Written by:
Dr. J. W. Torbett, Sr., M.D.
DR. BERT M. TORBETT
My youngest brother was born on the 31st of
August, 1883. He grew up to be the largest one in the family, and with the
spirit of adventure in his soul. As soon as he could, he joined the Navy and
traveled around the world for four years, visiting many foreign countries-a
great education for him. Finally, in 1905, he returned home, married Miss Allie
Griffin at Rogers, Texas, and came to Marlin to be with me in the Spring of
1906.
I trained him as a technician and helper in
the treatment of Chronic cases with the various types of electricity and
physical therapy. Bert was very efficient in his work, and popular with the
patients. He remained with llle until 1912, when he decided to become a doctor.
He went to Medical College, taking a four-year course, and graduated with honors
from Vanderbilt in June, 1916. He was president of the Duncan Eye Surgical
class, and president of the Masonic Club. Maintaining a general average of 92 in
his classes, he was always on the honor roll.
With such a fine background, he had secured
an intern- ship in the City Hospital of St. Louis. The day that he was
graduated, he had a temperature of 101, which was diagnosed as typhoid fever. He
went to the hospital in Nashville, where he remained for five weeks and finally
passed away July 13, 1916.
My brother Bert had been vaccinated against
typhoid fever twenty months before, and the doctors thought he was immune, for
at least two years, so he had not been advised to be vaccinated again, though
his wife and little girl underwent vaccination and as a result successfully
resisted the disease. His case proved that vaccination immunity may not last as
long as twenty months. If he had been re-vaccinated, he might not have died! A
small thing meant so much!
Osler's "Modern Medicine" recounts a
terrible epidemic of typhoid in Plymouth, Pennsylvania, in 1885, with 1,200
cases, many of them fatal. These resulted from lack of sanitation and a polluted
water supply. Typhoid comes in the wake of criminal carelessness, but in these
modern times may almost certainly be prevented by vaccination.
In his untimely death, Bert paid the
penalty that proved the necessity of re-vaccination always when there is any
typhoid in the community.
My brother's only daughter, beautiful
Bertie Mae, is now Mrs. Dennis Sullivan of Denver, Colorado. His loyal widow,
Mrs. Allie Torbett, still calls Marlin her home.
Note: Bert M. Torbett was son of John Cornelius 1840 - 1919 & Mary Elizabeth 1846 - 1929 Torbett. kc