell from the rig coming down the mountain, and the wheel ran over his head. He was taken to Ogden "where he could receive proper attention," and died on July 17 (his story).

Fall

Late in August Bard Bailey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo Bailey, fell suddenly ill with appendicitis and was taken at once to the Pocatello General Hospital in Jerry Baker's car. The appendix burst before they reached town; he was operated on minutes after they arrived and given only a slight chance. Three weeks later he had typhoid fever but was "progressing nicely." By the family's history all ten of Lorenzo Bailey's children grew up.

The September 2 column that told of Bard's illness also reported the Clarence Knowles home quarantined for smallpox, "the first case of this disease in the valley" (the first case of smallpox), and the death of seventeen-year-old Noal Waylett:

Noal had been suffering from dropsy and heart disease for some time, and his parents had taken him to different localities in hopes the change would help him, but he succumbed to the disease at Soda Springs, where they had taken him for his health.

His body was brought back to Arbon on Sunday, August 22, and a large crowd came to his funeral at the Meadow Ward meeting house.

In October nine-month-old Oscar, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Estep, died "while enroute to Pocatello for medical treatment" and was buried at Pauline (two babies who died on the road).

The telephone

By late in the year there was a new way to call a doctor. About the beginning of December the long-distance line from American Falls was joined to the valley's own telephone line (the first long-distance call). When a falling tree badly injured M. D. Van Horn in a canyon, "The telephone was immediately put into service," ran a Pocatello Chronicle story that the Press reprinted. Dr. Noth came out quickly from American Falls and took him to Ogden for an operation, but he died there of internal injuries (his story).

On December 15 two-year-old Fanny Noble, daughter of John Noble, died of pleuro-pneumonia at a home in Pocatello after a few days' illness; her funeral was held at the Pauline meeting house.

The article as printed

American Falls Press, September 2, 1915, page 8. Transcribed from the page scan.

ARBON
Miss Virginia Nunnelley, is here visiting the past week, with her sister Mrs. Herman Noth, and the Misses Mayme, Irene, and Thelma, and her brother and father James Nunnelley. Miss Nunnelley has been taking a course in nursing at Salt Lake City, graduating next year. She is spending a well earned Vacation, visiting relatives and friends.
The home of Clarence Knowles is quarantined for smallpox, all the members of the family are ill. This is the first case of this disease in the valley. Their many friends hope for their quick recovery,
Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Dawson were American Falls visitors last week.
Church services at the Central school house have been discontinued. Rev. [illegible] will leave in a few days for his home at Clearmont, California. He will visit the fairs before returning to college in New York City.
Threshing is progressing as rapidly as possible, and harvesting is well advanced here for this time of the year.
Professor Slaughter, of Pocatello, Idaho, accompanied by his son, came through Arbon a few days ago.
Mr. and Mrs. John Infanger are rejoicing over the fine baby boy which arrived to gladden their home a few days ago. All concerned are progressing nicely.
Noal Waylitt, the 17 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Waylett, died last week at Soda Springs. Noal had been suffering from dropsy and heart disease for some time, and his parents had taken him to different localities in hopes the change would help him, but he succumbed to the disease at Soda Springs, where they had taken him for his health. He was well liked and loved by all who knew him, and will be greatly missed by his relatives and friends. The remains were brought to Arbon Sunday morning, August 22, and services were held at the Meadow Ward meeting house Sunday afternoon. A large crowd came to pay their respect to the deceased. The friends of the bereaved parents and relatives extend their heartfelt sympathy in this their hour of trouble. Interment is at the cemetery.
Bard Bailey, the 11 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo Bailey took suddenly ill at his home here last Thursday with appendicitis and was taken immediately to the Pocatello General hospital in the car of Jerry Baker and was operated on a few minutes after they arrived in Pocatello, the appendix having broken before town was reached. He was seriously ill, and had a slight chance for recovery at last reports.
[illegible] Porter and family and sister Miss Elsie Porter recently arrived from Walla Walla, Wash., and will reside here on the Lawrence Gibbons [illegible]
Add Affleck was a Pocatello visitor [illegible]
Mr. J. E Keeler was in American Falls a few days ago on business.

On this site: the first midwives, smallpox, typhoid and scarlet fever and Crystal.