Frontier Medicine: Epidemics, Quacks, and Dirty Scalpels in the Old West

The era of the Wild West in the United States, spanning from the end of the Civil War to the closing of the frontier (1865-1895), was marked by a severe lack of medical care. Only about 25% of those calling themselves doctors had actual medical degrees, leading to a mix of folk medicine and charlatanism. Many doctors also served as veterinarians, and childbirth was often handled by midwives. Diseases like cholera, diphtheria, and dysentery spread rapidly due to poor sanitation and crowded conditions, with cholera devastating Indian tribes such as the Pawnee and Cheyenne. Tuberculosis afflicted famous gunfighters like Doc Holliday and Texas Ranger Captain Leander McNelly. The era also saw the rise of 'snake oil' patent medicines sold by traveling shows, often containing alcohol and narcotics. The term originated from Chinese railway workers who used water snake oil as a genuine remedy for inflammation. William D. Rockefeller Sr., father of John D. Rockefeller, sold snake oil under the alias 'Dr. William Levingston,' and his earnings helped fund the Standard Oil empire. Lack of cleanliness was the biggest killer, as germ theory was only formulated in 1878. Dr. George Goodfellow, a genuine doctor who moved west in 1876, became renowned for his sterilization techniques and treatment of gunshot wounds, treating Earp brothers after the Gunfight at the OK Corral in 1881.