Waldo Ball Oral History Interview (3 of 3)

In this interview, Waldo Ball talks about his decisions regarding why he started practicing medicine in Clatskanie and what life was like while he lived there. Later, he talks about why he and his wife moved their family to Corvallis. Largely it was due to educational opportunities for their children. Ball conveys his initial beliefs on who his patient base would be and what it was like to be a doctor during the Great Depression. As the interview goes on, Ball comments on his observed difference in his ability to treat and counsel patients. He also reflects that despite the improvements of modern medicine, many of the most common afflictions have yet to be answered.

When prompted, Ball recounts the difference in preparation and education of doctors during his absence in Corvallis. He explains that before his departure many doctors were allowed to practice medicine with little to no schooling. Once he and his family returned to Corvallis, standardization of the practice was apparent. An additional factor in the change of medical practice in Corvallis was the arrival of World War II. Ball reflects on the effects the war had on his own family and the university.