Alexander_MS218_1_13_05g |
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Object Description
| Title | An old fogey examines 19th century medicine |
| Creator | Alexander, J. B. (John Brevard), 1834-1911 |
| Date Created | circa 1900 - 1910 |
| Digital Collection | John B. Alexander papers, 1855-1911 |
| Description | In this handwritten draft of material relating almost exclusively to pregnancy and delivery, J. B. Alexander writes about "Some abnormal labors and births of monstrosities" "Ecclampsia [sic] or convulsions in the lying-in stage" "Retained placenta" and other medical issues. The document covers deformities, death of the newborn, pain and suffering of the mother and various treatments, and remedies and procedures used during the 19th century. Most of the cases discussed occurred between 1870 and 1885. No date for the draft is evident on the pages presented, however. Dr. J. M. Wilson and Dr. W. A. Holt are the only colleagues that Alexander mentioned by name. Topics are many and varied, but in the context of 19th century medicine, very enlightening as to the physician's viewpoint. They include: paralysis, treatment of pain, hysterical mania, constipation, midwifery, "internal haemorhage [sic]" excessive bleeding, "sail or ship fever" typhus, typhoid fever, "humoral theory" and ochlesis or crowd-poison. Treatments and medical tools included laudanum, ergot, chloroform, calomel, bromide, blister packs, "nitrate silver pill" drainage tubes, hypodermic needles, fever thermometer, and the microscope. The last pages in the set of draft material give the impression that this was for an address to medical students. Alexander congratulates them on choosing the profession, especially at a point in history where great strides were being made in diagnosis and treatment of disease. He tells them, "You have seen the star of hope twinkling through the maze that has befogged past ages. It has been scarcly [sic] 300 years since it was discovered that the arteries caried [sic] blood and not air. Great discoveries then were a century apart, and the people were slow to believe. It took more than 100 years to convert the masses into the belief of the utility of vacination [sic]. A continual addition to our stock of knowledge of medicine has been gained ever since." Alexander then lists some of the great advances in medicine. He apparently viewed himself as sort of a dinosaur in the profession, and writes, "In many things I have no doubt I will be considered an old fogey, and should be laid on the shelf; but I will never give up an old time remedy that never carrys [sic] disappointment with it." His concluding remark (at least in this portion of draft material) is apropos: "... but I am not dealing with the present, but the past." |
| Subjects--Names |
Alexander, J. B. (John Brevard), 1834-1911 Holt, William A., fl. 1862-1865 Wilson, J. McCamie |
| Subjects--Topics |
Chloroform--History Calomel Silver--Therapeutic use Hypodermic needles--History Thermometers--History Therapeutics--History Vaccination--History Microscopes--History Opium--History |
| Coverage--Place |
Mecklenburg County (N.C.) |
| Digital Publisher | Charlotte, N.C.: J. Murrey Atkins Library University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Object Type | Text |
| Genre | manuscripts (document genre) |
| Finding Aid | http://library.uncc.edu/manuscript/ms0218 |
| Format | image/tiff |
| Relation | Forms part of : John B. Alexander Papers, 1855-1911 |
| Language | eng |
| Repository | J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Rights | Materials in the Digital Collections at Atkins Library are provided free for educational use under fair use as outlined by current U.S. Copyright law and accompanying guidelines. Written permission from the J. Murrey Atkins Library or the rights holder must be obtained before using an item for publishing or commercial purposes. |
| Location of Original | Manuscript 218, Special Collections Manuscripts--10th Floor, J. Murrey Atkins Library |
| Note | Atkins Library has provided the description and subject analysis for these images. We encourage you to contact us at spec-coll@uncc.edu with your comments and feedback. |
| Identifier | Alexander_MS218_1_13_05 |
| Date Digitized | 2011 |
| Rating |
Description
| Title | Alexander_MS218_1_13_05g |
| Creator | Alexander, J. B. (John Brevard), 1834-1911 |
| Digital Collection | John B. Alexander papers, 1855-1911 |
| Digital Publisher | Charlotte, N.C.: J. Murrey Atkins Library University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Object Type | Text |
| Genre | manuscripts (document genre) |
| Finding Aid | http://library.uncc.edu/manuscript/ms0218 |
| Format | image/tiff |
| Relation | Forms part of : John B. Alexander Papers, 1855-1911 |
| Language | eng |
| Repository | J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| Rights | Materials in the Digital Collections at Atkins Library are provided free for educational use under fair use as outlined by current U.S. Copyright law and accompanying guidelines. Written permission from the J. Murrey Atkins Library or the rights holder must be obtained before using an item for publishing or commercial purposes. |
| Location of Original | Manuscript 218, Special Collections Manuscripts--10th Floor, J. Murrey Atkins Library |
| Note | Atkins Library has provided the description and subject analysis for these images. We encourage you to contact us at spec-coll@uncc.edu with your comments and feedback. |
| Date Digitized | 2011 |
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