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‘ A small town country doctor Li“ Dr. Tom Earl’s career at Hospital spanned 40 years by Bill and Donna Beth Carter From the Earts' picturesque country home in Burgoyne. Ontario. Dr. Thomas Earl. retired since 1988, looks back tor-idly on his days as a vibrant pare tieipant in the growth of the Sangeen Memorial Hospital. Dr. Earl graduated (early. in 1944. because of the war) With the Class of '45 from Queens Universin in Kingston. Ontario. On completion of his military ser- vice (Hagersville and London Military Hospital). he avoided being shipped overseas by one month. due to the Japanese surrender in AugusL 1945. He returned to Westminster Hospital after the war. where he met Dr. Jack Lawrence. the physician who would set up a private practice in Southampton in two. It was Lawrence who persuaded the young doctor to estab- lish his own private practice in neighbouring Port Elgin andjnin lAWanCL" on harm the new Suugeen Memorial Hospital, Lawrence and Earl wetejoined in upcnlng the new hospital by Drs. LE. Fraser (describrd as “the grand- dadcly of us all"). W.A. Eroddy. W . George. 1V. Nelics and W. Wallace. Dr. and Mrs. Earl (Edna) arrived in Port Elgin on June 2]. I948 and retired on |July l. 1988 â€" after long and rewarding sen/ice ispanning forty years. Earl fondly main the early wurting conditions at the hospital. such as being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “They [the patients] didn‘t go to emergency...we were called to go to their homes...and house calls it winter could be scary" As well. he retitetiihcrt. “We did our own X»ra s and lab work." He considers the conditions then to have been "no different from any other small hntpitul that is sup- ported by the commun' "the working atmosphere was always very good “ Mrs. Earl remembers the original ML‘LllCul Records Department as being located in a small room under the original stairwell. Much of the rly equipment 7 bedside tables. over-thc-hcd lLlhllh‘. etc. â€" wnt built by thfl Curpeiitry Department. in the early days. he said, “Money was tight...tte made do." He also recalls that "everyone knew everyone clsc...u family atmosphere we all worked together. During his 4U years of service. or] saw many changes take place in the general evolution ol the hospital. such as lhc gradual swing l'riiin being on call only rm h's palic s. to being on call l'or everyonc's .Iim t'i'ntltlm'k. It-ll. ht-Ilis UHH' (‘lti litiuglit l'i'tilii Illt' (- ilt-I' Mitt). (11' lower The (il‘t'illl'l Saturn-ii Ii. 1', .m; In. .r , i, ‘1 gammy". (ling ('uriiptiiiy. t‘ltuir W'is llit- Inn. I n; ( ‘miil . II\'. limited tilt Queen Street iii Parish." hem At that time. he re '. "Bill Weiss [Tarot drove the original ambulance nd Weiss had a Standing order to buy the Earls" used car . cg. "my old Pontiac." which he refitted to he used Zl‘i ambulances Driving the ambulance was later tuken over by Dean Thede. then later again by Kent Milroy [Funeral Directors] and Pete Sullivan. When asked if any one iiidiwduul or irtdiyiduals stand out in his recollections. Earl‘s anwrur was a qutck: "Everybody had to be recognized for their adhflivencss." Working in a small community hospi- tal. he says, everyone got along Willi everyone else. “...like a big family. we all worked together." They worked together and they partied together. The hospital staff even had their own bowling rind skating leagues. Ont: night the doctors themselves went so far as to clean up the operating room :iiter they Ilatl Finished "mutt L'Vct'yum: could gn howling." Before hospital expansion there was 3 Nurses' Residence where the emergency room is now located. and this was the site of many parties. camaraderie and good times recalled by Dr. tirid Mrs. Earl. When asked if he remembers any patient ~ I'amous or infamous â€" being treated at the hospital. Earl rcplie Everybody” Dr. and Mrs. Earl were both quite open about cred iling th’ Hus ta] Auxiliary and Community urnnnizav lions for raising the money necessary for sp tullzed equipment. He cunridc Sanger-n Memorial Huspittil to he “.. one of the hcttem‘quipped and stalled" hus- pittils in the Country , . r 7 When asked il‘ he Ctillr siders himself to he a small town. country thie- tor. lie eagerly rc lied. “Yes No qucsiiu Dr, Tom Earl was n and is 7 pimitt of hit scn'ice m inn ettittinunity and adds "As mint‘hridy who inn part ipuicd in the . Changcs...l have nothing but the greatest respect and admiration l'nr the stall, administration and hospital Board mu t’nr ihc ciilzcnt til thL' air Mil't'e'll by the hospital. 1 will he _ Ivy lutlmirl llH‘ \'\ l\tlll( i‘ following the progress of the [Saugcen Memorial] Hospital through the coming years." Mrs. Edna Earl. always a valuable part of her hus- band‘s medical practice and the Port l Elgin/Southampton community, added: "This one [Saugeen Hospital] beats many of them...it‘s the tops." 71_ __ > . l / IKK' Iii ht Hus-