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TRICENTENNIAL

coals to the patient’s area of pain or
complaint.
With the Spanish settlers came
also the epidemics that had devas-
tated the indigenous populations of
Mexico and Central America: small-
pox, measles, cholera and perhaps
even bubonic plague. The Spanish
governor in the province of
Coahuila, concerned mostly about
the health of the military forces
here, ordered the creation of a hos-
pital for their treatment. An aban-
doned hall in the Alamo was
chosen, and 30 beds were con-
structed with reeds and bamboo
and placed therein. When the first
doctor appeared in town around
1805, he requested funds to repair
the hospital hall, which was in need
An abandoned hall in the Alamo was one of the earliest medical facilities in San Antonio.
of a new roof, and the provision of
a pharmacy. In 1827, a Dr. Webber, associated with the Stephen Austin
Dr. Federico Servin (or Zervan in other reports) was the first colony, was described as providing care to the local population –
trained physician known to practice in San Antonio. He also pro- most of them being Mexican. His treatments consisted mostly
vided a limited amount of medicines from his own stock. He served of emetics of a Tartaric compound. An air of contempt for them
from 1805 until about 1807 or there abouts. He was in controversy seeps through the description of those patients in the pages of
with the civilian authorities and with many of his patients who per- the available record, while they were vomiting and heaving from
sisted in using their own remedies instead of those prescribed (or the treatment.
sold) by the doctor. The authorities favored their local neighbors. During the war of Texas Independence,
Eventually, the doctor quit and left San Antonio. several doctors provided care to the fighters
He was succeeded by Dr. Jaime de la Garza, who practiced in San and at least one, Dr. James Grant from Eng-
Antonio from 1808 until 1811. It is not known if he was the land, was killed during the battle for the
founder or related in anyway to the powerful and famous de la Alamo. Other doctors who treated the sick
Garza family of Monterrey, Mexico. Dr. de la Garza improved the and wounded in the Texas army included:
conditions in the Alamo hospital and was well respected in the com- Dr. Amos Pollard; Dr. Michison, who was
munity. However, after the revolution for independence, which severely wounded; Dr. Levy; and Dr. John
started in 1810, there was political trouble in Texas. Dr. de la Garza Cameron, all of whom were praised for their
was jailed in 1811 for being a European (Spaniard). He appealed to services. There are no records available de- Dr. Amos Pollard
the governor of Coahuila and he was released after five weeks. But scribing if there were any doctors in the Mexican army treating their
after that he left San Antonio and did not return. sick and wounded.
Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821. The his- During the years of Texas as an independent republic (1836-
torical events from this point until the war for Texas Independ- 1845), before its annexation as a state by the United States, there
ence in 1836 are too well known to be repeated here. In this was a great scarcity of doctors in the entire state. Those who did
interval, it appears that from most of this time no physician was practice oftentimes had to travel on horseback for many miles to
available in San Antonio. The mayor, in a letter to his superiors in see their patients. They had to supply and carry their own medi-
Coahuila, lamented that there was no physician closer to the city cines and surgery was always a daring and gambling event of life
than 150 leagues. and death.
continued on page 16
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