Rick Houser
About a year ago I wrote a little about Dr. Barber, our family doctor, and how important he was to our family and how valuable he was to many other folks in our community. As true as his importance was, he was only one side of a farmer’s medical needs. Doc Barber treated me for measles, chicken pox and pink eye, but when our cattle developed pink eye we called the other half of the medical force it takes to keep all healthy on a farm. That would be the veterinarians.

In our case our veterinarian was Doctor J.C. Rudd. A familiar site in our driveway was a Red Dodge, I think, with a white back end that was Doc Rudd’s traveling office and pharmacy. From my very early recollections I can only remember seeing him at our farm to treat our livestock. I know Dad always had a very high opinion of JC Rudd and not only his skills as a vet but as a man to like and trust. So since Dad had high respect for him so did I and as the years passed and I spent more time with Doc working on what were now my livestock I also developed my own understanding as to what Dad saw in the man.

Dr. Rudd would always exit the cab of his truck wearing his grey coveralls and wearing a warm smile that generated immediate confidence in his skills even though he hadn’t even seen his patient yet. He would go directly to his traveling office and remove the tools and or medicines he had already concluded he was definitely going to need. When I appeared he would ask where the calf or cow or whatever was at and we would walk in most cases to the barn and along the way Doc would begin a conversation to get this call on the move.

I learned early in my life what foot rot and pink eye and a variety of ailments livestock can pick up just as easily as our children bring home ailments from school. I also learned that I was never going to be a vet nor wanted to be as I have a queasy stomach and what he had to deal with was downright gross! Now Doc knew that and could sense a weak stomach immediately. This is where his sense of humor would kick in and he would get me to laugh a little at myself and the situation in front of us. After a brief teasing he would then just say “oh well there is nothing to do now but take care of it don’t ya think?”

There might have been some farmers who didn’t use him but very few in my estimation. He put in long hours and on the road in all kinds of weather and if need be he arrived at your farm on a Sunday. It was safe to say his truck was probably the most recognized vehicle in the region of southern Clermont and Brown Counties.

A person who saw that truck on a neighbor’s farm knew his neighbor had at least one sick animal. Sometimes he also had a cattle chute hitched to his truck so he could de horn or do other needed procedures where the need of the chute was a must.

When I was the one to greet him and deal with the treating of the animals I also was the one who got to get in the cab of his truck to settle up. Any person who delivers a need is in line to receive a payment.

My dad explained to me early on never to go to Mr. Rudd’s’ truck without your checkbook as I had just been delivered a true service. The truth is I never felt it a problem, just part of being a farmer. Besides I liked to get in the cab. I loved to ask Doc questions such as where he went to college, where he went to high school, the cost of the office on the back of his truck etc. Answers were Auburn University, a high school in Morgan County, Kentucky, and close to $50,000 total but that was a growing amount as he added more items each year. The first time I got in his truck I was very surprised to see a holstered pistol fastened to the dash in his truck along with a permit to carry it. Of course being very nosey I had to ask why he had that. He stopped writing, looked at me and very sternly said, “Son not all my patients survive and it is a crueler thing to let an animal suffer. Do you know what I mean?” I did and I always will understand as I can tell no matter how long he had been doing this work and how many times he had to use the pistol it hadn’t become one bit easier. This was where I decided a vet doesn’t get enough credit for what he does.

What a vet does can be unique at times. I recall one time at my Aunt Margaret’s farm there was a heifer needing help getting her calf delivered. My assistance was requested and as Doc was setting his tools and supplies up in the stable he looked over to the wagon parked in the barn driveway and there were all four of Aunt Margaret’s boys setting on the wagon in a row and intently watching every move he was making. Even at a young age it was known that having a need for a vet was super important. He elbowed me and said that maybe we should charge a dollar a head to our audience and then laughed before he got down to business.

Along with being a needed service in the area JC Rudd became a member of the Felicity school board for many years, and a member of the Businessmen’s Association and gave of his time to any and all ventures the community was involved in. He was and still is a strong pillar of his community. The one thing I can say is that since my earliest memories back into the early 50s forward has always been a man who was always there. Thank you Doc!!

Rick Houser grew up on a farm near Moscow in Clermont County and loves to share stories about his youth and other topics. He may be reached at href=”mailto:houser734@yahoo.com”>houser734@yahoo.com.