[Medical care in Upper Wallis yesterday and today. I. The status at the beginning of the 20th century].

After a short historical overview the apparently archaic circumstances of life in the side-valleys of the Upper Wallis reigning at the onset of the 20th century are described. Self-medication and assistance by lay-persons represented often the only local medical care. The past 50 years were marked by tremendous developments not only in the sociocultural field but also in the transportation system, personal style of life and in the spectrum of prevailing diseases. On the other hand these changes set the path for modern medicine.