Belleville History Alive!

When doctors went to see their patients: Quinte Living History, page 2

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F, J ' ••- • : . J /x c k , ' population was on relief, one- third was too proud to go on relief, and the doctors were trying to live off the other third. Frequently a patient's name wouldn't even be entered in the books, because the doctor knew he hadn't a cent. Today doctors get paid for welfare patients. But, he states firmly, he would not want to be a young doctor practising today. "In the old days we didn't have OHIP on our necks, or the paper work that drives doctors nearly crazy today. "We missed all that. Medicine today is a whole new ball game." Dr. Farley liked making house calls. He sometimes found the office work monotonous. "Everything from ingrown toenails to dandruff," he says. He could relax while driving around to his various calls. "The worst time was in the Forties," he remembers. "I was the only doctor on the west side of the river with the exception of Dr. Crowe." Because of the Common- wealth Air Training Plan at the air base during the war, there were airmen and their families here from England, Australia and other Commonwealth coun- tries. Because the families were civilians, they were not taken care of by the air force doctors and the doctors in Trenton had to cope with tiiem. Dr. Farley remembers being at the office at 11:30 at night, still with a full waiting room, and people out on the step. He worked Saturdays, Sundays, and evenings in those days. ISABEL McCROD AN Dr. Farley retired on June 27, 1978 at the age of 78. He says the reason he could go on so long was due to his wonderful nurse, Isabel McCrodan, RN. She had been his nurse since 1941. Miss McCrodan died earlier this year. So much a part of his practice was she that patients would call her to ask for advice. Laughs Dr. Farley, "One woman called at noon one day and wanted to speak to the nurse while Isabel was still at lunch. Is there anything I can do?' asked the doctor. The woman called back at one o'clock. It was Isabel's advice she wanted." Dr. Farley still goes to the hospital every day, has some of his meals at the cafeteria there. Mrs. Farley died in 1979. The family housekeeper comes four times a week. She's been with the Parleys for years. The Farleys had two children - a daughter Ann, Mrs. A.J. Paro, Trenton, who is a nurse and a son William (Bill), Calgary, who got his fellowship in anae- ! sthesia.

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