Biography / History

Born in Copemish, Michigan in 1910, Dr. Demarious Adeline Cornell Badger grew up assisting her father, the only physician in the northern Michigan sawmill communities near Traverse City. She never planned to be a physician, but enrolled at the University of Michigan at the age of sixteen, hoping to be a pianist. When the stock market crashed in 1929, Dr. Badger began to think seriously about her need to earn a living and realized that her interest in biology had earned her the credit hours to be accepted into medical school. She enrolled in the University of Michigan Medical School in 1930, earning her M.D. in 1934. The day after graduation, she married fellow classmate Dr. William Earl Badger, whom she met while a junior in college. She completed her internship and residency at University Hospital in Ann Arbor. In 1937, after Dr. William Badger had been diagnosed with tuberculosis, the couple moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, and set up a private practice. For many years, Dr. Badger was the only female physician in Lea County. The Badgers practiced in Hobbs until their retirement in 1980, when they moved to Albuquerque. Dr. Demarious Badger died in 1990 at the age of 80.

Biography / History

Dr. William Earl Badger was born in the oil town of Findlay, Ohio, in 1909. Though many relatives were engineers, he knew he wanted to be a doctor. This desire grew his junior year of high school when his father died after a long illness. Though Dr. Badger matriculated at Dartmouth, he enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1927 to be closer to his mother. He continued on to the University of Michigan Medical School, receiving his M.D. in 1934. The day after graduation, he married fellow classmate Dr. Demarious Cornell Badger, whom he met while a junior in college. Like his wife, he did an internship and residency at University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 1937, Dr. Badger was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and the couple moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, for the climiate and to set up a private practice. Dr. Badger was board certified in surgery in 1952 and served as president of the New Mexico Medical Society in 1961-1962. The couple retired to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1980. Dr. Badger died in at the age of 82 in 1992.

Scope and Content

This joint interview with Drs. Demarious C. and William E. Badger summarizes their more than 40 years' practice (1937-1980) of medicine in Hobbs, New Mexico. The interview contains information about their personal and professional backgrounds, including information regarding discrimination against women in medical school; the difficult conditions in oil-town Hobbs; the nature and focuses of their medical practices; and the special medical problems encountered in Hobbs. Among the subjects discussed at varying length are public health work in Lea County; referral practices and patterns; Lea County hospitals; the impact of World War II on medical care in their county; the advent of modern drugs; racial and gender attitudes and prejudices in Lea County; and the battle against state medicine.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication of print materials allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Preferred Citation

Demarious C. and W. Earl Badger Oral History, New Mexico Health Historical Collection, UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center.

Processing Information

The materials were organized and cataloged by Janet Johnson and reorganized by Peggy McBride.

Separated Material

Original audio recordings are stored in the Special Collections Annex.

Access Terms

Adler, Stuart Welsh, 1892-1987

Badger, Demarious Cornell, 1910-1990

Badger, William Earl, 1909-1992

Hobbs, N.M.

Lea County, N.M.

Lovelace, William Randolph, II, 1907-1966

Physicians, N.M.

Public health--New Mexico

Contents List

I. Oral History  1983

II. Personal  1937-1992