McCook mayor, Dr. Frederick M. Karrer

Monday, September 20, 2010

During a medical career in Southwest Nebraska that spanned more than 50 years, Dr. Frederick M. Karrer of McCook witnessed vast changes in the practice of medicine. When he started his practice, in 1929, most of his work consisted of house calls, even surgery -- sometimes as far as 35 miles from his office. Doctors in those days did the best they could, with what they had. There were no X-rays, no penicillin, and few immunizations. Anesthesiology was still a new science, though drip ether had replaced chloroform as an anesthetic. What the doctor carried in his little black bag was aspirin, digitalis, morphine, and an assortment of bandages and tape -- little else.

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