In the years after the Second World War, a young doctor took up his post
in one of the most remote regions of northern Minnesota. His term of
service turned into a lifetime of caring for the people who made this
isolated and often lonely place their home. The story of this remarkable
adventure in frontline medicine forms the heart of this wonderful
book.
For almost four decades, Roger MacDonald was the country doctor who
tended to those in need in an area larger than the states of Delaware
and Rhode Island combined. Because he was the only doctor for miles,
MacDonald traveled to the small towns and remote fishing villages, the
logging camps and Indian reservation, the one-room schools and the
remote backwoods cabins to practice his craft. In the course of his
work, he encountered a remarkable group of tough, independent, and
idiosyncratic individuals--all of whom relied on him for medical help.
In turn, they taught MacDonald the importance of patience, human
strength, wisdom, humor, and simple grace.
MacDonald came to know the people he cared for in extraordinarily
intimate ways. Treating more than just the body, MacDonald became a
confidant, advisor, caretaker, and friend as he plied the back roads of
the north woods.
As a storyteller, MacDonald shows us the beauty of this remote region
and the charm of those who make their lives there. With respect,
affection, and humility, MacDonald relates his experiences with those
who placed their well-being in his hands. The result is a warm and
warm-hearted tale of the life of a north country doctor.
Praise for A Country Doctor's Casebook
"This pioneer physician's account of medicine, life, and death in the
north of northern Minnesota is suffused by humanitarian warmth and
humor. We all are there: Native Americans and immigrants, our lives
beset by accidents and illness, and above all the love and dedication
making us who we are, helped by our own Galen. A great read." -- Robert
Treuer, author of The Tree Farm: Replanting a Life
"A delight--wonderfully written with a wry sense of humor. These stories
ring true: compassionate, gentle, loving portraits of people for whom
Dr. MacDonald cared deeply." -- David Hilfiker, M.D., author of Healing
the Wounds: A Physician Looks at His Work
"Beautiful, humorous, and lucidly written, this is a heartwarming and
sometimes heartbreaking treasure of American rural medical history." --
Pierre Delattre, author of Woman on the Cross, Episodes, and Tales of a
Dalai Lama
