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MEDICAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF NOVA SCOTIA |
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Forrest Building, Dalhousie circa 1890
WELCOME
The Medical History Society of Nova Scotia’s mandate--to preserve the medical heritage of the province of Nova Scotia, is not a difficult one to fulfill. The rich medical history of our province lends itself beautifully to this goal.
We have been producing geographically relevant medical history displays throughout the metropolitan areas of Halifax and Dartmouth for some time. In order to fully represent the province, we have commenced the development of displays for Yarmouth, Colchester County, Sherbrooke and in 2009, we will turn our sights to Cape Breton.
In the Winter of 2008, the Yarmouth County Museum will unveil an extensive display on the Webster Family of Physicians commencing with Dr. Isaac Webster who arrived in Nova Scotia in the late 1700’s. He was the forefather of several generations of physicians to the present day profile of Dr. David Webster, family physician practicing in Yarmouth. This exceptional family has its actual artefacts used in this display and is a must see for medical history buffs.
Sherbrooke Village houses currently a display on Dr. Stella Messenger-Pearson, a sole female general practitioner who practiced in Sherbrooke Village in 1919. This display gives us an historic view into the trials facing family doctors at a time in Atlantic history where any task from dentistry to obstetrics to surgery on the dining room table could occur. All of this, with no electricity or running water would make rural practice a tremendous challenge.
As we turn our sights to Cape Breton, we will customize our medical history display to reflect some of the outstanding physicians who had practiced in Baddeck.. The Bethune family even today has distinguished physicians (Drs. Graeme and Drew Bethune) still practicing in Halifax in Family Medicine and Thoracic Surgery respectively.
The cataloging and photographing of our artefact collection nears completion. Our five book collections have been cataloged and in time, we will enter these into a searchable database.
The 90th anniversary of the Spanish Influenza occurs this year. Dr. Marble, our Chairman, has researched and developed an excellent presentation from materials only made available in the past year. This will be condensed into a display in November of 2008 and will be installed at Doctors Nova Scotia.
Beth MacPherson
Administrator
The Medical History Society of Nova Scotia
2008More information:
medicalhistorysocietyns@gmail.com
allan.marble@ns.sympatico.ca
Published by the Medical History Society of Nova Scotia Copyright © 2002
last updated September 9, 2009