Tales From Kentucky Doctors »

William Lynwood Montell, professor emeritus of folk studies at Western Kentucky University, is the author of several books, including Ghosts across Kentucky and Tales from Kentucky Lawyers.

In Tales from Kentucky Doctors, noted oral historian William Lynwood Montell has assembled a fascinating collection of memoirs from Kentucky's medical providers. Ranging from humorous to heartwarming to tragic, the stories presented in Tales from Kentucky Doctors are authentic and captivating. While these firsthand accounts from and about Kentucky doctors won't be found in a formal history book, this collection is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the culture and tradition of Kentucky medical practice. By combining personal experiences, humorous anecdotes, and local legends, the book surveys the many ways in which physicians have cared for Kentuckians in decades past.

Introduction     1
Choosing the Medical Profession     9
Medical Training and Early Career     24
Other Doctors     44
House Calls     66
Personal Practice     101
Hospital Practice     139
Medications     165
Special Deliveries     172
Regrettable Cases     187
Epidemics and Outbreaks     196
Folk Healing     209
Animal Stories     216
Doctors' Social Events     225
Medical Practice Then and Now     228
Biographies of Storytellers     243