I must be getting old. Doc house visits

[JNG]

I was reading on another forum about the price of E.R visits. Am I the only one here that had a Doctor come to the house to
make a house call? I believe that us paramedics and emt's are the new house callers.

Joe

[Pete44ru]

.


The last Doctor who made regular house calls, that my family had, was my children's pediatrician ( ca.1970).

After that, due to his aging, he had 2 dedicated "calling hours" between 7AM & 9AM each weekday morning, when he would take patient's phone calls, called in Rx's for them, etc.

AFAIK, the town of New Shoreham, RI (Block Island) has a 90-year old Registered Nurse Practitioner, who is the island's only medic, and still makes house calls on the island.


.

[Chuck 100 yd]

In 1951 , I was five years old, I took a Rat away from my Grandpa's dog and was bitten by the Rat. They sent the Rat to the Mayo (sp.?) clinic in Ames Iowa to test for rabies but the Rat had already deteriorated beyond possible test standards. The local doctor came out to the farm every day for ten days and gave me the rabies series of shots. My mother told me that after the first couple of days I would hide and they had a heck of a time finding me to give me the shot. I don't remember the shots but have been told they are very painful and given into the stomach.

Interesting side note; My baby doctor was Dr. John Clapsaddle of Burt Iowa. His highly engraved Colt single actions were featured in some of the early Gun Digest books. He was in his 70's when I was born. I would have loved to have known him when I was old enough to appreciate his collection and knowledge.

[Rusty]

My dad made house calls up until he died in 1973.

[Bill in Oregon]

A doctor made a house call on me in Missoula, Montana, in 1955 when I was about two years old. Folks had found a tick in my ear, and when I subsequently developed a high fever, they were afraid it could be Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Doc gave me a shot of penicillin. I lived. This is of course as told to me by my parents, may they rest in peace.

[rjohns94]

Some insurance companies pay nurse practitioners to make house calls still

[Hawkeye2]

Times have changed. Our family doctor had his office in his home, made house calls and had most everything he needed in his black bag. He could do most anything and I swear he had a better working knowledge given the extent of medical knowledge of the day than most GPs today.

I remember the Radio/TV repairman making house calls, bread and milk left on the doorstep, the fishman coming by once a week. Riding in a '34 Ford pickup on Saturday mornings while my dad and great aunt delivered groceries around the town from the store he and her husband ran. That was before Augusta ME had an A&P. Oh, don't forget the Fuller Brush salesman and having to hide and be quiet so the door to door salesmen wouldn't know anyone was home. There was only one car per family and the "woman of the house" was always home. Our school bathroom was a 5 holer with no dividers and you brought you own lunch.

We were well adjusted, quite happy and didn't need to turn to drugs and crime because we were deprived of the "essential" things that everyone has to have. I nearly forgot to add that we all played with toy guns and clearly understood the difference between good and evil.

[AJMD429]

I'd do it if people would pay me as much per hour as they'll fork over for a HVAC tech to come work on their air conditioning...