The University of Iowa
Homeopathic Medical Department.
Medical Museum – University of Iowa Health
Care.
www.uihealthcare.com/medmuseum/
Presented by Sylvain
Cazalet
Homeopathic Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa.The University of
Iowa Homeopathic Medical Department
(1876-1919)
1870s
1870 – Hahnemann Medical Association is established in Iowa.
1871 – Begin the 1st Homeopathic coursework at the University of
Iowa.1872 – 13 local and state organizations and 10,000 people petition
Board of Regents for funds to begin UI Homeopathic Medical Department;
Board says “no.”1876 – UI Homeopathic Medical Department established.
1877 – Controversy of homeopathic students required to attend
regular Medical Department lectures despite contradictions.1878 – First student graduates from homeopathic department.
Program awarded $1600 to erect a building between Jefferson and
Iowa Streets.
Homeopathic Medical Hospital, Summer1880s
1880 – 47 undergraduate and 9 graduate students in program.
60. UI Homeopathy Class of 1882
1882
Courtesy of the UI College of Medicine1883 – Increased academic standards by requiring preliminary exams.
Filed request for $30,000 for homeopathic hospital; denied.
1887 – 2nd request for hospital filed; denied. Rented space for
hospital.
Old Homeopathic Hospital Interior, ward
view
Old Homeopathic Hospital Interior1890s
1890 – Regents allocate $15,000 for
combined homeopathic school building and hospital.1894 – Hospital saw 139 admissions, 96 outpatients during
schoolyear.61. University of Iowa Homeopathic
Medical Building and Hospital
1895Located at the corner of Jefferson and Dubuque Streets.
Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives
1895 – New homeopathic hospital opened.62. Ward no. 2 UI Homeopathic
Medical Building
1895
Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives
Old Homeopathic Hospital Interior (1911)1900
1900 – Official establishment of College of Homeopathic Medicine with
5 professors, 8 assistants, 11 teachers.22 homeopathic medical colleges in the country.
1908 – W. Max Rohrbacher entered the program.
1910 – Begin decline of homeopathy: graduates dropped, number of
colleges nationwide dropped to 15.1912 – W. Max Rohrbacher graduated with Degree of Dr. of Medicine
with 5 other medical students and 3 nurses.1913 – State legislature refuse health care payments for
homeopathic hospital.1914 – Hospital seeing 600 patients compared to 2,436 at regular
hospital1919 – UI homeopathic hospital closed.
State University Hospital, Iowa City, Ia.1920s
1920 – Dr. Rohrbacher opened his own homeopathic hospital at 811 East
College Street in Iowa City.1929 – UI Homeopathic Hospital building went down in flames.
Homeopathic Hospital, trees bare1940s
No more courses in homeopathy taught in the U.S.
Homeopathic Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa.Today
Courses taught by National Center for Homeopathy.
Homeopathic institutes located in Canada, Germany and India
63. Pages from Dr.
George Royal’s Composition Books
no date
Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives
64. Pages from Medical
Homeopathic
Case Record
1917Note Dr. Rohrbacher’s name included in several records and
the record of Mrs. Rohrbacher’s breech birth on January 30,
1917.Courtesy of University of Iowa Archives
Homeopathic Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa.
Dr. William Max Rohrbacher
(1887-1972):
Practicing Homeopathic Medicine in Johnson County
A Brief Biography
Born on November 28, 1887 in Big Grove Township, a farm
community near Iowa City, William Max Rohrbacher was determined, as a
young man, to avoid a career in farming. He tried business school,
book-keeping and other odd jobs until, while waiting tables at
Merchant’s Restaurant in Iowa City, he befriended a homeopathic
professor who encouraged his enrollment in the UI Homeopathic Medical
College.On June 12, 1912, after four years of study, Rohrbacher graduated
with the degree of Doctor of Medicine and, that night, married Elizabeth
Petsel, also of the Iowa City area. After he served a one-year
internship at the Massachusetts Homeopathic Hospital in Boston, they
returned to Iowa City and Rohrbacher worked as a staff doctor and
substitute lecturer for the UI Homeopathic Medical College until its
close in 1919.
65. William Max Rohrbacher
June 12, 1912Wedding photograph.
Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher Odom
66. Elizabeth Petsel Rohrbacher
June 12, 1912Wedding photograph.
Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher Odom
Soon after the college closed, the Rohrbachers purchased a building
at 811 East College Street in Iowa City. The back section became their
home and the rest was converted into a homeopathic hospital, which they
named “Rohrbacher’s Sanitarium.” Although the hospital burned
down in 1931, it was rebuilt soon after, functioning a total of 51
years.
67. Dr. Rohrbacher’s homeopathic
hospital and home at 811 East College Street, Iowa City,
destroyed in a fire February 8, 1931
Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher Odom
68. Dr. Rohrbacher’s homeopathic
hospital and home rebuilt after the fire of February 8, 1931
Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher Odom
69. Dr. Rohrbacher’s hospital staff
July 5, 1971Helen Gay (left) was the receptionist and
secretary for 30 years; Iva Hayes (right) was the office nurse
for 50 years.Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher
OdomDr. Rohrbacher died at age 85, after his 60th
wedding anniversary in 1972. Today, “Rohrbacher’s
Sanitarium” is an apartment building; two of his four
daughters are still living, both in California, and numerous
Johnson County residents remember his service to their families.70. Dr. and Mrs. Rohrbacher on 60th
wedding anniversary June 12, 1972
Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher Odom
Statements by Dr. Rohrbacher’s Patients
“Dr. Rohrbacher delivered many babies during his career.
My sister was one of the first babies that the doctor delivered in 1914.
Then my niece was the last one he delivered. He delivered all my
parent’s children and their grandchildren.”Dorotha Grout of Kalona, IA patient of Dr. Rohrbacher
“If you had a sore throat he, or usually his nurse, used this
glass tube, different ones for throat and nose. That was uncomfortable
sometimes, but it worked . . . . . . . This little thing was screwed
onto the end of the ultra-violet machine, sort of a box-like shape that
sat on the floor. This tube came out from it; they would use a straight
tube for your nose or a curved one for your throat.”Marj Dane of Iowa City patient of Dr. Rohrbacher
“Many people could not afford to pay the
doctor during the Depression. One night, it was 10:30, and the
doctor had been out for three nights late in a row. He came home
and when he got to the entryway, there he saw a burlap sack
which had two old hens inside. He had to butcher and clean them
yet that night. Someone had brought that to him as payment for
services.”Alan Williams of Des Moines, IA son-in-law of Dr. Rohrbacher
71. Dr. William Max
Rohrbacher
no dateTaken at Townsend Studio in Iowa City, IA.
Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher Odom
“They used to pay $2.50 for the visit, that
included the consultation, the medicine and everything else . .
. .He was never cross, took as much time as each patient wanted
with him and had a good sense of humor. He was interested in
people and often traded for his services.Each afternoon we would have an orange juice break in the
office. All the workers would go to the back and drink orange
juice with the doctor while the patients waited.”Helen Gay of Iowa City secretary for Dr. Rohrbacher for 30
years
72. Dr. William Max
Rohrbacher
June 12, 1952On the occasion of his 40th wedding anniversary, he was
presented with this bouquet of yellow roses which, according to
his daughter, represented the many babies he brought into the
world.Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher
Odom“I had been off work for a severe ear infection. I couldn’t do
anything. . . . . So, I just said to my wife “I’m going to call Dr.
Rohrbacher.” I knew he had very unorthodox methods of doing things,
but I also knew he was an M.D. and was fully capable of doing
traditional medicine.Dr. Rohrbacher said, “Sure. I’ll be down in the morning, 7
o’clock, at your house and we’ll have you up and around.” He came
in and he brought in all these bottles: arsenic, belladonna and
strychnine*. He put them in little packages and he gave very strict
directions.“By 10:00 you are going to be in a sweat
like you’ve never sweat in your life and then,” he said,
“you’ll be getting better. I think you could probably go
back to work this afternoon.” I laughed because I hadn’t
been back there for more than a week.But what he said was actually true. By 10:00 I was sweating
it out. He explained that they would drive out the other poisons
that were working and he was right. I didn’t go to work that
afternoon, but the next day I went to work.”John Bixler of Iowa City Neighbor of Dr. Rohrbacher
73. Dr. William Max Rohrbacher
no dateIn front of his home and hospital.
Courtesy of Helen Rohrbacher
Odom
Homeopathic Hospital, Iowa City, Iowa.With permission of:
Adrienne Drapkin
adrienne-drapkin@uiowa.edu
Director
UIHC Medical Museum
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
www.uihealthcare.com/medmuseum/
Medical Museum – University of Iowa
Health Care.
http://www.uihealthcare.com/index.htmlCopyright © Sylvain
Cazalet 2004
