The Early Doctors
This space is reserved for a more detailed treatment of the early doctors.
Family information may be found in the following:
Dr FG Miller
Dr AG Ross
Dr Anne Weigerinck
Dr. Anne Weigerinck joined Dr. F.G. Miller in 1939 to help during the period that Dr. Ross was in the armed services.
Dr. George Miller joined the clinic staff in 1947 and remained approximately one year. Dr. Ross returned to take up his duties in 1947. Dr. K.C. Miller joined the staff in August, 1953.
Dr. Sam served for a few months in 1967. Dr. Jan Edwards served on the medical staff in 1968-69. Dr. Ross died in August, 1968. Dr. Davies came in July, 1969. He stayed until June, 1971. Dr. K.C. Miller carried on by him-self, working long hours to keep the clinic and hospital in operation, until Dr. Anderson came in 1972. He stayed about eighteen months. One year of this time he was established in his own private practice.
Dr. E. Bauld joined the clinic staff in October, 1973, and is here at present. Dr. Lorne Jonat came in December, 1973, and left in June, 1976.
Dr FG Miller and Dr Ross Dr. Miller and Dr. Ross travelled an average of 1,000 miles a month by team in the early days and a countless number of miles by Model T Ford in the summer. Travel was often a problem for the travellers and an anxious time for those waiting. Most times the doctors would arrive in time but, occasionally, they would be too late. A trip from Elk Point to Cold Lake took three days in a hurry and four, if they took it easy. Frog Lake took a day and a half, counting visiting time. Today we have telephones, good roads and good cars. Patients come to the clinic, then to the hospital for treatment, when necessary. The doctors seldom make a trip into the country.
Dr. David Didow is our resident dentist. He has been practising in Elk Point since June 11, 1957. Children and adults do not have to travel many miles to have a tooth pulled or filled. We have had free innoculations for school children since 1940. In this way, children have been protected from contagious diseases. Our new hospital has a resident public health nurse and a Preventive Social Service person to assist with social problems. As farmers acquired cars and trucks, pressure built up to have the municipalities plough the winter roads so everyone could travel in winter and summer alike. Our sleighs and horses are a thing of the past.
Epilogue from Dr. F.G. Miller's Memoirs: When the snow got too deep to run a car And the calls still came from near and far, They pulled our sleigh's through the winter's chill, Old Fritz and Ted and Ginger and Bill It might be a call from Mary Lake From some old settler with a belly ache, Or a child reported deadly ill With scarlet fever at Landonville. Or a case eluding the nurse's skill- A burst appendix at Bonnyville, Or a man with pneumonia up at LeGoff So hook up your team, jump in, start off Or a woman in labor demanding care, Old Ginger and Bill will get you there. Through the blinding snow of a winter gale Old Ted, with his feet, feets out the trail If somewhere up beyond the Sun, Is a heaven for horses for work well done, In those green pastures, by waters still Will be Fritz and Ted, and Ginger and Bill.
Elk Point district and north-eastern Alberta were indeed fortunate to have had such dedicated and efficient doctors as Dr. F.G. Miller and Dr. A.G. Ross, who were the pioneer doctors of this area. They owned and operated the first hospital, in Dr. Miller's home, and they were the forerunners of the splendid municipal hospital we have today.
