CD1

(64 mins)

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OUTLINE OF EARLY LIFE / WAR YEARS / MEDICAL TRAINING
 

Born London 1915. Moved to Croydon when ten. Father worked for ICI in city, mother stayed firmly at home. In Croydon until the war. Got scholarship to Whitgift. After leaving school had job in city firm, didn't please him very much, almost relieved to be called up [laughs]. Firmly a non-combatant but in airborne Royal Army Medical Corps. Dropped by parachute into Normandy on D Day as part of operation to secure Pegasus bridge.

Demobbed in 1946. While in Normandy had reckoned ought to do something more reasonable with his life. His MO, who was a great friend, introduced him to his old hospital, London Hospital. While back in England for brief period from Normandy, he took EM there. Had rather extraordinary interview with Dean wearing their red berets and medal ribbons. They said of course, as soon as you're demobbed let us know, which he did.

EM began medical course in Autumn 1946, qualified in 1952. By that time married to Jenny. Did house jobs and then thought ought to earn a little money as had very little. Answered advertisement for country practice in Lynton and came down in 1953. [Back to top]
 

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MOVE TO LYNTON

Not really a big decision. Neither of them particularly wanted to spend their lives in London. Jenny missed the odd theatre and advantages of London but EM thinks Lynton is a compensation. Advertisement put in by Dr Nightingale. Lynton has had long term doctors. There had just been two doctors in the practice this century when Dr N took over in 1937 and he remained in practice until 1969. Dr N offered EM partnership, which he took. When eventually Dr N retired, and died shortly after, EM took on Dr Farrar as his partner. Saw advertisement in British Medical Journal.

Only one other applicant, met briefly. Came down for interview, very friendly. Drove down with his wife in very ramshackled, cheap car which had taken most of their savings. Drove down in June, in the rain, arriving more or less on time. Started work on August 1^st. Stayed immediately in boarding house in Lee Road, for fortnight. Dr N had previously had an assistant. In 1948 everything changed and he was offered sole practice in Lynton on condition he took assistant. Took assistant who unfortunately contracted malignant hyper-tension and Dr N had to get someone quickly. Interview friendly chat, quite a lot about the war. Dr N not the sort of chap to pry, if he thought EM was all right, that was fine.

EM thought area wonderful. Hadn't been to Lynton before but had briefly passed though Lynmouth, so knew very well what he was coming to. Wife hadn't been down before but obviously appreciated it too. Not a difficult decision to make.

Rented maisonette in London with very sparse furniture, mostly orange boxes, so no difficulty in moving. No family at the time, but wife Jenny pregnant. Twin boys born in October that year.  [Back to top]
 

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LYNTON PRACTICE / PARRACOMBE SURGERY

After London Hospital EM thought Lynton practice just a bit primitive. They worked surgery from Dr N's house, called Neesworth, now Garson House, old people's home, down the road. Very rural sort of place, horse in the stables, big gardener's bell which was clanged when it was time for gardener to knock off. Surgery a little room with nice big window, no examination room or anything of that sort. Couch in the room and patients undressed as far as they needed to, no screen, and lay down on the couch. Waiting room was the old dining room in this big house. Dr N a very enthusiastic photographer so whole of waiting room lined with photographs of Exmoor. People came to the front door and walked into the waiting room. Doctors had no means of communicating with them except getting up, walking into waiting room, nodding and asking someone to come in. Dr N of course knew everyone by name, and after a very short time EM did too. No receptionist. Dr N's wife looked after the place, grumbled at EM if he took too long because she wanted to sweep up. All run sort of friendly, very unofficial level.

One would have been taking surgery while the other did something else. They worked which would take that day's morning surgery and which evening. Telephone on desk frequently interrupted consultations. After surgery they sorted out calls and took which of them most appropriate. Record cards in cabinet beside desk and they made notes as they went along. Medicine not kept as prescribing practice but had things for immediate use. There were two chemists in village. One of them tacitly looked after Brendon end and the other the Parracombe end. Because transport and money scarce the people who lived outside Lynton were chary of coming into surgery so they did Tuesday and Friday afternoon surgery at Brendon and Wednesday afternoon surgery at Parracombe. Initially EM did Parracombe surgery. Drove over and held surgery in little cottage opposite old Wesleyan chapel in Parracombe. No consultation timing, people just lined up and came in in no order. EM made out prescriptions and after surgery drove back to 'Parracombe' chemist, gave them to him, and the next morning his wife delivered the medicine.  [Back to top]

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BRENDON SURGERY / SIR WILLIAM HALLIDAY / PRACTICE BOUNDARIES / GLENTHORNE

Later on, Dr N had coronary. He carried on but took less and less part in more vigorous activities so EM did Brendon surgery as well. Liked Brendon surgery very much. Surgery held in public bar of Staghunters Inn. No waiting room, but river Lyn runs outside and there was a nice stretch of green with seats on it. In summer people waited there. When somebody came out of bar someone else came in. In winter, and particularly if it was raining, opposite the door there was wide staircase going upstairs and they sat on stairs. Very informal. Had farmers and people of Brendon, also had Sir William Halliday who lived at Glenthorne but was Principal of Kings College, London, who took his turn with rest, leaning against fence and waiting his turn.

Nothing in bar which they could lie on. Occasionally if there was someone EM thought needed full examination he would go over and examine them properly when he'd finished. Did quite a lot of calls locally after surgery both in Brendon and Lynton. Supposes it was unusual for Sir William Halliday to come to him rather than expect EM to go to him, but EM treated him in most friendly way as another chap. Doesn't think there was a hierarchical line where some people expected more attention from doctor. Always firmly refused to have private practice as didn't see how he could be indiscriminate. Thinks this was understood. Occasionally newcomer demanded special treatment so EM said you'd better find someone else. Doesn't think they did, although they could have gone to Barnstaple.

Area ran from top of Porlock Hill to Kentisbury Ford and south to Challacombe, the northern half of Exmoor. Porlock Hill was a very firm boundary. Never referred to, but people who lived at top would find it easier to come to Lynton than down hill to Porlock. Had Yearnor and Silcombe. If Sir William did call him, it was very rarely for himself but often for his gardener who was a delightful old chap, but it would be unthinkable for him to move out of Glenthorne, EM would visit. To visit Glenthorne had to drive to County Gate and then take drive. Very twisty. Remembers being told that in days when carriage went down there it took three hours for carriage to make the journey [laughs]. [Back to top]

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1962 SNOW / HOME VISITS / AA MAN

In 1962 snow Lynton cut off entirely for a short time, but EM found with chains on his car could mostly get up as far as Countisbury but no further. So took rucksack and walked wherever he wanted to. In middle of blizzard, just before dawn, got telephone call saying Rosie at Ashton farm very ill. So said meet me there at ?seven o'clock/eight o'clock. Drove up to Countisbury with Ivan, St John's Ambulance driver, who had ordinary job but one which allowed him to be called out. He couldn't drive ambulance in snow so used to go with EM in his car. They got to top of Countisbury hill and then had to walk in wretched blizzard. Met somebody to take him down to Ashton. Snow covered top of hedges, but went down guided by telephone wires, could have touched wires. Walked on top of snow. Rosie extremely ill, bases of lungs just about solid. She was dark blue and not breathing very well. So EM gave her a large injection of penicillin and left some taramycin for her and visited her every day for next ten days. She lived another 20 years.

Once when going to Parracombe could only get half way so ambulance driver stayed in car while EM walked on.

Another splendid occasion when old gentleman, very nice chap, who was never really very ill but often thought he was, called him at midnight. He lived at Lower Ranscombe farm, not very far from A39 but down twisty lane. EM and Ivan got as far as beginning of lane but no further. Lane blocked with snow, particularly in the night you couldn't see where it was but they knew general direction so walked on top of snow. EM said 'we must be just about here' and Ivan said 'yes we are, here's a chimney [laughs] and they slid down and found the front door. Ivan there really for safety and companionship, crashing into snow fairly hazardous. Ivan rather liked to do it, at least EM hopes he did. Was doing it in voluntary capacity. EM doesn't think they ever had any real trouble.

There was nice moment when doing one of their calls to Ashton, when only got as far as Blue Ball Inn - could sometimes get further, it depended on what wind and blizzards had done. AA man lived in one of cottages nearby. They had walked all way to Ashton, almost at County Gate. As they walked back suddenly their car appeared. AA man had seen it, taken the shovel, dug away snow drift, cleared road - he of course like everyone else knew exactly where they were going - and drove up to meet them. Knew him very well. Repaid him later when he found him unconscious in telephone box at top of Porlock Hill, so brought him back and sorted him out in Cottage Hospital and he was fine. Can't remember whether he was alerted or passing, but thinks it was a chance affair.

EM himself extremely fit. Wartime training left him with something like Olympic fitness. Had played rugger for representative Brigade team in army which meant he had to be very fit and was still just as fit when he came to Lynton. Wore wonderful Canadian jersey, huge, sort of lumberjack which a patient had given him. Nothing special on his feet, might have worn gum boots occasionally.

Story that EM skied to patients untrue [laughs]. He'd cadge lifts on tractors quite often. Considered riding horse but thought horse probably couldn't cope with snow drifts. It took a long time but people didn't demand visits then unless it was absolutely life saving, so could devote all non-surgery time (and there weren't many people in surgery either) to doing two or three calls a day. When he finally arrived people pleased to see him, but not particularly surprised [laughs]. Would get offered sustenance, rather a good brand of sloe gin going at Parracombe. [Back to top]

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WIFE'S PREGNANCY / MIDWIFERY

After arrived at Lynton lived in hotel for couple of weeks and then took over house in Crossmead from widow of Assistant who had just died. Rented it, then after three of four years bought house they are now in now (with mortgage), 1957 he thinks. Didn't bother his wife too much, coming to a new area being pregnant. In those days consultants as we understand them now were few and far between. Barnstaple hospital staffed almost entirely by local GPs. There was a consultant pathologist, but physicians and surgeons, and anaesthetists, were GPs. But chap who looked after midwifery by chance happened to have been at Whitgift at same time as EM. He undertook care of EM's wife because Dr N didn't want to be saddled with it, because EM was his assistant. [Back to top]

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MIDWIFERY / HOME DELIVERIES

Doesn't think Dr N didn't much enjoy midwifery anyway because he got EM to take it over from the beginning so he did all midwifery and deliveries at the Cottage Hospital until Dr Ferrar came and then they split it between them. Felt slightly apprehensive about that. But he was a very cautious obstetrician and if he ran into trouble, or thought he was going to run into trouble, would ring up Dr Brook (the chap from Barnstaple hospital), who would come over in the middle of the night and help him out. Because of his caution, if in advance he thought there were going to be problems, he would refer them to the North Devon Infirmary, as Barnstaple hospital was called, beforehand.

They had about 35 on average deliveries a year, 700 total for EM. He persuaded them as far as he could to have them in hospital. But was breaking old tradition. District Nurse reckoned to do her own deliveries at home. He insisted on doing all ante-natal examinations in hospital. District Nurse knew very well she could call him for home delivery if she wanted to, even without running into trouble. He vetted people who he let her do. Didn't go on for very long because very soon practically everyone opted for hospital delivery. Not unusual in those days for District Nurse to be only one at home delivery. Never came to any harm. EM preferred hospital deliveries because it was always possible that delivery would be difficult and need forceps delivery and he'd very much rather do forceps delivery under sterile conditions in hospital than in somebody's home. Would always have preferred that. Didn't have to use forceps very often, very reluctant to do it, but obviously wouldn't let second stage go on too long.

Is chary of home deliveries. Can't be certain of degree of sterility both for delivery and immediate after-care. General principal rather than from experiencing something going wrong. Never imposed his will. If they couldn't be persuaded to come to hospital, and if he thought it necessary, would attend delivery at home himself. People who really wanted to stay at home did. People who were equivocal went to hospital. Would keep them a week, a bit long by modern standards. But they weren't terrible restricted. Visiting hours not very strict. [Back to top]
 

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LYNTON COTTAGE HOSPITAL / ACCIDENTS

Lynton Cottage Hospital absolute godsend. As EM grew in experience and competence did all sorts of things there. Farmers always doing things to themselves. He can think of one or two occasions when possibly they wouldn't have survived journey to Barnstaple. There was someone who cut an artery in her wrist by putting her arm through a window. Neighbour in Lynmouth took first aid measures but it was still bleeding furiously. EM clamped it, ligated it and crisis ended. Remembers someone who fell off ladder and Ivan brought him in very quickly. He had smashed his elbow, which wasn't too difficult to cope with. EM thought he looked much more shocked than he should have been, examined him carefully, reckoned he'd ruptured his liver, put up drip, phoned Barnstaple, told them what had happened and to get theatre ready, bound up his arm, shoved in a nice lot of morphia and told Ivan to get there quickly. Between Ivan picking him up and being on his way was 25 minutes. Ruptured liver a pretty serious condition.

Very first Easter there were 14 car accidents over weekend. None of them desperately serious but things like broken bones, dislocations. EM adept at reducing dislocated shoulders, a fairly common thing to happen on farms. [Back to top]
 

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CLIFF RESCUES / FIRE BRIGADE

People fell down cliffs, EM got sort of satisfaction over cliff rescues, used to go down cliff and do them up. One celebrated one at Ramsey Head, big cliff, something like 600ft, other side of Heddons Mouth. EM called on one wet Sunday morning by chap who had been climbing with man named Archer, quite a well known climber. Archer had fallen last 30ft because rope and piton had given way. Had hurt himself. Chap with him hauled up cliff again, went into Trentishoe farm and phoned EM. EM alerted police and fire brigade, who were local cliff rescuers and went out there in Sunday morning clothes. Met Cyril at farm, who roped him to him and they went down cliff. Archer had fractured femur. Cyril whipped up to organise things at top, EM splinted femur, gave him pethedin. It was raining hard so put coat on him and make him reasonable comfortable. He chatted away, time went on. They were there three hours with EM giving a boost of pethedin every hour. As time went on asked Archer what he had in his haversack. He said 'some beer and some chocolate', so EM said 'well you have the chocolate and I'll have the beer'. Eventually fire brigade got down, having had to go back for another 500ft of rope - 500ft usually enough to take with you but it was a tortuous haul. Firemen spaced themselves out down cliff each with a crowbar, drove crowbar in, the rope laid out along the bars, probably with half-hitch. Brought down covered stretcher and EM put Archer on stretcher, did his own round turn and two half-hitches and signalled to first chap who blew whistle and suddenly he was whisked out of sight, leaving EM to find his own way up.

Hadn't done cliff climbing, but did so many things in battle courses in army that it didn't perturb him too much. Not scary because used to that..

First bit of climbing back on his own would have been very difficult but he secured himself to stretcher for first 30ft which was sheer, after that not terribly difficult. Just had on shoes he wore in the house. Crowbars probably collected as each one was past. Helicopter had come earlier but couldn't get so close to cliff. Then helicopter whisked him off to Barnstaple. He did very well, EM saw him afterwards. EM's daughter a climber and found account in one of her climbing books.

Fire Brigade very efficient and had cliff rescue training, can't do it now of course. That was a very dramatic one but there were lots more, EM was always involved. Very first one at Lillycombe, near Sillery Sands. A young woman doctor had left her husband sitting in car at top and gone to explore and slid down. She wasn't badly hurt at all but had quite nasty gash on her leg. EM didn't actually go down on that one because firemen perfectly capable of getting her up. EM brought her to Cottage Hospital, sewed her up and thought it wouldn't be a bad idea if she stayed overnight. Husband in a quandary so Jenny [Mrs M] put him up overnight [laughs]and next morning she was all right.

Fire Service people voluntary, same as Ivan. He got a call out fee, not very much. [Back to top]
 

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COUNTISBURY HILL ACCIDENT

Of other things to which EM might have been called out unexpectedly he remembers occasion when an articulated lorry turned upside down on Countisbury Hill and chap was in cab trapped. They had to lift vehicle up before they could get him out. EM managed to crawl underneath enough to find arm and slide in injection of morphia and bandage a cut he could get to, but all he saw was from the elbow downwards. Got lifting equipment from Barnstaple, but not enough for job so sent to Bideford for something bigger. Chap appeared to be unconscious because EM couldn't get any response out of him. Eventually bigger stuff came, hauled it up and EM crawled underneath, unwound him from steering wheel, got him out and put him on stretcher. By that time television crew had arrived so they had it played back to them on the telly. Doesn't remember how long ago it was. Chap all right. Badly enough shocked for EM to put up drip in ambulance and next morning he was said to be sitting up reading the paper. Can't remember when TV people often came round, can't remember when they started. Didn't mind them arriving when he was busy as long as they didn't get in the way.

The car crashes in early days weren't because cars were so inefficient, although he expects a lot of people went about in unsuitable cars, but people in those days just weren't used to those hills. Nearly always a jam on Lynmouth Hill, merely because people couldn't change gear efficiently enough. Had some nasty ones. At least one death he can remember. He wasn't killed on the spot. Most unfortunate local blacksmith, going down Lynmouth Hill with heavy iron vice in back. Saw in mirror lorry out of control bearing down hill so swung into safety road. Whereupon lorry out of control also swung into safety road, hit him in the back. He would still have been all right except iron vice hit him on head and smashed his scull. They got him out, took him to Cottage Hospital. EM put up drip, reckoning that he would die whatever he [EM] did and Barnstaple, even if he could get him there, couldn't possibly have coped. Nearest place Bristol and he wouldn't have survived that far. Indeed he died within half an hour. [Back to top]