Doc Adams, Gunsmoke question

[UncleEd]

In all the years Gunsmoke was shown, I don't recall that Doc Adams' office/clinic was anywhere but on the second floor
of a Dodge City two-story with a narrow stairway to the entrance.

Now, why on earth didn't that office/clinic ever get moved to a ground floor? Years and years of wounded, sick and maimed
patients being carried or climbing those dang stairs.

I'd like some serious answers as to why Doc never got a ground floor place away from the dirt, dust and general unsanitary conditions of that street.

No wise acre, no smart aleck answers please and I implore the administrators to chastise anyone who does offer such answers. Just good, logical, sane and serious answers please.

 

[Chuck24]

Always wondered that myself. Also it appeared in some episodes that it was over Jonas's store.

 

[soFlaNative]

I think Doc made house calls, saloon or livery, barn, wherever the emergency may have happened.
I can't recall someone injured transported up his stairs but I may be mistaken. Mostly people went for a check up or other reason, even to shoot the breeze.

 

[Coldshooter]

Better light and ventilation. Doc had to see what he was doing.

 

[Jack Flash]

The location of Doc's office may be a holdover from the radio show, in which Doc was a much different character. He was much more money-grubbing and much less altruistic.

In one radio show, after Matt kills a miscreant, Doc offers to do the autopsy for free if Matt will allow him to put the body on display and charge the public 10 cents a head to view it! From looking at photos in the old West, I don't think this practice was uncommon!

In the TV show, Doc is a much more admirable character. But the idea was that he eked out a modest living. For example, he was often paid in buttermilk and eggs for delivering a baby. His modest upstairs office is in keeping with this idea.

Many times in the TV show wounded / injured men are carried up the stairs to Doc's office. Watch enough shows, you'll see this was commonly done.

Slight Drift:
Has anyone counted how many times Doc had to dig a bullet out of Matt? I'm guessing it may have been hundreds of times! Doc should have gone into the scrap lead business!

 

[Kevin J.]

A couple of points you need to remember that back then steps weren't considered out of the normal. I work at a world class medical center and our flag ship original building, built in 1928, has steps up to the main doors.

Second the rent was most likely cheaper on the second floor. Main floors were for foot traffic, shops , saloons, eft. Pioneer docs didn't make big money.

Third was already mentioned. The doc went to the home or scence of the accident, thus the common line "fetch the doc".

 

[STCM(SW)]

Hey, at least he wasn't referred to as 'ol saw bones.
Like most of the doc's back then.
Either curarize the wound or saw off the appendage.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

A few years ago I saw Buck Taylor here in town at a SASS event.
I should have asked him.

 

[carpriver]

Doc need the exercise, the stairs were good for his heart.

 

[Ranger514]

Really? You're serious about wanting to know why the director and producers of a popular fictional television western left Doc in a second floor office, rather than have him moved to street level? Sorry to burst your bubble, but what passes for television drama is fantasy. Matt Dillon was shot up, stabbed, or beaten so often throughout the life of that series, he would have been a cripple at the close of the first season, had reality been a consideration.

 

[Grayfox]

Has anyone counted how many times Doc had to dig a bullet out of Matt?

I remember one episode with Matt laying in bed recovering from his latest wound and Kitty ripping him a new one because it was the seventh time he had been shot. Ya don't want to make that lady mad!

 

[UncleEd]

Answers #4 and #9 so far seem the most logical.

Of course, being on the second floor a better chance existed
that Doc wouldn't be mistaken as the vet for the town's horses.

 

[kenv1950]

Anybody Can Kill a Marshal: 2 - lower right leg
Avengers, The: 1 - left upper thigh
Badge, The (1959): 1 - upper left chest near shoulder, from behind
Badge, The (1970): 1 - left chest/side near badge
Big Man, Big Target: 1 - right arm
Brothers, The: 1 - left shoulder/arm
Cover Up, The: 1 - graze on left forearm
Coward, The: 1 - upper right arm
Cows & Cribs: 1 - upper left arm
Deadman's Law: 1 - left shoulder
Disciple: 1 - right forearm
Foundling, The: 1 - forehead graze
Gallows, The: 1 - left shoulder
Gold Train -The Bullet: 1 - mid-back next to spine
Good Samaritans, The: 1 - left side stomach area
Helping Hand: 1 - graze in left side above waist
Hidalgo: 2 - right mid-chest
Imposter, The: 1 - upper right arm
I Thee Wed: 1 - upper left arm
Joe Phy: 1 - upper left arm or shoulder
Kate Heller: 3 - upper left shoulder from the back
Louie Pheeters: 1 - left arm
Lover Boy: 1 - upper left arm
Lynott: 2 - left shoulder; left chest
Mannon: 1 - left shoulder high above badge
Matt Gets It: 2 - forehead crease; right side lower chest
Matt's Love Story: 1 - forehead graze
Muley: 1 - back
Noose, The: 1 - right leg above knee
Parson Comes to Town: 1 - right side from back
Quest for Asa Janin, The: 1 - upper right leg
Raid, The: 1 - upper left arm
Round Up, The: 1 - upper left arm
Seven Hours To Dawn: 4 - lower right torso; head graze; two others
unspecified
Slocum: 1 - left upper arm
Snow Train: 1 - graze on upper right arm
There Never Was a Horse: 1 - right forearm close to elbow
Till Death Do Us: 1 - left forearm near elbow
Unmarked Grave: 1 - left side stomach area
Us Haggens: 1 - upper left arm
Whelan's Men: 1 - upper left arm
Winner Take All: 1 - left shoulder from behind
Wishbone: 1 - upper left arm
Wonder: 1 - upper left arm
Zavala: 1 - left side behind vest

Gunsmoke Movies:
Return to Dodge: 1 - upper left arm
To the Last Man: 1 - upper right arm
The Long Ride: 2 - crease on left neck; upper left leg
One Man's Justice: 1 - upper left arm

Locations:
Left Arm/Shoulder: 26
Torso: 13
Right Arm/Shoulder: 7
Right Leg: 4
Head: 5
Left Leg: 2

 

[ralph7]

Really? You're serious about wanting to know why the director and producers of a popular fictional television western left Doc in a second floor office, rather than have him moved to street level? Sorry to burst your bubble, but what passes for television drama is fantasy. Matt Dillon was shot up, stabbed, or beaten so often throughout the life of that series, he would have been a cripple at the close of the first season, had reality been a consideration.

Bet the op was plumb perturbed to see yer logical response. Might even chastise ya.

 

[RobertJ.]

and I implore the administrators to chastise anyone who does offer such answers.

This fits right in with the "or else" thread!

I apologize. That remark may possibly be construed as "smart alec", and I certainly don't need another ding!

 

[James&theGiant1911]

I always wondered why Ms. Kitty, who is the brothel pimp, never really flirted with or took the customers up the stairs. I mean after all she was suppose to be a prostitute running the local cat house. Never made much sense to me especially in later years they could at least made her character a little more risque.

As far as the doctor, yeah he made house calls and traveled to the patients. However, I do remember him drinking a lot so while they probably did not make him an alcoholic it definitely gave the impression that he liked to party.

 

[CajunBass]

I don't know how many times Matt Dillion got shot, (I see someone else has tallied them up), but in watching the first season of "Combat", Chip Saunders has been wounded at least three times since I started counting.

I figure at this rate he must end up with enough Purple Hearts to sink a good sized boat by the time the fifth season is over.

Still a darn good show though.

To the OP: I suspect paying the Doc wasn't a high priority in those days, and Doc just couldn't afford anything better.

Edited to add: I've been thinking about it. Maybe the upstairs was the more desirable location in those days. Up off the street level, it was probably less dusty, quieter, more prone to catch a breeze than the lower floors that would have been blocked by other buildings, and would catch the early morning and late evening light better.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I expect there were a lot less flies upstairs.

 

[yashua-p]

In Barnesville GA in the late 40's and early 50's, our doctor was upstairs and in the same block as Pharr Pharmacy the the barber shop. Didn't seem unusual, then. even in the 40's, everything seemed quite old. By the way, Barnesville was just a couple of axle greezins down the road from Griffin GA, home of Doc Holliday.

regards

yashua

 

[Comrad]

If the show was really historically accurate I think the doc would have worked out of his house. Even in my life time, most doctors worked out of their house.