×

Another case of early penicillin use in Marquette

The Livermore family is pictured in a photo taken in 1942. Sarah Pelto, then Livermore, is seen on the far left, with ringlets in her hair. The others are members of her family and Bubbles, the family dog. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Pelto)

MARQUETTE — After the recent article “The miracle of penicillin makes its way to Marquette in 1944” was published, the History Center received a call from Marquette resident Sarah Livermore Pelto about her experience with penicillin as a child at St. Luke’s Hospital in 1944.

Shortly before her 10th birthday in October 1943, Sarah, then Sarah Livermore, developed severe pain in her legs. She was taken first to St. Mary’s Hospital where she was evaluated for polio and seen by Dr. Eugene Elzinga, the local orthopedic surgeon. He transferred her to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he eventually determined after x-rays that it was not polio, but osteomyelitis — a rare but serious infection that causes the affected bone to decay.

She was put in a full cast, from her toe to the top of her leg, and stayed in the hospital for many months, but the leg continued to decay. Dr. Elzinga was aware the military was using penicillin and knew that it might be an effective treatment for Sarah, but the use at that time it was not available for civilian use.

Sarah was told by her mother, and had the story confirmed many years later by one of the nurses who took care of her and by Dr. Elzinga’s son, Dr. Don Elzinga, that the senior Dr. Elzinga wrote directly to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, asking that an exception be made so that Sarah could be treated. There was some precedent for this. In 1943 Dr. Chester Keifer, the national “penicillin czar” in charge of allocating supplies for civilian research, released a supply for a child in need after a plea from Eleanor Roosevelt.

In any case, the response to Dr. Elzinga’s plea was effective and regular shipments were sent to St. Luke’s for her treatment. For most of the summer of 1944, she received the shots every three hours, around the clock. She certainly vividly remembers being woken at midnight every night for a shot and then at 3 a.m. for another one. The penicillin worked. She kept her leg and after some time on crutches was able to walk again. Because the nuns at St. Michael’s School came over to the hospital with her homework assignments several times a week, she didn’t even get behind her classmates in school.

Sarah Pelto is seen as Powell Township supervisor. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Pelto)

In later years, Mrs. Pelto served as the Powell Township treasurer for three years and as Powell Township Supervisor for 12. She was honored by her peers as the “Township Supervisor of the Year” and elected to the board of the Michigan Association of Township Supervisors. Although she is now retired, she keeps busy volunteering, including providing comfort care to newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit at UP Health System- Marquette, giving back where she received her own care so many years ago.

We thank Mrs. Pelto for her call. Remember to visit the History Center’s special exhibit on the Changing Face of Medicine–A History of U.P. Healthcare for more stories about the early days of medical care. And if you have a story to share that we should know, please call the Marquette Regional History Center at 906-226-3571.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today