Dr. George M. Pinnell, of LaSalle, is a physician of extensive experience and general information, and in his chosen specialty has met with unqualified success. He has traveled in all parts of this country and in Australia, has met many distinguished people, particularly those of his own profession, and is a most interesting speaker and converser.
Born in Buchanan, Upshur county, West Virginia, February 16, 1840, the Doctor is a son of Dr. David S. and Catherine E. (Wolffenborger) Pinnell, both of whom were natives of the Old Dominion, representing respected Virginia families. Dr. David S. Pinnell, who was a well-to-do planter and slaveholder, was actively engaged in the practice of his profession for the exceptionally long period of fifty-four years. Four of his sons were prominent in the same calling, namely: Dr. P. F. Pinnell, of West Virginia; Dr. N. W. Pinnell, of Ohio; Dr. D. S. Pinnell, Jr., of Wheeling, West Virginia, and the subject of this narrative.
Thus it is evident that Dr. G. M. Pinnell comes of a family devoted to the healing of the "ills to which flesh is heir," all, moreover, men of versatile talent and fine education. Reared in his native town, our subject attended the schools of Morgantown, West Virginia, and after completing his literary and scientific studies began reading medicine under his father's instruction. At the end of four years of study and practice as his senior's assistant, he matriculated in the Western Reserve Medical College, at Cleveland, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1867. Two years later he accompanied his father to Melbourne, Australia, the latter having been appointed consul of the United States government at that city. There the young man spent four years more in preparation for his future work, and was graduated in the University of Melbourne in 1873.
Returning to this country soon afterward Dr. Pinnell was married, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to Miss Cora Spindler. He located in the town of Flemington, West Virginia, where he established himself in practice, remaining there for about four or five years. While pursuing his scientific investigations in Australia, in connection with medical work, he discovered a remedy for rheumatism, with which malady thousands of people in every land are afflicted. This remedy he has prepared and placed on the market under the name of "Dr. Pinnell's Vegetable Germicide Compound for Rheumatism," and for more than a score of years he has traveled, giving lectures on the subject of rheumatism, and treating patients who are afflicted with this painful and disabling disease. He has met with great success and thousands are deeply indebted to him and earnest in their praise of his methods. In December, 1897, he came to LaSalle, where he has since resided, and during the succeeding fourteen months he treated eight thousand three hundred and seventeen patients. There is no question in regard to the efficacy of the celebrated remedy which he uses, and his entire system and theories were far in advance of the times twenty years ago, as he then advocated the germ or bacilli theory, which has since claimed the serious attention and acceptance of the scientific world.
Extracted 26 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 2, pages 440-441.
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