The passing of Dr. Adonis Domingue in January brought us nearer to the end of an era. Blessed with a kind and generous heart, Dr. Domingue is remembered by many here in New Iberia for his untiring efforts caring for his patients making house calls. There was a time when this was standard medical practice. It was necessary when patients lived far out of town; roads were poor; housewives didn’t have a car; or when patients became ill late at night. Dr. Domingue was not alone in his heroism. It was standard procedure for all doctors of the time to answer their phones at home late at night and learn of a patient with high fever or chest pains. “I’ll be there immediately.” Then he’d calmly interject, “No. It’s no problem,” relieving the caller of any guilt at having to disturb the doctor’s rest. What did personalized care like that cost, you may wonder. The customary fee was as little as $3! Often, he was paid with a live hen or a dozen eggs. In response to this writer’s query on a Facebook site, readers have responded with their experiences, mostly from childhood. This style of practice continued until the “old fashioned doctors” had retired or passed on. It is almost unheard of today. Nonetheless, it is good to think about what it meant to be a family doctor when it was a calling, a vocation. Nine-to-five work days were unheard of. Margie Landry says when she was in second grade, Dr. Edwin Landry came to her home and diagnosed her as having measles which turned into pneumonia. She was ill for four weeks. Cece Viator recalls Dr. Burt Bujard caring for her elderly grandfather at his bedside. Cece reminds him of this kindness whenever she sees him. DesLey Viator Plaisance offers that Dr. Vernon Voorhies was “a great doctor to many” in the early 1960s, especially when her father had the flu at home in bed. A dramatic home visit from the late 1950s is remembered by Sandra Courege when her sister, Connie, had scarlet fever. Dr. Roy Landry, rushed to her bedside totally oblivious of the vomit on the floor where he was standing! (I am sure others experienced less than perfect conditions, yet hey endured what was needed to bring care to their patients.) Dr. Douglas Sagrera, who is still practicing medicine, is one whose name is frequently recalled by my readers. Praise for him is long and detailed and filled with affection. Drs. Orien Dalton and N. C. Boudreaux are remembered for helping when neighbors had accidents. Dr. George Diggs brought patient and generous care to his neighbors in the black community. The efforts of the physicians weren’t always appreciated. Many feverish young patients found the strength to run and hide when Dr. Gerald Elias or Dr. Vernon Voorhies arrived, knowing a “shot” was in their immediate future! Home visits only took 10 or 15 minutes. They could be routine, a waste of time, or lifesaving. But decades later they are all lovingly remembered. Source
