University of Virginia Library

First Operation In Kitchen

At the turn of the century,
hospitals in the area were still
a rarity, and Dr. Hedges recalled
that all operations were performed
in private homes. "My
first experience was a leg amputation

for an old woman in the
little kitchen back of Mr. Frank
Gilmer's home," he says. "We
rigged up the first table we could
get and in the midst of the operation,
the whole contraption collapsed."

To meet Charlottesville's need
for an operating table, Dr.
Hedges purchased the best portable
table he could find, folding
it up in the back of his buggy
and using it in his travels all
over Albemarle and many of
the surrounding counties.