The Catherine Washburn Medical Association recently asked author Lorrie Harrison and photographer/designer Robert Harrison to produce a book about how the practice of medicine evolved on Lopez.
“They did a wonderful job, and presented us with Lopez Island’s newest ‘history’ book,” said CWMA board member Marty Clark.“It is full of great local stories, past and present.”
Beginning with a dramatic story that took place here in 1889, the book chronicles life before medical care come to Lopez. How did pioneers cope when smallpox, croup, or tuberculosis threatened; when it was time for a baby to be born; when gunshot, fishing or logging accidents felled an islander?
“Digging past the surface to come up with the historical material makes this book so interesting,” he said.
For instance Lorrie and Robert came across an account of a tragic shotgun accident in 1889.
“We had the story, but Robert went up to Lopez’s Union Cemetery and poked around until he found the injured boy’s grave and headstone,” she said. “That photograph is a powerful addition to the book.”
The hardback book also features stories about legendary San Juan County nurse Elsie Scott who cared for many on Lopez from 1938-1962 and about physician Malcolm Heath, once tagged “The Flying Doctor of the San Juan Islands’ by “Time Magazine.” The book continues with first hand stories about how Lopez Islanders dreamed, then built their own clinic, hiring Dr. George Dengler as their first physician.
“Most of the stories are told in the words of those who lived this history,” said Lorrie.
This is Lorrie’s fourth published book. Her publications include “Kindred Spirits” with Greg Ewert,“The Journey Home,” and “Lopez Library 1949-2009, Sixty Years of History.”
This is the first book Lorrie has produced with her son Robert Harrison. Lorrie said she approached the collaboration with trepidation, but as soon as they started working she learned she had nothing to fear.
“We never hit a speed bump,” she said.
Beyond getting along, they had fun working with people – collecting their stories and their photographs.
“It’s fascinating to learn about our island’s medical heritage,” said Lorrie.
The clinic was built by and continues to be equipped by donations from Lopez Islanders. Another purpose of the book is to honor those generous donors. For 30 years their names were listed on plaques in the clinic waiting room. As more and more names were added, space ran out and the plaques came down. The CWMA, looking for a way to permanently honor the donors, commissioned “Island Medicine.” All whose names appeared on the plaques are now included in the front of the new book, creating a lasting public record of their support.
According to Clark, the initial intent was to have two copies of the book available in the clinic waiting room and one on the shelf at Lopez Library, people who have seen advance copies are asking to purchase their own. In response, the CWMA is making an initial run of 100 books available at a book launch party and later through Lopez Bookshop.
The book party will be at the Library on May 31 from 5-6:30 p.m.
