The Decision Which Met With Derision
A doctor was called upon to deliver Mrs. Jane Crawford of twins. After many failed backwoods attempts, another doctor was called... who tried the same backwoods attempts. Still no twins. Finally, specialist Ephraim McDowell was called.
I was sent for in 1809 to deliver a Mrs. Crawford near Greentown of twins; as the two attending physicians supposed. Upon examination per vaginam I soon ascertained that she was not pregnant, but had a large tumor in the Abdomen which moved easily from side to side.*
The decision Mrs. Crawford was to make was a daring one. It was one which would go down in history. An ovariotomy would be an experiment. With it, there was no guarantee of survival. Without it, there was a guarantee: a slow and painful death.
Faced with choice A or choice B, Mrs. Jane Crawford choose A—let Dr. Ephraim McDowell operate on her abdomen, contrary to his informing her:
I could do her no good and candidly stated to her her deplorable situation: Informed her that John Bell Hunter Hey and A Wood four of the first and most eminent Surgeons in England and Scotland had uniformly declared in their lectures that such was the danger of Peritoneal Inflammation, that opening the abdomen to extract the tumour (sic) was inevitable death. But notwithstanding this, if she thought herself prepared to die, I would take the lump from her if she could come to Danville.* His innate intelligence, knowhow and talent for surgery, combined with the fact that McDowell had more formal medical education than most doctors in his time and locality, meant that Mrs. Crawford could not have been in better hands.
* Letter by Ephraim McDowell
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“Having never seen so large a substance extracted nor heard of an attempt or success attending any operations such as this required, I gave to this unhappy woman information of her dangerous situation. She appeared willing to undergo the experiment, which I promised to perform if she would come to Danville---” ~Ephraim McDowell in "Three Cases of Extirpation of Diseased Ovaria". Eclectic Repertory and Analytical Review |
“Sheridan's ride from Winchester, Pickett's immortal charge at Gettysburg, the charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War, and Paul Revere's immortal ride, have all been spread upon the pages of history, but Jane Crawford's ride through the Kentucky wilderness in search of help for a physical infirmity called for more courage than any of these episodes. Pickett, Sheridan, and the Light Brigade, had the emotional stimulus of war to urge them on. Paul Revere had the patriotic urge to carry him galloping through the night. But Jane Crawford had nothing but her dauntless courage, a courage so sublime and faith so perfect that one wonders why this woman has not been made a symbol for these two virtues and blazoned upon banners held high for womanhood throughout the world to gaze upon. And why has not history told and retold her story that women throughout the world might read of their great sister and be inspired by her courage and faith. Every expectant mother should read the story of Jane Crawford's ride seeking surgical aid.”
~C.V. Mosby, M.D., Sc.D. A Little Journey to the Home of Ephraim McDowell
~C.V. Mosby, M.D., Sc.D. A Little Journey to the Home of Ephraim McDowell