what & when was your first visit to Doctors that you remember ?

I remember reading about children in hospital being numbered and updates on these numbers being placed in the newspapers to let parents know how they were getting on. No visiting allowed

I was admitted to a London hospital aged 5 to have my tonsils out. They gave me so much anaesthetic I slept for a day or two. Luckily I woke up. I'm not sure how long I was there but parents were not allowed to stay with you, so my mother had to come at visiting time. She brought me a new Noddy book which was very exciting.

Honestly, can you imagine children today being left alone in hospital? They would scream the place down. We were just expected to get on with it and never dared make a fuss for fear of that dreadful thing 'adult disapproval' which was just the worst thing imaginable. .

A propos ( a bit) I remember the first time I got a male GP.
My two sisters and I were always taken to what was referred to as " The Lady Doctor" when we were children. When I left home at 18 I automatically registered with the female doctor at the practice. It was not until I went to work in London and the only doctor accepting new patients was male , that I had a male GP.
He was excellent , I'm glad to say and I've had male GPs ever since.

The first visit to the GP that I remember was one with my late father to deal with what I believe was called awhitlow? which was the corner of a fingernail getting embedded in my finger and the finger getting red, swollen, angry and painful. The Doc produced some sharp instrument to lance the swelling and just at the right moment Dad said " Look at me" distracting me from the cut . The kindness of parents to their children. RIP Dad.
I remember Polio vaccines ( thick needles ;ouch!) and Mumps and Measles but not the doctors' visits that went with them.

My memory is going to the hospital doctor aged 4 having a huge splinter taken off my bottom after repeatedly sliding down a big plank of wood at our farm. That taught me, mum’s are right.

I remember Minadex, and thought it looked a sickly green colour. I don't remember the flavour of it.

We used to get malt and cod liver oil too.

I first remember the doctor coming to our house to deliver a polio vaccination. I must have been about 8 or 9 by that time. I was getting ready to go swimming with a friend, and after the jab, I wasn't allowed to go. I was furious.

I only remember the doctor for vaccines when I was young.
When I was older, my memory is that he seemed only to have 4 diagnoses, bronchitis, acidosis, growing pains and puberty. They all seemed to involve pawing. He was a disgusting old man IMO so as you can imagine I avoided going as much as possible.

Mum took me to the doctors when I was about four, with a cut finger which had gone septic. The doctor wiped it with a cloth and it hurt so much I started retching! The doctor bellowed to my mum "Get her to the sink!" Mum and I were both a bit terrified!

My earliest memory is being taken to hospital for an eye operation aged around 3 or 4.
It was dark outside so I'm guessing it was winter time and late afternoon.
Mum left me with a nurse and I was put into a nightgown and carried into a little room with a small table and chairs and given a cup of warm milk to drink.
I refused to drink it and got told off.
I was put in a cot, much to my disgust as I slept in a proper bed at home.
I loved playing with the toys and used to take a baby doll to bed with me at night.
Each morning, she would be sat on my bedside table. I was convinced she came alive at night.
One of the highlights of my stay was playing with the Mobo horses in the children's ward. I always wanted one.
One day, a group of young doctors, probably students, visited the ward and decided to have an impromptu horse race.
Cue lots of laughter from the doctors and screams of delight from the children, until sister came in and put a stop to it.

I don't remember visting doctors much at all except for having vaccines in my arms and also in my knee for polio etc

Loved Virol… but had something called Scott’s Emulsion. White , gloopy and fishy if I remember. Made me retch .

shysal

We always had to take a tonic, and Virol - revolting malty sticky stuff - anyone alse remember it?
annobel yes the doctor did usually visit. I remember him picking up our new puppy which promptly weed down the front of his suit!

I quite liked Virol. It was mainly bought for my little brother who was considered delicate. No idea why.

Age 5 Had my tonsils out ... blood when I coughed and ice cream for meals !

I had scarlet fever and then followed with chickenpox, I have a vague memory of the Dr coming to the house frequently. First surgery memory was going with my parents and brother for our polio injections, my dad passed out!

My first visit to the doctors was to have a verruca dug out of my big toe.
I don't think he froze it either. I burst into tears when I came out.

I can’t remember going to the Doctor for this, but I’m sure my mother did take me -
As a little girl, 4 or 5 years old I suffered from haemorrhoids, and my mum said , I used to shout ‘MUM, come soon, my bxm’s coming out !!!!!!’ ……😂

Polio vaccine, along with my older siblings, I was about 3,

My Dad was the doctor. He gave us injections as appropriate and dressed any cuts etc. He took any ailment very seriously and other doctors would be contacted for second opinions as required.

I can’t ever remember going to the doctor’s when I was young. My sister and I had measles when we were 5 and 3. The doctor came to us. When I was 4 I ha a bic septic lump on the back of my hand. The doctor came to my grandma’ andd he lanced it in her kitchen.
We have never been a family to visit the doctor often

I’ve just remembered another story, after my sister and I had whooping cough, we were so long getting over it that my father rented a bungalow on the Isle of Sheppey and we went there for a couple of weeks, I can’t remember it at all, I think my Father carried on working during the week and came down at weekends. I have a few grey and misty photos that looked as isolated as my Mother said she felt.

I think this thread is fascinating, no matter that it is old. It has brought back many memories of the distant past and shown how different life was before the National Health service.

I can’t remember going to the doctor as a young child although I possibly did. My sister was six years older than me and when she started school brought back all the usual childhood diseases home for me to catch.
Apparently I was so ill with measles aged about thirteen months that I refused to be put down and my mother had to carry me constantly and was still complaining years later how much I hurt her when I screwed up her cheek and twisted it because of my own pain. When she told this story I used to think , “Why didn’t you put me down then?” But she was a loving mum and wouldn’t have done that.

A bit later I had badly swollen glands in my neck (throat maybe) and had to have some sort of hot paste put on bandages which were then wrapped round my neck.
Another time after I had some sort of chest infection I had goose grease rubbed on my chest. Apparently my parents had been given a goose for Christmas and saved a large bowl of grease for this torture! It didn’t hurt if Mummy did it but if my Father was available and he did it then he was more heavy handed.

Looking back you realise how much of a difference antibiotics made.

Elegran Years later, when DD1 received hers (in the 60s) I insisted that it be done on her ankle, as I had always been most annoyed at having a large mark on my upper arm. They did it - but were not pleased.

My DM requested that mine was done on my thigh so no-one would see it - then along came the mini skirt! 😂

An old thread !
Nevermind.
Interesting for me to look back !

I can't remember the first occasion that I went to our Doctor's house .
It was huge and Victorian .
The front had a massive sweeping drive .
It had an incredible garden laid out with climbing roses on trellises in a formal pattern at the back.
She kept some sort of dangerous wild cat as a pet .I'm sure that it was illegal .

Born in colonial Africa ,she was loud , bossy and rather frightening.She used to say ,"stuff and nonsense ."
Most comments that my mother made were dismissed .
My Grandma thought that she was a tartar .
I recall her pen and ink and her elegant hand writing .
She always worn tweed suits with Thatcher type pussy cat bow at the neckline.

Our Doctor made house calls without a fuss.
The waiting room was so dark even on a sunny day . It had huge pictures and very heavy brown damask curtains.
Thinking about it everything was brown-the woodwork and the skirting boards .
There was no receptionist and you waited your turn . There was always a huge pile of dog - eared magazines-hard to read in the gloom.
If you were very sick -someone would say excuse me ,but would you like to go in front of me.
I think that we were intimidated by her .
By as I grew older I found that she made some very serious errors.

A few memories. Late 40s the doctor visiting because I had bad earache and looking back I suspect a burst eardrum. No antibiotics though. Pain was pretty grim.

Hospital visit because I had pushed a bead into my ear. They ended up giving me anaesthetic because I would not keep still.

Early 50s to have my tonsils removed. Not sure how long I was in hospital but we were not allowed visitors at all - would upset us! I do remember a cupboard full of comics, and being in a metal cot type of bed. At least then my earache was cured.