Alexis Starnes-HCR425

Dr. Lillie Rosa Mikota-Hill

Dr. Lillie Rosa Mikota Hill practiced medicine for over 40 years in the U.S, mostly out of her home in Wisconsin. She is a 20th century American Indian medical doctor, who received her degree from the Womans Medical College of Pennsylvania. She was the second American Indian woman in the U.S to receive her MD. Her expertise was in general medicine and public health. Her father was a Quaker physician who guided her into becoming a physician after she finished nursing school. Soon after graduating she met her husband; Charles Hill an Oneida farmer from Wisconsin, the two married and moved from Pennsylvania to Oneida, Wisconsin and had six children. Dr. Mikota-Hill soon had to adjust to a much more rural lifestyle and learn the Oneidas traditions in medicine. Upon doing this; she in trade taught many of the Oneida about prevention, sanitation, and good nutrition. In 1916 Charles Hill suddenly died, Lillie was then left with the farm and a minimal trust fund to help aid her six children and her in home clinic. In 1917; after the only physician in the town quit, Lillie opened a kitchen-clinic where she treated most of her patients. The in- home clinic had no running water, no electricity, and not until 1946 had a working refrigerator. Because Lillie was not licensed in Wisconsin she could not; receive payments, admit patients to hospitals or prescribe drugs. She would arrange with other doctors in Green Bay to make sure her patients were taken care of. As form as payment Lillie would accept food; or what she saw fit that the family could afford or simply nothing. Due to the Great Depression she lost her fathers trust fund; she then decided to take

the state medical exams in Wisconsin and received it thirty five years after she received her degree in Pennsylvania. I think Dr. Mikota-Hill was best known for her kitchen-clinic and for her generosity for the poor in Oneida, Wisconsin. Being a single mother of six in challenging times is impressive with minimal funds. Another positive influence was her ability to pass her medical exam after 35 years. This is especially motivating for anyone going back to school or achieving something later in life. She was truly a Good Samaritan, and considered the Oneidas traditions in medicine combined with her knowledge, and educated and cared for many people. I think this generosity influences people to remember that medicine is about helping people, rather than how much money one can make, which can be a lot of peoples motivations these days. Dr. Mikota survived through extremely difficult times in U.S history, spanning from the influenza pandemic in 1917-1918 and the Great Depression. As I study TCM I can relate to Dr. Mikotas efforts into understanding others traditions and using their medicine to treat their ailments, thus building trust with her patients.