George Washington's Dedication to Medicine
In a unique opportunity to see how the practice of medicine has evolved throughout history, the D. Samuel Gottesman Library recently hosted a traveling exhibit from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) titled "Every Necessary Care and Attention: George Washington and Medicine." On display from May 30 through July 10, the exhibit—the fifth NLM offering featured at the library—highlighted aspects of the life of our nation's first president that may be underappreciated.
The NLM exhibit "Every Necessary Care and Attention: George Washington and Medicine" offers insights on medicine in the time of George Washington.The exhibit detailed George Washington's devotion to learning about the spread and prevention of disease at a time when the practice of medicine was not yet a licensed profession. From making sure that everyone on his plantation, including slaves, received adequate health and dental care, to traveling to Barbados where he hoped to find a cure for his brother's tuberculosis, Washington understood the need for preventive healthcare and medical expertise.
Though many of the tools from the 1700s were still rudimentary compared to our present-day options, and most of the remedies were herb-based or home-health oriented, there were early signs of medical practice that eventually developed into the medicine we know today.
Noting one such similarity, fourth-year medical student Samima Habbsa observed, "It's interesting that George Washington had the foresight to inoculate his army [for small pox], just like we administer live vaccines today to ensure immunity among large populations."
Ultimately, when it came to battling his own final illnesses, our first president faced the limits of the medicine of his time—which many attributed to bloodletting, enemas and blistering. The exhibit provided an interesting historical perspective for appreciating how far we've come in the field of medicine since the colonial era in which George Washington lived.
"The NLM does a great job of presenting interesting topics related to medicine and health," said Aurelia Minuti, head of reference & educational services at the library.
Ms. Minuti expects the next NLM exhibit—called "Pick Your Poison: Intoxicating Pleasures & Medical Prescriptions"—to go up in early December. More information on the NLM exhibits can be found at: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/about/exhibition/exhibitions.html.
Posted on: Wednesday, August 03, 2016