Volume 1

System of gynecology / by American authors ; edited by Matthew D. Mann.

Date:
1887-1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: System of gynecology / by American authors ; edited by Matthew D. Mann. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    30/806 (page 26)
    McDowell was astonished to find his patient engaged in making up her bed. The other two cases occurred in negro women, and the space devoted to the consideration of both of them is less than that taken up by a description of the first operation. The whole report Avas loosely and carelessly constructed, and poorly calculated to inspire confidence in the author's literary and scientific attainments. Had McDowell been gifted with facility of expression the recognition of his operation would doubtless have been more prompt. At his death, in 1830, it had not yet been looked upon witli favor, although he had himself performed it thirteen times in all, with at least eight successes. The report of the first three cases having been sent to Dr. Physick of Philadeljihia, the Father of American Surgery, and at that time the leader of the Amer- ican profession, it failed to interest him, his opinion of the backwoods surgeon being, probably, largely influenced by the display of liis literary ability. The re])ort was also sent to the operator's old preceptor, John Bell, but, owing to that gentlemen's ill-health, he was at the time absent on the Continent, and as he died not long afterward at Rome, he never received it. The paper fell into the hands of Mr. Lizars of Edinburgh, by whom it was published in the Edinburgh 3fedical and Surgical Jour- nal in 1824. Mr. Lizars, with the instinct of a true surgeon, detected its merit, and Avas the first to perform McDowell's operation in Great Britain. This recognition of the Kentucky surgeon by his eminent Edinburgh contemporary won for the prophet and his operation an honor in his OAvn country Avhich he had previously been denied. Dr. McDowell when he operated on Mrs. Craw^ford had a reputation which Avas only local, or he Avas at least knoAvn Avithin but compara- tively circumscribed limits from his oaati home. His name did not appear on the list of the great surgeons of his day, and—such is one of the peculiarities of human nature—AA^hen it Avas discoA^ered that his claims did not deserA^e the ridicule with. Avhich they Avere greeted even in quarters in Avhich one Avould suppose they Avould at least have received respectful attention, if not indorsement, envy began to take the place of ridicule. Accordingly, efforts Avere soon made to rob him of the honor of his great accomplishment, and claims AA-ere set up for a number Avho Avere alleged to have previously performed the operation. It is scarcely necessary in this place to revieAV the nature of these claims or to discuss their validity. Suffice it to say that they Avere all carefully investigated by the late Dr. Samuel D. Gross, and by him pronounced untenable. Whde the operation by McDoAvell marked an era in gynecology, tAvo years before he performed it an American, Dr. John Stearns of Saratoga county, Ncav York, had given to medicine the drug ergot, AA'hich Avas destined to become one oip the most important agents in both