Page 177

“…to beautify the skies of other lands.”

As a stylist, Baldwin was far superior to Sims.

Baldwin, W. O., Hays, I., & Medical Association of the State of Alabama. (1850). Physic and physicians: The annual address delivered before the Alabama State Medical Association, at the capitol, December 10, 1849. Montgomery: Job Office of Alabama Journal, pp. 31-33.

“Four days later…”

Society of Pioneers of Montgomery. (1965). A History of Montgomery in pictures. Montgomery, Ala.: Society of Pioneers of Montgomery, p. 10.

“…his own violent case of the summer complaint…”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 150.

“…oysters and pork fat…”

A letter from a couple of years later, unsigned, dated November 5, 1852, held at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Sims’s autobiography also spoke of surviving on pork alone.

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 257.

“…drained of pounds and energy.”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, pp. 248-49.

“Sims borrowed $500…”

It may be only a coincidence that Sims borrowed $500 against one of his slaves, Allen, around this time. See “…Allen…,” above.

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 254.

“…to act as a balm.”

Although Sims would make large claims for the quality of New York’s water—and would use water as his explanation for why he left the South (which I don’t find credible)—on his 1849 trip he actually said that the water didn’t make a significant difference at all. I have taken a little license here in making his narrative more consistent than he did.

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, pp. 259, 249.

“A hundred thousand Southerners…”

Berlin, I., & Harris, L. M. (2005). Slavery in New York. New York: New Press, p. 273.

“…1841 change to the slavery laws…”

Berlin, I., & Harris, L. M. (2005). Slavery in New York. New York: New Press, p. 133.

“…debated in Washington City.”

Berlin, I., & Harris, L. M. (2005). Slavery in New York. New York: New Press, p. 3.

“…additional visits to water cures…”

Butler Springs was in Butler County, Alabama. Cooper’s Well was in Jackson, Mississippi. SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 256.

“…a fistulous slave…”

Letter from J. Marion Sims to Hardy Vickers Wooten, January 23, 1850. A transcribed version of the letter is held in the Wooten collection at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, Alabama.

“…returned to New York that summer.”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 258.

“…bottles of India rubber…”

Francis, S. W., & Mott, V. (1860). Report of Professor Valentine Mott's surgical cliniques in the University of New York: Session 1859-1860. New York: S.S. & W. Wood, p. 128.