Topic Of The Week: March 9, 2001
"Doctors, District Nurses & Midwives"

Possible discussion topics:
-Personal recollections
-Then versus now
-Surgeries & Clinics
-Nearby Hospitals
-House births
-Inoculations (jags)

Hugh McCallum

From: "Alan&Elizabeth Scott" <alan@xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001

Hi Hugh,
My Dr was Dr Duff next to Winton school, no app needed, He was always puffing, we had to sit round a great big table. He always took his time to listen to you, nowadays you are in&out before you know it. I am still with the same practice that he built up. I remember he trudged to my house to deliver my middle son on a really bad winter with the midwife Miss Robertson from McKellar ave; the snow was really quite deep!! that's when Dr's were Dr'. I must admit it was the best birth I had, nice & relaxed (if you know what I mean) because it was in the comfort of my own home, I would highly recommend home birth's .
Hope to hear of others memories,
bye for now Liz Scott

From: "Sandy Cowan" <sixcowans@xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001

My greatgrandfather John Macdonald started the practise my Grandad Eric
joined him between them they ran it for eighty years . Harry Duff was grandad's partner.
For a while the surgery was in grandad's house on Montgomerie Street. My grandparents moved to Seafield Drive during the 50's. The surgery then moved to Harry Duff's. Grandad always seemed to be on call when I was wee . He had a wealth of stories to tell. I remember him telling me about an expectant father arriving at the house. It was grandad's half day and he was going to the motor show in Glasgow to buy grandma a new car. This chap's wife had just gone into labour. He badly wanted grandad to come and deliver the baby. Grandad explained that he was going to Glasgow. he suggested contacting Dr Duff. He also explained that in a first baby things often took a long time.
The father to be was adamant that he wanted grandad and nobody else. the upshot was the expectant father drove grandad to Glasgow to buy the car and grandad delivered the baby safely on their return. We often had people turning up at the house with various injuries needing attention. Cut feet etc from accidents at the beach. I was always locked out of the kitchen when treatment was taking place. I was either put in the garden or in the hall. the kitchen door was opaque glass and the dining room had a serving hatch so grandma used to lock the door so I couldn't peek, I thought it was highly unfair !! I'm sure this was one of the reasons I trained as a nurse - so I wouldn't be excluded from watching gory op's .

I loved Harry Duff he used to come to the house and give me my vaccinations then let me keep the syringe so that I could squirt grandad when I was in the bath .

I' ll put some more stories on later in the week but just now my bed is calling me .

Karen

From: <jkelly5859@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001

I clearly remember going to visit Mr. Maxwell (Sr) at the dentist's office at the Cross (I'm sure it was at the Cross then. Later the surgery was across from the Grange). You sat in the waiting room where there was a fish tank, but the tank was always so green & slimy you could never see the fish. I think it was supposed to calm your nerves. Fat chance!! Anyway, there I was, quaking in my shoes, and "greetin' like a wean" (well I was a wean then). To pacify me, he slapped me right across the face and told me to shut up. He had a real good bedside manner! I still remember the smell of the rubber sheet they draped around you. And they'd stick something in your mouth to keep it open. Then you'd see the mask coming towards you. It still sends the shivers up my spine.

Jean Kelly

From: "james james" <jamesbarr50@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001

When I started in the shipyard and had no holiday pay to get the old plumber i was with suggested I go to the doc tell him your back is sore they cant tell if you are kidding or not he will give you a line and you will get sick pay for your holidays so that night I trekked down to Hamilton street hoping Dr Arnott was on sat in the waiting room for my turn only to find out Dr Arnott wasn't on it was Dr Beaton so when my turn came I limped into the room (false limp of course) holding my back what can i do for you he said I've hurted my back doctor right ill examine it he said so he proceeded to lay his hands on my back and every time he touched it would go ouch that's sore after the examination he said to me are you working I said yes in the shipyard right he said you had better stay off work for a fortnight ill give you a sick line great I though to myself this is easy peasy so he leaned over the table to get the sick line pad and as he did do knocked his pen onto the floor and without thinking I bent down and picked it up it was a set up of course he said to me right get out of here and don't let me catch you trying that again i think that's what he said cos I was on my way out b4 he finished saying it I met him many years later after he retired and him and I had a good laugh about it sadly he has passed away now. jim barr (blakjak50)

From: "Bob Bryden" <bobbryden@xx.nz>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001

Hi Hugh,
Our doctor was Dr. Duff as well - along with his partner Dr. McDonald. Dr. Duff was always willing to make home visits ( something a lot of doctors are reluctant to do nowadays ) especially to attend my invalid & bedridden brother. I remember him coming when I had the mumps. On another occasion though when I went to his surgery to get an ingrown toenail removed I think it was Dr. McDonald I saw & he promised me a Crunchie Bar if I didn't cry while he was working on my toe - I didn't & he did !!!

My Aunt Jean used to be housekeeper for Dr. McDonald.

Bob Bryden

From: "Sally O'Connor" <salgeo@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001

I to remember Dr Duff ,when I was a kid and my grandma died ,Dr Duff was called and he was at some highland do ,but he came round anyway all dressed in his kilt and all the rest ,very loyal to their patients the were, as a 12year old I was confined to bed for 2-3 months with a very bad kidney infection, Dr Duff came to see me regular as clockwork ,a fine man.
George O'Connor

From: "David Young" <david@xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001

I remember Dr. Arnott coming to the house and he always had his pipe puffing away in this mouth. Even when examining the baby. I heard a story about him when he was in the Street in Ardrossan and a dog was knocked down by a car. He reputedly treated the dog on the Street, and even performed an operation and stitched the dog up before continuing with his doctor duties. What a man!!!
David Young.

From: "Alan&Elizabeth Scott" <alan@boscorose.xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001

Hi Karen,
Sorry I didn't know Dr McDonald started the practice, I just remember Dr Eric & Dr Duff, do you remember ( maybe I am wrong) they had a practice at the bus stop across from the post office in Glasgow St; when I was a young girl I recall a woman fainted on the bus and a couple o people carried her off the bus into the surgery, turned out she was with child.!!.They were both good Dr's (one with a pipe the other with a fag ).
Liz Scott.

From: "Alan&Elizabeth Scott" <alan@xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001

I remember Maxwell the dentist, I went to him for a emergency app; people before me was screaming but I thought must be something really bad wrong with their teeth; gosh i nearly went into labour ( I was 4 month's pregnant), I had quite a few jags but i still felt him extracting the tooth ( sore sore)!!.
mind you if it was now we would not put up with it.
nice to hear the stories keep them coming.
bye Liz Scott.

From: "Betty Woodland" <bettywood@xx.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001

Dr Arnott was terrific, he was always so kind and I loved the smell of his pipe. He was a real softie, I remember Dr Beaton was not quite so soft so I preferred Dr Arnott, he always gave me the lovely throat lozenges for my tonsillitis, Dr Beaton gave me the yukkie ones. Probably better for me but Dr Arnott was a wise old man, at least he seemed old to me when I was a  wean, he knew that medicine was also about people and their emotional well-being, he was a gem.

regards Betty

From: "Jim Gordon" <jim.gordon@xx.net.nz>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001

I have to mention Dr. Leahy the practise was along the south shore [a few houses up from the Ingledene] He had adopted 6 children I think, and nothing was ever a problem to him A real ''saint''

From: "mildred grant" <mildredgrant16@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001

I think that my grannie had the best doctor as she Dr. Smith (FEMALE) could solve all sorts of problems for my granny, the problem didn't even have to be a medical one it could have been the price of fairy washing soap and low and behold the wonderful Dr. Smith could get the price lowered to suit my granny.
Other people who were talked about a lot were
Hughie Scott the housing factor he could get anything done about anything to
do with housing, and Beanie Lambie her name was bandied about a lot but I
cant remember why or what miracles she had performed.

From: "Hugh McCallum" <hewmac@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001

At Central Avenue in Ardrossan where the playing fields are, each Sunday the local lads used to have a scratch football match of sorts. Not 7 or even 11 a side, it was more like 20+ a side. I got concussed while going up in a crowded goal mouth to heid the ba' in 1964 before we left for Australia - nearly missed the boat...er plane because of that!. Can't remember who the doctor was who attended to me or how I managed to cycle home. Just wondered if those scratch matches still go on?

Anyhoo, our family doctors were McCann and Leahy, another partner might have been Griffiths - unsure on that one. Their clinic was across the road from the Gospel Hall in Glasgow Street. Dr McCann also had a surgery in his house in Ardrossan Road, Saltcoats. My great grandfather Hugh McCallum's death certificate is signed by W. McCann in 1933 at Saltcoats.

Hugh McCallum

From: "morag black" <bramble2@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001

Doctor McCann had a surgery in Stevenston too, about across from the Highergrade. I remember going there as a young girl. Then one winter night, on the way to a meeting, I sliced my hand open sliding down a snow covered railroad bank on Moorpark Rd. It was off to Dr McCann's house on Ardrossan Rd to get it stitched up. I guess they were expected to be open all hours. Later, the practice went to South Beach, Dr Leahy with Dr Griffin? or Griffiths and I think Dr Smith may have been part of it 'till she went private, and later a young doc (handsome!) joined them. Dr Harrison, just remembered!
I remember having German measles when I was about 11 and Dr Leahy coming to
the house and telling my mum, 'better she has them now than in P..R..E..G..N..A..N..C..Y' spelling it out. I'd to go to the dictionary to see what he meant...and then I STILL didn't know!! Of course, nobody was ever pregnant to my mum, much too crude, they were 'expecting'!
Morag Black

From: "Margaret Lyons" <lyons@xx.com>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001

Doctors of my era who deserve a mention:
Dr. J.J. Campbell.
Dr. Michael McCann and assistants Dr. Gerry Boyle. Dr. Terry McCarroll, and
Dr. Edmund Leahy.
Dr. Rankin.
Dr. Stewart.
Dr. Arnott.
We were so lucky to have men like these who made house-calls. Nowadays there is a shortage of G.P.'s here and in Scotland. If you get sick you face a wait of several hours in a clinic or E.R. Those were the 'good old days', for sure!

From: "Jean" <jt@dcjt.xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001

This Dr. Rankin must have changed in his old age as I have vivid memories of him refusing to come out to see me when I had some sort of fever even although my mother had her leg in plaster and was unable to come down to the surgery to pick up a prescription!

From: "Garry Jarvis" <gjarvis@xx.net>
To:<threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001

Glad to see someone remembers some of these failings. I'm afraid I have nothing but disgust in some of these Saltcoats practitioners ,since the early 70's.
They seem to have forgotten that patience ,listening and caring is part of their job. They never take the time to listen to what the patient is complaining of .Ready to dismiss as quickly as possible for the next patient. It's just a 'job' now a days .You see little of the caring that Doctor's once had They mis-handled my mother's medical condition so badly we went to a 'private doctor 'up in Glasgow. The orthopaedic hip condition those fine fellows had been treating for 2 years turned out to be "Arterial Sclerosis" and in the words of our 'private' Doctor if she did not undergo a By- pass op she'd be either in a wheelchair or dead in 6 months. Even later they had little idea how to treat the post-op, wanting to cancel the medication she was meant to be on.
They later moved to their nice fancy building and became even more distant from their patients. They don't work 9-5 leaving the Job to locums. You can't even phone in the pre- 10 am spot any more. they cancelled that. and don't even think about a home visit! If you want to see the Doctor of your choice expect a 2 week wait, then 30-45 mins sitting in the surgery for a 2 min consultation to tell you-if your over 70, that EVERYTHING is due to your age and there's nothing we can do. My dad went
recently -he's been having dizzy turns and numbness, his blood pressure is 160/95 and they told him that's normal in your age. Well excuse me even a 1st year nurse knows that 's not true. And this symptoms could be caused by the High B,P. They don't want bothered .If you complain about lack of treatment they threaten to strike you off their list. So what can these older folks do but put up with it. I hope these same doctor's have similar problems in their later years they maybe finally they'll realise what their patients had to put up with. Unfortunately it's too late for a lot before them. Sheena

From: "Jean" <jt@xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001

That's not the only incident I can recall. I am afraid my opinion of the local doctors is not at all high. I remember this same doctor being unable to diagnose a broken leg when my mentally handicapped sister had fallen at home. On this occasion they had managed to pry him out of the surgery but he couldn't see that her leg was broken in 2 places. I had recently passed the First Aid badge at Guides and could have told him this but my parents were too ready to worship at the doctor's feet and
take his word as gospel. She had then to go all the way to Seafield in Ayr before they eventually found out what was wrong. And even then my parents didn't complain!

From: "Garry Jarvis" <gjarvis@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001

When I started nursing in the late 6o's, Nursing and other Medical people had dedication, and respect and it was called a Profession. Sadly that is not the case these days.
When I was very young we went to the practice where Safeways is now. You took a little numbered disc and waited your turn to see the Doctor. Then they went 'modern' and you made an appointment but they still did the housecalls. I used to be always saying to my Mum, if she was very poorly and it was early evening call the doctor to come round but she always felt it was an imposition to disturb the Doctor's evening. So I said 'he'd much rather come now than to be called from his bed if you took a worse turn later on." But that 's the way the older generation felt about "THE DOCTOR" ! They didn't want to" put him out!"
Ever since the started opening the doors to privatisation the NHS has been tumbling down the hill out of control. More paper pushers than Doctors and Nurses. It's a 'Management team' now. I'm glad I no longer nurse, the system would drive me nuts.It's so bad, everytime I talk to my Dad I feel like getting on a plane and having a face to face with my Dad's doc, but I know it wont make a difference. Sheena

From: "Alec Wilkie" <alecw@xx.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001

Hi Sheena,
Couldn't agree with you more!!!
We have many friends in your "Old Profession". They all, bar - none make the same comments about the nursing system. The Universities and training colleges don't turn out nurses anymore they "churn" out administrators who want to keep changing systems and be managers and miss the point about being a nurse. I know that everybody feels they can make a difference and that's good but not as an individuals it should be as a team. We spend a big chunk of our lives at work so it should be somewhere we feel is purposeful and rewarding.
I think the insult in the health service is to face a machine to diagnose whether or not you need to see a doctor. I would also like to add that in Australia I think the health service is very good compared to back home.
Regards
Alec Wilkie (Sydney)

From: "Garry Jarvis" <gjarvis@xx.net>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001

Thanks for your comments. I hope the "powers that be" who'd like a social medical service looks at the mess in the U.K and decide to not to "fix that which isn't broken"!!!!!!! Sheena.

From: "sam boyce" <boyce@xx.com.au>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001

I can only agree with the many positive remarks made regarding Dr. Duff in Ardrossan. i can certainly remember him as a very dedicated doctor and a fine man. i often laugh these days when i think of going into the waiting room and the room was filled with smoke from every other patient and then entering Dr. Duff's room and low and behold he was smoking too. he's the only doctor i believe who could give you an examination when he was wearing a hat, gloves and scarf. having said that he was a man who brought me into this world in 1949 in Kilmahew Street on a cold December morning. As they say in Australia a fair dinkum man
Sam Boyce
Brisbane, Australia

From: "Alan&Elizabeth Scott" <alan@xx.co.uk>
To: <threetowners@topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2001

Hi Sam,
I remember it well!! Big round table filled with magazines& folk puffin away like lintes?? me included !!( mind you i have since stopped), Did you ever hear The BELLIES rumble, i know mine did, but they were that many folk there you didn'a ken whose wind it was?? It was so embarrassing, Then you went in to Dr Duff, & he was puffin away, i went to him once with an awfully bad cough? he asked me what fags I smoked?? It was the cheapest i could afford, he told me to go on to Embassy tipped& I wouldn't cough as much, he was right. Anyway it's a bad HABIT say's the reformed smoker!!. Anyway's we will never get as good Dr 's as we did then.
bye , Liz Scott.