Doctor Cayward

New Ipswich Historical Society

Residence of Mr. & Mrs. Clance E. White, formerly the home of Mr. & Mrs. John Barnett, In 1923 the home of Dr, & Mrs. Claire G, Cayward. Photo taken by Mrs. Albro L. Balch in 1923. The carriage shed at left was moved to the home of Mary Hopkins in April 1932 where it was used as a garage.

A Facebook Post by Patricia Kangas Ktistes

Another anecdote, dear readers, from LINDA DICKER MONTAGUE:

REMEMBERING DOCTOR CAYWARD

Probably not many New Ipswich residents in 2023 recall Dr. Claire G. Cayward, a general practitioner who resided and had his office kitty-cornered up the hill across from Central School. Even when I was a girl, he seemed to be an old man.

Let me relate some of the experiences with his medical practice. Most likely it was in the same time period that my [future] husband J.J. had to undergo his physical examination before being sent to summer camp. Well, gosh darn it, Dr. Cayward overlooked the rash, which turned out to be chicken pox! J.J. gave the contagion to all the kids at the camp.

Again, he also misdiagnosed my mother. Dr. Cayward referred Mom to a skin specialist, who then pronounced his correct opinion that she seemed to be recovering nicely from the chicken pox.

Now for my suffering, which was a long-term affair over a few years. In March 1960 I had a severe bicycle accident. Fortunately I was with Lynn and Karen Gillam [neighbors.] They raced back to my house, and when I finally was conscious, resting in the back seat of the car, I woke up to an excited Mummu Maki [maternal grandmother], babbling in Finnish.

The mishap left me most injured. Dr. Cayward was my attending physician at the Peterborough hospital. The broken arm was set and placed in a cast. Unfortunately no x-ray had been ordered for my right hip. Once discharged, my pain increased in the hip. Dr. Cayward was consulted again; and he pronounced that what I had was a Charlie Horse. Was he only a country doctor or just getting senile?

Somehow I got referred to the Children's Hospital in Boston, where, determining my condition, the staff held me down on the table and reset my hip, using no pain killers. An orthopedic doctor in Fitchburg really helped me, though it was three years before I could walk again without crutches or the clunky leg brace.

Does anyone remember Dr. Cayward's closet in the back of his examination room? Medicine samples were left there by drug salesmen and always were in abundance. I must say that there was no charge for the pills, but you felt that the Wizard of Oz was dispensing who-knows-what for your ailment. Always with a smile, Dr. Cayward would deal out the remedies. One can speculate that, back in the day, it was the usual custom.

At Dr. Cayward's retirement party, my mother was prominent in a photograph, smiling and reaching out to shake his hand. She was beaming as one of his most enthusiast admirers.

Doctors can have their attitudes, but it was apparent that Dr. Cayward took the old-school approach to medicine. Can't you imagine him traveling to house calls in a horse-drawn buggy?

By the way, Mom gave both my sister and me the chicken pox.

James Roger diary entries

24th October 1912 (Thursday)

Rainy, clearing in afternoon. Wind variable, mostly east. David helping Daniel to sort and barrel apples at the Jenny Fox house and they took them to depot in the afternoon. I lit fires in church for ladies sewing circle and fixed hall for Grange tonight. Got letter from Hamish who leaves Albany at 2 10 today and will be here by first train tomorrow.

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