Moss, Dr Basil 1997-07-03

Dr. Moss recalls his life’s experiences as a Lubbock family practitioner. He includes perspectives on changes in the medical profession and controversial issues.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Dr. Basil Moss

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: July 03, 1997

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Interviewer: Lori Lawson

Length: 2 hours 40 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Basil Moss, background, Born: Ouachita Mountains, Oklahoma (1925), Family information, Education, Rural schools, Move to Lubbock to escape Depression (1937), Graduated from Lubbock High (1943), Southwest Louisiana University (1943-45), V-12 Program, U. S. Navy, Biology/Chemistry degree, University of Oklahoma Medical School, Graduated in 1949, Internship, St. Joseph Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas, U. S. Navy medical officer, Move to Lubbock (1952), Lubbock medical practice, Medical Arts Clinic, West Texas Hospital, Board certified Family Practitioner, Married, 1947 to Polly Montgomery, Three children, four grandchildren, Methodist layman, Retired, 1989, Hobbies, Horse riding and training, Poetry writing, Writing, Publications, Family practice (General Practitioner), Description, Began Sick Baby clinic as missionary effort of First Baptist Church, Indigent care, Personal interest in family practice, Father’s background, Spa owner, Dairy farm, Great Depression’s impact, Lost everything, Mother became a maid, Move to Lawton, Oklahoma, Move to Lubbock, Texas—reason, Run boarding house for mother’s friend Mary, Lovell, Texas Tech University, Lubbock High School, Future Farmers of America, Dairy judging team, Teacher, Henry Elder, Interest in medicine, Treating farm animals, Near death experience at 3 years of age, Cowboying at Snyder Ranch, V-12 Program of U. S. Navy, Top 10% chosen, Wanted flight training, Fly "Corsair", Mother’s insistence, College, Medical school, Internship, Mustered out of Navy, Lubbock medicine c. 1952, Buying stock in West Texas Hospital, "Armed camps", Memorial Hospital vs. West Texas Hospital, Strong personalities, Dr. C. J. Wagner, Dr. Sam Dunn, Personal qualities, Lubbock Memorial Hospital, Dr. J. T. Krueger, Animosity between Dr. Dunn and Dr. Krueger, Basil Moss (again), Chief of Staff, West Texas Hospital, Buying West Texas Hospital stock (again), Dr. Dunn attempts takeover, Great Depression.

Tape 1, Side 2: Basil Moss (continued), West Texas Hospital, Nursing school in Biltmore Hotel, Two sisters graduated, Older sister Dr. Dunn’s nurse, Buying equipment and supplies, On staff at St. Mary’s and Methodist hospitals, Lubbock as regional medical center, Medical school, Town doctors’ resistance, Personal views, Draw over large area, Importance of geography, Outlying communities , "Hub" of Plains, Distribution center, Changes in medicine, Technology, Medicine ca. 1952 (again), No specialists, Moss and Dr. O. W. English perform brain, surgery, Education requirements, Certification renewals, American Academy of Family Practice first, Continuing education, Popularity with small town doctors, Dr. J. A. Chatman, "Unmitigated character", Politics, Segregation at West Texas Hospital, Moss treats black patients at Chatman Hospital, Dr. Chatman helping folks vote, Integration at West Texas Hospital, Black nurse ‘Nancy’ efforts, Patients integrated, Perception of doctors changed, Earlier doctors highly esteemed, Religious "calling", "Shamanism"/Medicine men, People’s faith in healing powers, New doctors focus on money, Example of daughter.

Tape 2, Side 1: Perception of doctors (continued), New doctors focus on money (continued), Dining room conversations, Negative effects, Loss of people’s faith, Doctors as technicians, Healing the total person, Basil Moss (again), Coping with patients’ death, Faith in God, Nursing services, "Bed pan carriers" earlier, Example of sisters, Servant-like, Florence Nightingale, Changes, Highly educated, professionals, Volunteers now are care-givers, A niche that needed filling, Nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants, Home health care, Medicare, Basil Moss views, At first: "Keep the camel’s nose out of the tent", Suspicious of third party payer, Decrease in quality of medical care, Chicanery, Need for charity care, Continue to oppose, Alternatives, Private health insurance, "Camel in the tent now", Doctors’ focus on money caused by government, involvement, "Me first" generation, Indigent care should be from the heart, Example from the past, Cotton farmer, Hispanic, Lubbock tornado, Meeting at Medical Arts Clinic, tornado close, First doctors on scene, Dr. Larry Montgomery at West Texas Hospital, Mother and father in stricken neighborhood.

Tape 2, Side 2: Basil Moss (continued), Lubbock tornado (continued), West Texas Hospital, Aid station at Coliseum, Anecdote about Bill Moss, the hippy and the National Guard, Medical organizations, Lubbock, Crosby, Garza Counties Medical, Society, Board of Family Practice, Personal perspectives, Abortion, Lubbock no different, Choice, Witness to "blotched" abortions, Indigent health care, HIV care, Good care now, Comparison to polio, Managed health care (HMOs), "Abomination", Free enterprise needed, Daughter’s experience, "Gatekeeper" role immoral, Medical society, Uselessness, "Fights" between camps, Women doctors, "Blessing", In medical school, Bridge between technologist and caregiver, Retrospectives, Few regrets over career, Flying "Corsair".

Tape 3, Side 1: Basil Moss (continued), Retrospectives (continued), Advice to aspiring doctors, Belief in a higher power, Money not the goal, Fulfillment, Medical liability insurance, Caused by "me" mentality, "Fine men" associated with, Dr. R. C. Douglas, Dr. Ivan Mayfield, Dr. Sam Dunn, Dr. C. J. Wagner, Dr. Larry Montgomery, Dr. Travis Bridwell, Dr. John Henry, Dr.s Krueger, Overton and Hutchinson.

Tape 3, Side 2: Blank

Range Dates: 1930-1997

Bulk Dates: 1952-1975

Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript:

---

Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.