Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/250

 ever two physicians met, on the highway, in the village store, at church, or in society meetings, the chief topic of conversation was "the cholera."

In 1833 a few cases due to carriers appeared, but there was no epidemic. However in 1834 the disease was newly imported from Europe, this time entering at New Orleans in early May. It advanced up the Mississippi River like a prairie fire, and up the smaller rivers, along the canals, along the Great Lakes, and wherever there was water travel.

This epidemic was more extensive than the one of 1832, but the mortality rate was much less since in two years the profession had learned much about the early symptoms of the disease and its treatment, although still at a loss as to how it was transmitted.

Thus in these three years of practice Dr. Whitman acquired not only the skill and experience of the ordinary country doctor, but in addition much knowledge concerning cholera. Who will say that his medical education ended when he received his diploma in January, 1832?

These three years trained him in many qualities, not only in better knowledge of therapy, more experience in surgery, but also in judgment and in resourcefulness. If we put the beginning of his medical education when he began to study under Dr. Ira Bryant in the summer of 1823, we should continue it up to the spring of 1835, and say that his medical education to prepare him for service in the Oregon territory covered a period of twelve years.

That Dr. Whitman was a high type of country doctor, both professionally and personally, we have documentary evidence in the expressions of regret at his leaving Wheeler recorded at that time by leading men and women of that community.

When in the winter of 1834–35 the Reverend Samuel Parker was seeking a companion with medical knowledge to join him in a "missionary exploration" in the northwest he found Dr. Whitman. It is improbable that Mr. Parker realized how admirably Dr. Whitman was prepared for that exploration.

Dr. Whitman, deprived of the fruition of his early desire to enter the ministry, had chosen the sister profession of medi-