Happy 171st Anniversary!

Friday was a LONG busy day.
We met with our homeschool group for a field trip.

First, we went to the Georgia Weekly Newspaper Museum in Homer, GA. There we divided into two groups: 1)the younger/shorter attention span group & 2) the bigger and slightly longer attention span group. I was in group 1, darling Gene in group 2.
We saw oily equipment used from 1890-1969

Our lovely guide.

This looks nice, but it would have been a hard, hot, stinky, messy job.

Do you know what this is? Tell me in the comments.
If your right  . . . I'll give you a gold star.

Group 1 got to play while waiting for group 2 to do the grand tour.

The two groups merge.

 Next, we went to the Crawford W. Long Museum in Jefferson, GA. It was COOL!
Have you been wondering about the title of this post? Today is the 171st anniversary of the first surgery performed with anesthesia, sulfuric ether. The patient had 2 tumors in his neck removed on March 30, 1842 by Dr. Crawford. Next time you have to be knocked out, be glad because you'd rather be asleep for some things. Thanks Dr. Long!

Again we divided into 2 groups but this time just randomly.


We got to watch a movie about Dr. Long - which was FUNNY!
And Josiah liked dancing to the music at the end.

Then we wondered around and looked at more old stuff.

The mail cart

I made this picture bigger because I want you to appreciate
butter you don't have to churn yourself, and the ease we have in doing the laundry.

Autumn and Jorja looking at a needle holder.

Can you see what that says?
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Can I just say that some things don't change a whole lot in a hundred years.
Elijah walked by and said, "Mama, what are those?"
"Those are tools used in the practice of obstetrics and gynecology.
When you can tell me what those words mean, I'll tell you what those things are for?"

Looking at a diorama of that blessed first try at a pain free procedure.
The patient is sitting backward in a wooden rocking chair, the doors are wide open
and nobody knew about washing hands. But the fella felt better.

We also learned that Dr. Long and his wife had 12 children, however, only 6 lived past 9 years old and only one gave them 3 grandchildren. Dr. Long practiced medicine for 40 years and died at 62 years old in 1878 after delivering a baby. His last words, "attend to the mother and child before me."