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Before the Doctor Comes

Tapping the knowledge of an experienced physician, Before the Doctor Comes helps train young mothers to deal with medical emergencies

Before the Doctor Comes

11 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 2 hours, 2131 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
3 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from March 01, 1941:

"Stomach Ache"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Harriet Hester

Doctors do all they can to help sick people. During the Great Depression, if you were sick enough that you could not work, there was a 40% chance that your doctor would visit and treat you at home. Sure, medical professionals preferred to see patients in their office, a clinic, or hospital setting, but the House Call was often the easiest way to treat the stricken,

By 1980, less than 0.6% of treatments came via House Calls. Many see this as a sign that modern doctors lack concern about their patient's welfare. Current medical science and technology have advanced to the point that the physician is simply able to provide much better care in a clinical setting.

Whether expecting to take her kids to the doctor's office or anticipating a house call visit, typical young mothers need at least some basic medical training to care for their children. Growing kids get hurt or sick, that is just part of growing up. Fortunately, the situation is usually less serious than a frightened mother might suppose, but how can she tell?

In 1941, the American Medical Association's Bureau of Health Education put together a series of syndicated quarter-hour radio programs titled Before the Doctor Comes, hosted by Chicago-area Radio personality Harriet Hester. The show's Medical authority was Bureau of Health Education director, Dr. William W. Bauer, and organist Elwyn Owen providing musical interludes.

Dr. Bauer served with the US Army Medical Corps during the Great War, eventually attaining the rank of Major. He had a private practice in Boise, Idaho, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the 1920s before accepting a post at the AMA's Health Education Bureau in the early 1930s. An untiring advocate of healthy eating, balanced diets, and good nutrition, Bauer wrote extensively to debunk fad diets. 

Ms. Hester appeared in other AMA programs including Safe at Home in 1948. In addition to background music on Before the Doctor Comes, Mr. Owen includes a classical piece of several minutes in each quarter-hour episode. Local broadcasters may have used this interlude for voice-over messaging, but the music could also stand alone.

The overriding message in Before the Doctor Comes is for mothers to not panic when injury or illness strikes her precious family. However, it is important to recognize when to seek the advice of a trained physician. Keeping in mind that the program was produced decades before the wide adoption of HMOs and medical co-pay insurance, a surprising number of conditions seem to call for a doctor's consultation.

The series is presented as Ms. Hester conducting a friendly interview with Dr. Bauer, who answers her motherly concerns with straightforward, practical advice. Some of the conditions covered in the series include tummy aches, bloody noses, head and earaches, skin rashes, and the use and misuse of prescribed medicines.

The thought of a medical emergency has to be one of the greatest fears for a young family, but a little knowledge can go a long way toward minimizing those fears.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    COMMENTS

    Found these tidbits about the series from American Medical Association: October 16, 1954: TRANSCRIBED RADIO PROGRAMS FOR MEDICAL SOCIETIES The making of electrical transcriptions for radio programs by local medical societies was begun at American Medical Association headquarters in 1943. Previously, the Bureau of Health Education had collected radio scripts from local medical societies and after editing redistributed them for subsequent use in areas where they had not been used. The wartime shortage of physicians spurred the demand for transcribed programs for local medical societies. The first electrical transcriptions were keyed to the medical shortage by the choice of topics under the heading "What to Do Before the Doctor Comes." These were broadcast from Chicago and transcribed "off the line." January 28, 1950: RADIO TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES The first radio transcriptions distributed by the Bureau of Health Education through county medical societies were produced experimentally in 1941. The series was entitled "Before the Doctor Comes" and was keyed to wartime emergency situations, because doctors had been withdrawn from civilian life to serve the armed forces and minor emergencies in the home often had to be handled without medical advice. Ten sets of thirteen programs each were produced with the possibility in mind that some of these might be wasted through nonuse.

    Bruce

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    11 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 2 hours, 2131 min
    11 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 2 hours, 2131 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 11 shows – total playtime 2 hours, 35 minutes
    2. BtDC 1941 01 Growing Pains.mp3
    3. BtDC 1941 01 Rash.mp3
    4. BtDC 1941 02 Bleeding.mp3
    5. BtDC 1941 02 Headache.mp3
    6. BtDC 1941 03 Listless and Irritable Children.mp3
    7. BtDC 1941 04 Foreign Bodies.mp3
    8. BtDC 1941 04 Stomach Ache.mp3
    9. BtDC 1941 05 Cough Sniffles and Sore Throat.mp3
    10. BtDC 1941 05 Earache.mp3
    11. BtDC 1941 07 Bad Bumps.mp3
    12. BtDC 1941 07 Use and Misuse Of Prescriptions.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    11 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 2 hours, 2131 min
    11 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    71 MB – total playtime 2 hours, 35 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 11 shows – 71 MB – total playtime 2 hours, 35 minutes
    2. BtDC 1941 01 Growing Pains.mp3
    3. BtDC 1941 01 Rash.mp3
    4. BtDC 1941 02 Bleeding.mp3
    5. BtDC 1941 02 Headache.mp3
    6. BtDC 1941 03 Listless and Irritable Children.mp3
    7. BtDC 1941 04 Foreign Bodies.mp3
    8. BtDC 1941 04 Stomach Ache.mp3
    9. BtDC 1941 05 Cough Sniffles and Sore Throat.mp3
    10. BtDC 1941 05 Earache.mp3
    11. BtDC 1941 07 Bad Bumps.mp3
    12. BtDC 1941 07 Use and Misuse Of Prescriptions.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    11 recordings on 3 Audio CDs. Total playtime 2 hours, 35 min
    11 recordings on 3 Audio CDs
    total playtime 2 hours, 35 min

    Before the Doctor Comes Disc A001

    1. BtDC 1941 01 Growing Pains
    2. BtDC 1941 01 Rash
    3. BtDC 1941 02 Bleeding
    4. BtDC 1941 02 Headache

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Before the Doctor Comes Disc A002

    1. BtDC 1941 03 Listless and Irritable Children
    2. BtDC 1941 04 Foreign Bodies
    3. BtDC 1941 04 Stomach Ache
    4. BtDC 1941 05 Cough Sniffles and Sore Throat

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Before the Doctor Comes Disc A003

    1. BtDC 1941 05 Earache
    2. BtDC 1941 07 Bad Bumps
    3. BtDC 1941 07 Use and Misuse Of Prescriptions

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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