Today we are in the midst of a national debate on health care. Time magazine last week had a fine article on the cost of health care in different hospitals. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota was reported as being the best by providing excellent care at a lower cost than the other major hospitals. The secret to the Mayo Clinic's success is that its entire staff works closely together as a team to provide "integrated and coordinated care." In addition, the patient's medical records are instantly retrievable making treatment faster, cheaper and error-free. The road that led to the Mayo Clinic's success began right here in old Nutfield.
Abel Plummer moved to Londonderry from Rowley, Mass., in 1775 along with his wife, his elderly father and seven children. All three of his boys served in the local militia. His son, Nathan, enlisted in Patriot army in 1776 and was wounded while serving under Col. Matthew Thornton and Gen. John Stark.
After the war, Nathan returned home to Londonderry and married Mary Palmer. Their son Nathan, Jr., was born in 1787 and educated in the local one-room schools. In time, the boy decided he wanted to be a physician. Most doctors in those days didn't learn their profession in medical school; instead they apprenticed to an experienced doctor. For several years Nathan was student, servant and assistant to Dr. Robert Bartley who practiced in medicine in Londonderry from 1792-1820.
For a while Plummer practiced in Londonderry, but in 1818 he moved to Chester, the hometown of his wife Sarah Colby (1793-1836). After her death he married Mahitable Dinsmore (1802-1894). He continued to practice medicine in Chester-Auburn as a physician and surgeon until the infirmities of old age made him retire around 1860. He died in 1871. Of his nine children only Albert (1840-1912) followed him into the field of medicine. Albert learned the rudiments of his craft from his father and later graduated from Bowdoin College. During the Civil War he served with the 10th N.H. regiment - originally as a hospital orderly but later as an assistant surgeon.
Like many New Hampshire men of the 19th century, Dr. Albert Plummer had sand in his shoes. After the war he moved alone to a small town in Minnesota where he began a medical practice. There he married Isabelle Steele, a local school teacher. Dr. Albert Plummer soon became a respected local doctor. In time he gained a statewide reputation as a diagnostician and he moved his practice to the city of Racine, Wisconsin.
Two children were born to the couple; Henry, 1874; William, 1883; both became college-educated physicians and connected with the Mayo Clinic.
Young Henry wanted to be an engineer but he was persuaded by his dad to follow the family profession. He attended the University of Minnesota and Northwestern University and received his medical degree in 1898. After graduation he returned to Racine to assist his ailing father in his practice. Henry was on call 24-7. He devised a "simple lever-activated rope system outside his bedroom window that released oats in the barn, allowing his horse to feed before he went out." He also devised a jerry-rigged devise which allowed him to connect telephone lines to barbed wire fences so he could be in touch with his patients even when he was out camping on the prairie.
In 1901 Dr. Will Mayo asked Dr. Albert Plummer to consult with him in a rural farmhouse on a suspected case of leukemia. Albert was too ill to travel so he sent his eldest son in his place. Before leaving Henry packed a microscope in his suitcase. At the patient's bedside, Henry took blood samples from the patient and a hired hand. Young Doctor Plummer then proceeded to show the legendary Dr. Will Mayo the difference between blood from a person with leukemia and one without leukemia.
Dr. Will Mayo was very impressed with this recent college graduate that he told his brother, Dr. Charlie Mayo, that they really should hire the young man. With in two weeks, Henry was in charge of the laboratories at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Will Mayo would later say that the "hiring of Henry Plummer was the best day's work he ever did for the clinic."
PART 2: Next week we'll see how Dr. Henry Plummer will revolutionize the practice of medicine.
ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ
Rick Holmes is Derry's Town Historian and author of "Nutfield Rambles," which is available for purchase at the town hall, local libraries and many local stores.
