Perkins, Anna W.

Birth

Dr. Anna W. Perkins was born in Newport, Rhode Island in about 1899. She was raised in a wealthy Catholic family in Brookline, RI. She had a sister Mary P. Perkins.

Education

She was educated in private schools and even attended a school in an English convent. She graduated from Radcliffe and later in 1925 from Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons. In 1974 she recieved an Honorary degree of Doctor of Sciences from Union College in Schenectady and it was noted, "In weather fair and foul, by day and by night, you have for fifty years brought medical care and human comfort to a rural region made fortunate by your dedication."

Occupation

She did her internship at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.

In 1928 she left the city and moved to Westerlo to become a country doctor in the Helderbergs. Initially for the first decade or two she delivered babies at homes or at her office before hospital deliveries became common.

Her fees were always reasonable, charging only $2.00 for a house call in 1959 and $5.00 in 1990. During the depression she would accept payment in eggs, milk and chicken or even kept an account until the families could pay. Her fee for delivering a baby was $25.00.

Her office, which was in her home in Westerlo, was filled not with old magazines but fine literature books.

During her tenure as a rural doctor, she traveled by whatever means necessary to reach her patients. She had used her feet, horses, sleigh and finally in 1984 a four wheel drive car to make her house calls. One patient remembered that on a snowy day with the roads impassable, she got a ride from a snow plow and when that could no longer take her where she was going she got out and put on her snowshoes.

Significant changes occurred in medicine over her career. She was pleased with the change to hospital deliveries for babies as she thought you couldn't be too careful. She attended Medical lectures at Albany Medical College as well as weekly grand rounds to keep up with advancements. But she thought that the key to medicine was really listening to your patients.

She was interviewed by the New York Times in 1984. She continued to make house calls until 1991 when medical issues caused her to retire.

Religion

She was born and raised Catholic and when she arrived in the Hilltowns in 1928 Catholics were unknown.

Life

In 1929 she built a small clapboard house in Westerlo that served as her home and office.

In her spare time, she enjoyed bird watching.

Appearance

She was a small woman.

Personality

She was a strong believer in character and self discipline

Death

Dr. Anna W. Perkins died in early May of 1993 at Albany Medical Center at the age of 93 of pneumonia and heart failure. She was survived by her sister Mary P. Ryan of Goffstown, NH.

Postscript

Albany Medical College presents the "Anna Perkins Scholarship" to a student studying family medicine in honor of her dedication.

Additional Media

Sources

• Lange, Ed, "An unforgettable physician; The legendary Dr. Anna W. Perkins may be gone, but she's not forgotten", Capital Region Living, October 2009, page 26.
• Gargan, Edward A., "At 85, A Busy County Doctor", The New York Times, August 21, 1984.
• Howe, Marvine, "Anna Perkins, 93, A Family Doctor in Rural New York", New York Times, May 4, 1993.

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