Baugh, Dr William Leo

In the first interview, recollections and personal experiences of an early doctor and early medicine in Lubbock. Roads and transportation to make sick-calls, using whatever medicines and methods available at that time. Growth and development as a small town into a large city. In the second interview, there is a description of early Lubbock and recollections of the railroad expansion, sanitation, and water supply problems in Lubbock, cost of land within the city limits of early-day Lubbock, and an account of Igo Ranch. Also early medical practices in Lubbock, early farming on South Plains, sanitation problems of city, problems with vaccination for smallpox and diphtheria, and early development of Lubbock. The third interview contains personal experiences and recollections of an early doctor in Lubbock. Early-day medical practices, prescriptions, and sick-calls. Glimpses of the social life of early Lubbock together with local color are found in discussions of the early business district, the barber shop, the hotel, early stores, and community projects. Of particular interest is the discussion of the transient migratory laborers of the railroad gangs and how they affected early Lubbock.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Dr. William Leo Baugh

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: September 16, 1954 (First interview); June 9, 1958 (Second interview); June 18, 1958 (Third interview

Location: Office, West Texas Hospital

Interviewer: Barbara Campbell (First interview); Jean A. Paul (Second and third interviews); (NOTE: The first interview was wire recorded September 16, 1954. Later, in July, 1957, a transcription was made on this tape by the Southwest Collection through the courtesy of Dr. William Gordon. The interviews were duplicated on cassette in 1985, causing the tape divisions to be different than were on the original.)

Length: First interview: 1 hour; Second interview: 3 hours, Third interview: 2 hours

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: FIRST INTERVIEW: Born 1880 to Mr. and Mrs. W. Morgan Baugh (25), Education and graduation from Brownwood High School (33), Early decision to become doctor (36), Begins career in 1901 in Galveston. Tells of Galveston storm (40), Law goes into effect requiring 4 years of medicine before practice (50), Graduation from medical school (50), Begins practice in Coleman, Texas (58), Lubbock, in 1906. Description of West Texas (60), First office in Lubbock (78), Tells of being only doctor in Lubbock for two years (90), People receptive and kind (100), Horse used for transportation (117), Marriage and family (120), Other came to Lubbock. Dr. Overton mentioned (135), Combined practice with Dr. Hall (140), Performed surgery in homes and office (150), Building of first hospital in Lubbock (155), Original staff at first hospital (155), Begins specializing and post-graduate courses (165), Lubbock and Hale County Medical Society (174), Tells of being state delegate for 30 years to State Medical Association (188), Tells of educating people to medicine (194), Describes his interests in building in Lubbock (199), Describes performing surgery on work bench in patients backyard (207), Delivering babies (227), Training women to assist in deliveries (235), Establishing of original "West Texas Hospital" (250), Organized medicine in Texas (270), Railroads in Lubbock (299), Helps procure money for Texas Tech (326)

Tape 1, Side 2: Served in three wars (340), First impressions and growth of Lubbock in 40 years (350)

Tape 2, Side 1: SECOND INTERVIEW: Education of Dr. Baugh (14), Description of Lubbock in early 1900s (21), First office - Star Drug Store (22), Dr. Overton mentioned (28), Description of buildings in Lubbock early 1900s (30), Nicollett Hotel (48), Built residence at 1811-13th Street (55), Account of Charlie Pierce building home (61), Freight hauling by mules (70), Early practice including territory covered (82), Diseases and surgery (95), Early business practices, stores unlocked (102), Cowboys in town (110), Gun-shot wounds and fights (122), Texas Rangers (145), Account of incident at Post, Texas, Liquor traffic and saloons in Lubbock (203), Surveying of R. R. at Post (238), Early R. R. Gangs (253), Food and supplies for the R.R. (263), Preservation of foods without refrigeration (279), Use of cow chips (298), Cowboy tarpaulins (300)

Tape 2, Side 2: Sanitation in Lubbock (353), Harry Roberts - Sanitation Engineer mentioned (324), Water supply problem (358), Location of Santa Fe R. R. (425), R. R. at Plainview (444), R. R. in Lubbock (452), Account of R. R. and sand hills (498), Personal account of losing "A million dollars" (530), Purchasing of land in Lubbock for White at Temple (557), Account of dynamiting for R. R. (650)

Tape 3, Side 1: Fred Harvey in Slaton (762), Igo Ranch (Igo Land and Cattle Company) bought by H. L. Kokernot (887), C.W. Post mentioned (16), First crops raised on former Kokernot land (32), Crops grown on South Plains (44), Truck farming on South Plains (60), Early cotton growing on South Plains (89), Break-up of big ranches and barbed wire (103), State Capitol building (119), Problems of Baugh as Chairman of State Board of Health (149), South Plains Cotton Market (163), Sanitation problems in Lubbock (168), Sewer development and water supply (174), Account of family in Lubbock with typhoid fever sanitation problem (193), Smallpox epidemic in Lubbock in 1914 (207), Problems with vaccination (238)

Tape 3, Side 2: Vaccination for diphtheria (280), Diphtheria mentioned - epidemics (250), Early hospital facilities in Lubbock including Lubbock Sanitarium (328), Burning of houses - smallpox (353), Problems with vaccination including account of repeated refusal by men (42), Garbage collection in the city (427), Disposal of dead animals (452), Early clean-up campaigns (467), Account of first tall building in city (481), Volunteer fire department in early Lubbock (488)

Tape 4, Side 1: THIRD INTERVIEW: Star Drug Store (12), Pioneer Doctor's Equipment (76), Obstetrics, Anesthesia, and Surgery (100), Shooting Scrapes, and Amputations (180), Care of Dead, Caskets, Burial, Funerals (280)

Tape 4, Side 2: J. D. Caldwell and the first hearse (347), Early Lubbock's Business District (382), Barber Shop (410), Carrying Weapons in Town (480), Early Business Practices, Unlocked Stores (545), Location of Nicollett Hotel (557), House Building (576), Tree-planting (699), Doctor's Fees (727)

Tape 5, Side 1: Life in the Nicollett (758), "Christmas in March" (29), Opens New Office (38), Liquor traffic (52), R. R. Construction camps (72), R. R. laborers (95), Diseases of R. R. Camp (131), Life in Work Train Camp (140), Mexican Obstetrics (150), Venereal Disease (173), "Brown Teeth" (218), Meat Preservation (247)

Tape 5, Side 2: Community Hog-Killing, methods, etc. (257)

Range Dates: 1900s-1954

Bulk Dates: 1900s-1954

Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript:

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