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Show p 318 CIVIC SERVICE Dr. Worlton's medical studies began at the UniverBusiness in the early years of the Depression was sity of Utah in 1908. After completing two years of very slow for Dr. Eddington. "I waited and waited for training he entered Rush Medical College in Chicago days," he later remembered, "and not one patient showed and received his M.D. in 1912. He then interned at the up." One day he saw a man coming across State Street Red Cross Hospital in Salida, Colorado. When he and he thought, "Hurray, I have my first patient." Actually the man's cow was sick with milk fever. But once returned to Lehi in March 1914 he leased the 1902built John Y. Smith mansion (518 North First East), the doctor demonstrated his skills with this udder patient where he opened the Lehi Hospital- the first such facilhis practice began to grow . Another frustrating aspect of Dr. Eddington's early practice was that Prohibition ity in the town's history. Maintaining a downstairs residence for his family, the doctor established an operregulations required the doctor to obtain special perating room and four patient rooms on the second floor. mission from the city council to use alcohol to soak his Seven months. later he..purchased the largest home in instruments in. Many townspeople didn't like to visit the doctor in the city, the Thomas R: Cutler mansion (150 East State), which had most recently been the Reltuc Inn. Dr. his hospital office, so Dr. Eddington began making house Worlton relocated his family and the hospital there. calls to enhance his practice. One day during a fierce Ten patient rooms and an operating room were estabblizzard he made eight home visits, for which he received lished in the upstairs of this facility.15 just $3. Depression prices for tonsilectomies were $15, The 13, October 1921 Lehi Sun noted that for the and maternity care was only $35. These fees required first time x-rays were taken in the Lehi Hospital by a strict hospital economy. The doctor's wife bottled fruit tf' feed to inpatients. representative of the Victor X-Ray Corporation. "Some Despite the financial difficulties of the 1930s, Dr. wonderful pictures of aimost every have been secured," the paper wrot( dington desired an upgrading of the hospital. Fedfeel proud of the fact that a local inst ~ grants required that a building be owned by a municity before awarding WP A funds. Accordingly Dr. such a machine as few cities of our si lington deeded the Lehi Hospital to the city in 1937, like outfit." In 1925, the year he served as presi, r which a $14,000 grant allowed the facility to be County Medical Society, Dr. WOritOl )deled into an eighteen-bed hospital. onstruction work, under the direction of W. W. former Lehi Commercial & Savings Bal East State) and remodeled the upper f erson, began on 1 July 1937. The landmark dome pital. During 1928 more than 150 patien \.~, :'1rf) the old bank building was removed and the exteical or surgical treatment in the Lehi )Tick walls stuccoed. The eastern portion of the "?-\' .d floor was remodeled into a waiting room, a rest following year Dr. Worlton remodeled fully utilize the ground floor. When _ ~,ujJICLt:a the room, a nursery, a delivery room , an emergency operfourteen-bed hospital boasted - in addition to an operating room, x-ray facility, and kitchen and dining rooms. ating room - a bathroom, reception room, and kitchen. The west portion of this floor became the business office, Unfortunately Dr. Worlton lived only three more years Dr. Eddington's office, his reception area, and three to enjoy the upgraded hospital. While duck hunting in examination rooms. Ogden on 22 October 1931 he suffered a heart attack The upper story consisted of private and semi-private patient rooms, an operating room, labor room, shower, and died. 16 bathrooms, nurses' offices, nurses' bedroom, and closDr. Elmo Eddington, born in Morgan, Utah, 19 March 1895, served in the medical corps of the U.S . ets. In addition to central heating and air conditioning, Navy during World War I. After the war he enrolled in a water-powered elevator was added to the building's the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, receivsouth side. Dr. Boyd Larsen, who saw patients in the ing his M.D. in 1924. Upon completing his internship hospital for nearly thirty years, remembered "the eleat St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh, he passed the vator rose slowly going to the second floor but moved Illinois state board examination and opened a practice more quickly when descending." Unfortunately the labor in Chicago. room was on the second floor while the birthing room It was here that he received a phone call from his was on the first floor. "If the water pressure in the sysbrother that would bring him to Lehi . While driving tern was low," Dr. Larsen recalls, "the transfer to along State Street Eddington's brother had hit a small delivery room was a close race." This system was conboy riding a bicycle. He rushed the slightly injured lad verted to a hydraulic one in 1956. 17 to the hospital, where he learned that Dr. Fred Worlton In addition to Dr. Eddington's practice in the hoshad recently died. Eddington phoned his brother in Chipital, he was paid $15 per month for serving as city cago, told him of the circumstances, and within a month quarantine physician. His responsibility was to control Dr. Eddington had relocated to Lehi, purchased the epidemic diseases and to stress public sanitation. A typhospital from Dr. Worlton's widow, and established his ical address to the community was included in the 30 living quarters and office in the facility. November 1933 Lehi Free Press: \"""s-. |