The Veterinarian

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

As the old adage goes, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”  That’s because as the gift receiver of a horse, to take a look would be considered rude and ungrateful.  But, if one is buying a horse, that’s a different matter.  Then, a good look inside that horse’s mouth should be requested by the buyer to avoid fraud when purchasing the animal.  Dr. James W. Tooley, veterinary surgeon and dentist, could take one look in its mouth and know the horse’s age and health. 

Back in the day when your livestock were your work horses, transportation, and/or next meals, the veterinarian was an essential member of the community and an invaluable partner.  Horses and cattle had a huge economic impact on families and companies.  Keeping animals healthy was critical to the livelihood of farmers and businesses.  A well-trained veterinarian was needed to protect these valuable assets.      

James William Ephraim Tooley was born in England and immigrated to Toronto, Canada.  He graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College of Guelph, near Toronto, in 1896 earning his Veterinary Surgeon and Dentist degree with a specialty in dentistry.  In February, 1902, he arrived in the United States via the Wabash Railroad at Detroit, Michigan.  He made his home in Algoma and built a large veterinary practice.  The following year he was appointed assistant state veterinarian of Wisconsin.    

To be a veterinarian is to be able to talk to the animals without words.  When the patient can’t say where it hurts, the vet needs to be very knowledgeable about possible medical problems.  For instance, poor performance or behavioral issues with a horse could mean an abscessed, loose or cracked tooth or a problem with bite making it hard for a horse to take a bit or to work.  For grazing animals, good dentition and overall health is essential to survival.        

As a vet, J. W. Tooley served businesses as well as farmers.  He was always “on call”.  His newspaper ad read:  “All calls, by day or night, answered from office.  Telephone No. 26, Algoma, Wis.”  In addition to his countywide travels, Dr. Tooley would be called to Sturgeon Bay to care for the horses of the Reynolds Preserving Company.  For example, on one trip, seven animals were sick and he had to inspect all 125 horses to get them in shape for the season’s work.  The next week he went again to look over the horses belonging to the Door County Canning Company and to get them ready to commence work.  It was a big job. 

It was such a big job it often required Dr. Tooley to take on a partner in his practice to assist him.  He moved to Casco to be centrally located to more easily make his rounds.  He had his customers to care for and his other business interest as well.  J. W. Tooley was the owner of a fine French coach stud stallion, “Bell Boy”, too.

In November, 1905, Dr. Tooley put W. E. Hunter from New York in charge of his office in Algoma and another man in Luxemburg and assured the farmers living in the county that they had no fear that they would be left without a veterinarian to care for their needs.  He was relocating to Fond du Lac.  He still visited the county at intervals each month until Hunter fully took over the practice in June of 1906.

Thereafter, as assistant state veterinarian, Dr. Tooley was in a position to educate local farmers.  When a Two Rivers farmer’s herd was sick, he came to the farm with State Veterinarian Eliason to oversee the slaughter and to provide a demonstration and talk about tuberculosis and its effects on livestock.  More than a thousand farmers from Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties were present.  In his capacity and in partnership with the farmers, he was able to have a decided impact on the future of stock in the county and state.