the simplest single lever

timelightbox:

For his 1948 feature “Country Doctor” — republished here, in its entirety, for the first time online, with all of the photos — LIFE magazine photographer W. Eugene Smith spent 23 days in Kremmling, Colorado, shadowing general practitioner Ernest Ceriani. See more here. 

Notes: Physicians traditionally were part of the hub of the community. They made house calls and knew a patient’s history through the relationships they built with them. Specialization was limited to what was frequently seen in the community.