THE LITTLE COUNTRY SCHOOL HOUSE

Our little school by the road, we hate to see you go,

You have stood as a signal and taught us what we know; Once the centre of our community where trials were faced Memories are being taken that can never be replaced. Games of hide—and—seek and tag—a trip to a nearby brook, All the school marms learning did not come from a book. The little country school house will soon be in the past, But memories were made there that will always last.

Rona L. Burt

CHURCHES

_ We have no churches in New Annan, our affiliations are with Ken- smgton, Summerside, North Bedeque and Indian River.

DOCTORING IN 19th CENTURY '

The first general hospital being the Charlottetown Hospital was opened in 1879. In 1840, a mental hospital was opened in the Brighton area of Charlottetown, About this time too, there was a fever hospital for contagious diseases. '

. Doctoring was mostly done in the home. By 1864 the roads were relatively well advanced and travelling conditions were quite good. Horse and sleigh (or wagon) was mostly the conveyance for doctors.

Records show that forty cents was the cost of dinner for doctor and horse and eighty cents for a night’s lodging.

Handy neighbour women generally helped the doctors out on short notice.

The nursing profession came into being under Florence Nightin- gale during the Crimean War and as that did not end until 1855, I doubt if the nursing profession had spread this far in that short a time.

The remedies consisted of many herbs. Drugs were not so common then as they are now. They relied a great deal on what was called bleeding or removing the blood from the patients veins; this was then very common and for a vast variety of conditions. External medications in the form of blisters, and plasters were applied. Vast varieties of pur- gatives, laxatives and enemas were used for the bowels. Various herbs were steeped and used as a medicine.

Dr. Cooper was practising in Malpeque in 1820; Dr. Crafer, Mal- peque 1825-1857 ; Dr. Alexander MacGregor, Brackley Point 1817 had a large practice covering most of the Island; Dr. James H. Conroy, Char- lottetown 1830 for 26 years he covered most of the Island; Dr. William Keir of Malpeque began practising about 1850. He had a very large ter- ritory, died 1916 age 90; Dr. Roderick MacNeill of Cape Breton, practlsed in Stanley Bridge 1870-1900; Dr. John G. MacKay, New London, about the same time; Dr. Donald Darrach, Margate 1871-1883; Dr. Alexander MacNeill, Kensington 1883-1898; Dr. Dan MacKay, began practlsmg in Kensington in 1897; He was followed by Dr. Houston and then Dr. Gillis, Dr. Fred Jardine, Dr. Ingham Jardine, Dr. McBride, Dr. Don MacNelll, Dr. J. K. Beer, Dr. R. Kennedy, Dr. R. W. Auld, Dr. Marvin Clark, Dr. James Hickey and Dr. Ross Davison. '

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