LeRoy Pennysaver & News

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - DECEMBER 3, 2017 Dr. Edwin Munn and Dr. Stephen Almy Pioneer Physicians by Lynne Belluscio Irene Beale wrote sev- eral books. Her 1983 publica- tion, “Genesee Valley People, 1743 – 1962”, included a short article about Dr. Edwin Munn. He was born in Munson, Mas- sachusetts in 1802. His family soon moved to LeRoy, where he grew up and went to school. He studied with a local general practitioner, Dr. Stephen Almy. The story is told that while working with Dr, Almy, the el- der doctor was often frustrated that he could not help his pa- tients with eye disease, and he would turn to young Munn and plead: “Ed, for God’s sake, try and help us.” Munn attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Fairchild, New York and, in 1828, he began his practice in Scottsville. During this time he treated Hattie Abell, who had been born blind because of cataracts. Her par- ents took her to Scottsville and stayed at the Eagle Hotel when Dr. Munn came to examine her. She later wrote about her expe- riences: “My mother asked if he could make me see again. And he said, ‘Yes. I’m going to make her see like a rat!’ This braced me up a great deal.” Her father had planned to take Hattie to New York City to see doctors there, but they had written that they couldn’t help. Her father wrote that the NewYork doctors “did not know enough to come in when it rained.” The operation on Hat- tie Abell was apparently docu- mented in an unpublished man- uscript, listed in Irene Beale’s book, but she doesn’t mention where she found it. Since the operation would be performed without anesthetic, Mrs. Abell urged Dr. Munn to tie Hattie’s hands and feet for fear she might push him away. To this he replied, "No, I wouldn’t confine her even if I were to take her head off." Telling the family that Hattie’s cataracts would never recur, he began removing them, she sitting opposite him with both hands clutched around his knee. She recalled that he had an instrument which held the eyelid open and worked with one that was like a crochet nee- dle. "He put something close around my eyes that was black as ink. It was to draw the pupils out so he could see better." As for her mother’s fears, that the girl might move, Hattie could report, "I did not - - I was so anxious to see. I do not think I would have moved if he had take my head off." During the next year, Dr. Munn performed nine operations on one eye and three on the other. Hattie wrote: “ I had just as much courage then as I did the first time, and then I could see a little.” She was under Dr. Munn’s care for two years. “He was so anx- ious to be successful and have me see. I never heard of anyone so anxious to be successful as he was. He had a large house in Scottsville, and that house was filled with patients all the time. He cheered everybody up when they went to see them. He al- ways had something pleasant to say and told stories to cheer a person up.” In 1834, he studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1837, Dr. Munn moved his office to the Smith Arcade in Rochester and pa- tients came from New York City and many Midwestern states, “at times as many as 100 thronging in his waiting room.” Dr. Edward Mott Moore, who later would serve as surgeon- in-chief of St. Mary’s in Roch- ester, considered him a brilliant surgeon. A newspaper account described him as “humane, so- cial and more anxious to relive the miserable than to amass wealth.” At a time when oph- thalmology was virtually un- known, Dr. Munn was truly a pioneer. He and his wife lived on a farm in Gates. He died at the age of 43 in 1847. In 1837, Dr. Munn moved his office to the Smith Arcade in Rochester and pa- tients came from New York City and many Midwestern states, “at times as many as 100 thronging in his waiting room.” Dr. Edward Mott Moore, who later would serve as surgeon- in-chief of St. Mary’s in Roch- ester, considered him a brilliant surgeon. A newspaper account described him as “humane, so- cial and more anxious to relive the miserable than to amass wealth.” At a time when oph- thalmology was virtually un- known, Dr. Munn was truly a pioneer. He and his wife lived on a farm in Gates. He died at the age of 43 in 1847. The doctor that he studied with, StephenAlmy, was also a pioneer. As a young man, he had taught school in winter and cut timber in the summers. He had received his physicians’ license from Genesee County Board of Censors in 1819. He went into business with Dr. Fitch and bought a small drug store. Twice he walked to Al- bany to purchase drugs to sell in his store. In 1821, he attend- ed medical lectures at Yale and received a diploma. In 1823, he was living in a small house on Wolcott Street in LeRoy and practiced medicine for 15 years. But for some reason, he moved to Olean and went into the lum- ber business for Herman LeRoy. He remained in Olean until 1841 and then moved to Cincin- nati and continued in the lum- ber business. But his reputation as a doctor, encouraged him to return to the medical profession for 8 years. He then formed a partnership with Dr. Alfred Wil- cox, a former medical associate in LeRoy, and they went into the banking business. The financial crash of 1854 nearly ruined him, but once again he returned to the medical profession and in 1855 and 1856, he was liv- ing in Buffalo. But once again he returned to Cincinnati and practiced medicine until 1866. After the death of his wife and daughter, he returned to LeRoy and died in 1877. It was said of Dr. Almy, “he was every man’s friend, every man’s helper. He had a word of good council and cheer for all and smiles of approval for all who needed them.”