When visiting the Meeker County Museum, it’s hard to take in every single artifact. So let’s take a closer look at a few items. Pictured here is a portion of our medical display upstairs in the Museum.
Old-time Crutches
On the left is a set of crutches. Reuben Hagglund received them from the first Litchfield Hospital. Although we don’t know why Hagglund needed them, these crutches with leather arm straps were probably used for balance, instead of needing to fully support the body after a bad sprain or broken bone.
Doctor's Head Mirror
We’ve probably all seen vintage pictures or cartoon drawings that show a doctor wearing a head mirror as seen in the display. But what is it actually used for? A head mirror was used by doctors to get a clear view of a patient’s ears, nose, or throat. Because of the mirror’s shape, when light hits the mirror just right, it reflects a concentrated beam of light, making it easier for the doctor to see. The head mirror is pretty obsolete today, with many doctors using penlights and such.
German "Bleeder"
Below the head mirror is probably one of the more gruesome items on the wall. It is labeled as a bleeder, but there’s more to it than that! One end of the device opens to reveal more than a dozen needle-like spikes. The spikes are connected to a spring that runs inside the wooden tube. The doctor would pull back on the spring and send the needles into the patient’s skin. A toxic oil was added to the punctures so blisters would form. It was believed that as the blisters drained, the sickness would also drain away. The device at the museum was brought to the United States from Germany by the Kruger family in the 1850s. It was later donated to the museum by Nona Eberts.
Conversation Tube
Another item from Nona Eberts is the long tube in the bottom corner of the picture. This was a type of hearing aid called a conversation tube. The person who had trouble hearing would place the one end into their ear, and the person speaking would talk into the small horn at the other end.
Mustard Plaster
Also on display is a 1914 neck brace that looks anything but comfortable and a doctor bag that belonged to Dr. George E Peterson, a longtime doctor in Dassel. The final artifact on the wall is a small pouch that contains a canister of mustard plaster. The plaster was commonly used for ailments such as colds, pneumonia, or other lung conditions. It could also be applied to sore muscles. The plaster would be soaked in water and applied to the skin. While mustard plasters aren’t used by many doctors today, some people still use them.
So the next time you come to the Museum, be sure to take a closer look at the displays. You never know what you might find. The Meeker County Museum at the G.A.R. Hall is open Tuesday-Friday 10-4 and Saturday 12-4 at 308 N Marshall Avenue in Litchfield, Minnesota.
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