For many years Genevieve JOBE served as office nurse, and Pat EAGEN (JOHNSON) filled in for Genevieve while some of her children were young.

Dr. McINTOSH, during his years of practice, saw many changes and much progress in the care and treatment of disease. Discovery and general use of sulfa, penicillin, and antibiotics, changed the course of medicine and saved many lives. They were indeed "miracle drugs," and no one realizes this better than those doctors who practiced before and after their discovery.

Dr. McINTOSH also saw great changes and improvement in Ringgold County roads. When he started practice in January of 1927, there were only 12 miles of gravel in the county and no pavement. Ringgold County really was in mud! He kept a mud car, usually a Model T Ford with a Ruckstel axle, or later on, a Model A Ford. Mud roads were taken for granted, and mud was just something to poke from wheels when they rolled full and slid instead of turned.

Telephone service was primitive and personal, as one had to call through Ellston and Beaconsfield to reach Grand River. One was indeed fortunate if the lines were clear and you could 'get through' without trying and trying and standing and waiting. Frequently the various "Centrals" were very helpful and allowed you to wait on the line, or would even ask for the line when for a doctor's call. For a while, long distance was the only means of talking to Shannon City. There was no wonderful "beeper" to let the doctor know he was wanted, nor a short wave radio to keep in touch with his office.

Tingley Central usually was the answering service in the evening. The doctor would call Central, leave word where he would be, and the operator would put a note on her board where to reach the doctor, leaving it for the night operator who came on at 9 o'clock.

Tingley had two daily passenger trains, one going east at 2:00 p.m., and another west at 4:00 p.m. Often times when the roads were impassable due to mud or drifted snow, calls were made on the train. Dr. McINTOSH would take the eastbound train to Ellston, Beaconsfield, or Grand River, make calls, then return on the westbound 4:00 o'clock train. Often he made country calls, getting off the train at a crossing where someone would meet him with a team and buggy, bobsled, or even horseback, make the sick call, return to the crossing and flag the westbound train to come back to Tingley. Train crews knew him and were so helpful and obliging.

Foreman of the railroad section crew lived in Tingley and several times he got out of bed, went to the depot and started the engine of the handcar. Then he and the doctor would go flying through the cold, dark night.

One day Dr. McINTOSH made calls in three counties in bobsleds, as roads were impassable for a car due to snow drifts.

A wonderful spirit of neighborliness and helpfulness prevaded the whole rural community. In case of emergency, help always rallied. One day when roads were badly drifted, almost 70 men shoveled snow and made way for teams and bobsleds to transport an injured boy to the main road for emergency treament.

Roads were considered the worst when, after being muddy and rolling with big hunks of mud punched from wheels, they froze solid. Bumping over such roads was almost impossible, and cars and tires had to be expandable. All of this seems impossible, when today a well-equipped and well-attended ambulance can roll to the door and whisk the patient away for modern medical attention at the nearest hospital.

Since retirement, Dr. McINTOSH and Edith have been dividing their time between spending summers on their farm at Keosauqua, Iowa, and winters at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida.

NOTE: Dr. J. A. McINTOSH died at the age of 85 years on July 17, 1986 at Van Buen County Memorial Hospital in Keosauqua Iowa. Family members knew his as "Uncle Shorty." He served with the U. S. Army during World War I, and married Edith DUFFIELD on May 31, 1924, Des Moines, Iowa. Edith (DUFFIELD) McINTOSH was born in 1901, and died in 1990. They were interred at Pittsburg Cemetery, Van Buren County, Iowa.

SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. p. 125. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011

Notes and transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2011