Oldest Practicing Doctor in Ohio Celebrates His 100 Birthday

Its nice to have the same good and reliable physician for years. Dr. Fred Goldman's patients in Cincinnati, Ohio, have not to worry about finding a new doctor for years. Seventy-six years to be exact. Many of these loyal patients were in attendance for the still practicing doctor's 100th birthday earlier this month. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports on the surprise party of the oldest licensed physician practicing medicine in Ohio:

"Dr. Fred Goldman is 100.

He surprised them, though: The guest of honor arrived 90 minutes early.

'I almost had a heart attack seeing all of the people in the hall and the waiting room,' Goldman said between greeting well-wishers with questions about their health.

How’s your ankle? You still smoking?

'People ask me, ‘Why do you go to a doctor who’s 100?’' said Patti Levine, a fourth-generation patient of the doctor. 'I tell them, ‘Because he’s seen it all, and he knows everything.’ ”

The surprise party was at Dr. Goldman's Avondale office which he calls “the dump.” The Doctor worked eight hours, five days a week up to the age of 96. He his since cut back to three eight hour days a week. Goldman sees twelve patients a day and works in a computer-free suite.

When asked how it feels to reach the century mark, Goldman examined both hands and then squeezed one before deducing; "dont' feel anything different."

"Most people my age," Goldman added to the Enquirer, "can't feel anything. They're dead."

When asked the secret of living a long life, Goldman said he has no clue how he's lived this long.

"Maybe it's because my office is a mess and I keep saying I'm going to clean it up."

Goldman is quick on his feet, only giving up cutting his own grass tow years ago and stopped trips to Alaska to Hike in 2007. As for vices, Goldman says he has never smoked cigarettes, "rarely" smoked a pipe, and "temporarily" smoked a Cuban cigar after dinner. He has "no taste" for alcohol and rinks a beer "once in a while." As for wine, "only on Passover."

Goldman has not lived without occasional health scares. He survived major heart surgery and beat prostate cancer. Goldman can only find a hint of sadness when speaking of his wife Esther, who died after 60 years of marriage in 1998.

"When she died, I had to go on," he said, "I could not afford to feel sorry for myself. I had to be diverted by work.

"Work is life," he said. "I work on demand. … Fortunately, the demand exists. I feel I can still be helpful to people."

In addition to practicing medicine, Goldman served in the Navy when America was at War.

‘They took me three months later and I got out of the Navy in 1946. I served in the Pacific,’ he said. ‘I was in a unit with six docs and 20 corpsmen. We were sent wherever they had a battle.’