A Country Practice through three generations Dr. Pamela Marshall

One hundred years may encompass several genera Road, a general Infirmary of seventy two beds and a tions of one family, but in this instance it spans the lunatic Asylum with three hundred and four beds, lives of two individuals, my Grandfather Dr. Gilbert which served Monaghan, Fermanagh and Cavan as Marshall (1858-1934) and his younger son, my father, well as . Dr. James Lister Marshall (1899-1961). Markethill Dispensary is mentioned in 1837 in Both were born in Co. Armagh, received their Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. It serv medical training inDublin and continued their profes ed a district of 40,418 acres with a population of sion as Family Doctors inMarkethill and surrounding 23,924. Up to 1886, Dr. Joseph Pratt was Dispensary district, of approximately eight miles, from 1887 to doctor being followed in 1887 by Dr. Gilbert Marshall. 1961. Though still living in the district, and following His dispensary hours were on Tuesdays, Thursdays and in the same profession, my interest in this particular Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at 36, Main Street, Practice remains now as a patient. Markethill. In 1890 he moved to reside at 58, Main Advances inMedicine have been vast in the past cen Street with the Dispensary at No.53. 1948 saw the in tury; the alterations in the patterns of practice, the corporation of the surgery into part of 58, Main Street. nature of diseases affecting the community and the In 1887 any community health care available was heightened expectation of patients, are reflected in this provided by the Dispensary Doctor. The poor, those rural practice. unable to pay, obtained yellow "lines" tickets if they 1844 saw the development of Anaesthetics, with the required to visit the Dispensary. A red ticket entitled discovery of the microbe (bacterium) responsible for them to a home visit. The rest of the population either infection, together with the pioneering work in 1865 paid in money or kind or in some instances went of Lord Lister, when he transformed surgical pro without medical treatment. cedures, eradicating infection with the use of Carbolic Living conditions for many were bad with damp no acid. More was to follow with the discovery of housing, overcrowding, poor nutrition, running ? Penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928. This water or adequate sanitation the dry Privy or closet revolutionised treatment, curing many infections, but being situated outside. Tuberculosis was rampant with itwas not until the late 1940's that itwas available in no cure, so often it was responsible for the deaths of general practice. many family members; those who became hospitalis Family Practitioners often find their workload is not ed were transferred to Drumarg sanitorium inArmagh solely medical, this will become evident later, but for long spells. Chest conditions were prevalent with rather the Doctor is required to be a general physician many caused by their jobs in the Linen industry or the ? ? with some surgical skills, a counsellor, dentist, maker heavy smoking of Woodbines "Coffin nails" of Wills, but mainly a good listener! from an early age. Infectious diseases provided a large Since disease is no respecter of time or occasion bulk of the illnesses; these were mainly diphteria, availability ofthe Doctor is important. This has been scarlet fever and typhoid fever. The sufferer was improved by the introduction ofthe telephone and (lie dispatched to the Fever Hospital for aminimum of two arrival ofthe motor-car and public transport. Chang weeks. Today people still carry the scars of ing disease patterns, technological advances combin osteomyelitis, rheumatic fever, suppurating ears and ed with the introduction ofthe National Health Service stomach ailments such as ulcers. Surprisingly heart at in 1948 have moulded the Family Practitioner service tacks were uncommon. we to the one recognise today. Home births were the rule unless complications arose In 1881 medical services for Armagh district were and the mother was transferred to Tower Hill Mater provided by the Poor Law Union. Sir Calvert Strongc, nity Department. , was the Chairman, with forty elected guar Transportation of the sick was not in themodern type dians. Armagh City had a Fever Hospital in Caledon ambulance, but in a converted lorry, there being only AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY 42_POYNTZPASS

cough linctus and linseed poultices. By 1946 the telephone was making some impact on communications in the area, although to help those pa tients from Markethill, branch surgeries were held at set locations often on a weekly basis. One of these venues was Orange Row in Glenanne.

Mi^fc?il^Hll^??I^^^BB*.*:.jML . j*teJ?Mm& ^^^BuMHKJ^M^B^HSH^^^^^^H^^HII^^^^HP^li^lHRIR^B ^

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Dr. Marshall in his gig (around 1900).

As well as being the Dispensary Medical Officer my was Dr. Gilbert Marshall and his wife Sarah. grandfather Registrar of Births, Deaths and Mar riages for the district; Medical Attendant to the Royal Irish Constabulary, as well as the Glenanne Sick Fund one ambulance for the district. More often the local Society. He was a certified Factory Surgeon. He had clergyman was imposed upon to move the patient and been responsible for teaching the pupils in the local relative to hospital as he was one of the few with a branch of the St. John's Ambulance Association. motor vehicle or horse and trap. Despite his professional duties he acted as aMagistrate In the 1880's my grandfather used a horse or horse on the Local Bench having been proposed by the Earl and gig to visit his patients. He kept a horse saddled of Gosford and appointed by the Lord Chancellor, who all night in the stable in case of an emergency call. He was known to disapprove of Doctors serving, as he later acquired a motor car in 1905 and reference is presumed they had sufficient to do already. made in correspondence with Lord and Lady Gosford In his leisure time Dr. Gilbert Marshall found relax that they made a gift of a fur coat to him tomake motor ation in the cultivation of bees. He had sixty-five ing more comfortable. With World War Two and beehives and produced honey on a commercial basis, petrol rationing my father resorted to a motor-bicycle. shipping it tomainland Britain. Other interests included He unfortunately ended up a casualty in a bed beside fishing, photography, with farming and gardening. one of his patients in the local Infirmary. Locally he joined other individuals in the formation Tablets and medicaments were dispensed by the of the Markethill Electric Light & Power Co. at the village doctor. Some ofthe commoner treatments given turn of the twentieth century, when acetylene gas was were Asprin, Espon Salts, Castor Oil, baking soda, used to illuminate dwellings. AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY 43

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"" Dr* Marshall at the wheel of his new "Argyle", /a 1903 uLu^nd-

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A letter from Lady Gosford, Christmas 1902, to accompany the gift of a fur coat for motoring. AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY 44_POYNTZPASS

1926. In this year my father joined in theMarkethill work of the practice and by the 1980's they were Dispenseary, he continued with this combining itwas responsible for approximately 5500 patients in a pur the duties of Police Surgeon. He attended the troops pose built Health Centre situated inNewry Street. The and prisoners-of-war stationed in Gosford Demense. General Practitioner remains the lynch-pin in the pre With the arrival of theNational Health Service which sent service helped by many staff both Nursing and revoluntionised health care providing everyone with paramedical. Modern equipment and increasing free treatment, there was a great demand and increas technology are supposedly providing a more efficient ed workload so a partnership was formed with Dr. D. service, but I will leave the Patient to judge. Good and later Dr. J. R. Nelson. They continued the

Dr. James Lister Marshall. POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY 45

Office of the Clerk of Ihe Crown and Ifcmaper, and Permanent See re fart/ to The Lord Chancellor,

Four Courts, Dublin,

cH

Sir,

T am.directed to inform you that the Lord, Chancellor,

on the recommendation of His Majesty's Lieutenant of the ._has the Warrant County of_^/^^^^c^^^ signed for your appointment to the Magistracy of that County.

The Commission of the Peace will be issued to you on the

understanding that, without receiving further sanction from

the Lord Chancellor, you will only attend the Petty Sessions of the district of >-^^a^C^fe^^^L^^_

Application for the Commission should be made to this

office, accompanied by payment (which may be made by cheque)

of the Fees, which amount to ?6.

r am,

Sir,

)))ur obedient Sereunt,

V >->.. * C'r- .'9 V" 1 500,\Vt.62oO,t,'05,15 .\nilX.,Ltil.-m'.l ,

Letter from the Lord Chancellor appointing Dr. Gilbert Marshall, Justice of the Peace, 1905, 46 POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The following poem and its footnote illustrate very well the changes in the past 70 years.

THEN AND NOW 1974 1924 His grandson went to hospital Old William went to bed at home With a pain across his chest With a pain across his chest. The doctor told his relatives The doctor used his stethoscope He needed total rest. And said he needed rest. The residents made various tests, The doctor saw him twice a day Electrocardiograms. Gave morphia injections The nurses gave him loving care Said they could only wait and see Rubbed spirit on his hams. The asked no family questions They put him on a heparin drip The family looked after him And monitored his heart. His pain soon settled down. The physios came daily The doctor mentioned pleurisy And moved his limbs about. But he had a frown. puzzled Progress was satisfactory (His textbooks gave no help at all Till suddenly his clock Nowhere did they contain Stopped; but they were up to that The details of an illness? With direct-current shock To account for William's pain.) But he remained unconscious, Since William's pain was better The monitor by Ins side They got him out of bed Inscribing a sinus rhythm And in ten days back on his feet; Until the day lie died. Just as the doctor said The hospital did .ill it could Old William, well recovered, His hie loice to sustain; For five more years lived on It cured the cardiac arrest, Until he dropped dead suddenly Hut uuild not retrieve his brain. When he was eighty-one. ( K M-ARNLEY.

Ihere was question on coronary thrombosis in the M.R.C.P. examination in 1927; according to a retired colleague, many candidates had not heard of the con dition. POYNTZPASS AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY 47

""""' ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bi^i^^^^^^^^^^^BBBBHll'P*^^^^^^ - ^frjf^^***' =- B^^^H^KH^BHBRBi^^^^^^v^ .j^^r~r"~~' -. *****.--*

Orange Row, Glenanne.

". " . Dr- Gilbert Marshall's label. .~*7"L[ f" Honey

" .re*W." i" i 11

Receipt from "The Bath Honey Stores Ltd.".