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“…Sims invited Edmond to dinner…”

“Reminiscences of Dr. J. Marion Sims in Paris,” Edmond Souchon, Medical Record, Vol. 46, No. 23, December 8, 1894, p. 705.

“…be met with ridicule.”

“Marion Sims and Other 19th Century Pioneers: The Dawn of Scientific Medicine and Surgery,” Seale Harris, The Journal of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, Vol. 15, No. 5, November 1945, p. 155.

“…something like P.T. Barnum.”

Tellingly, Souchon’s piece does not make any mention that Sims’s fistula “cure” was achieved with experiments on enslaved women.

“Reminiscences of Dr. J. Marion Sims in Paris,” Edmond Souchon, Medical Record, Vol. 46, No. 23, December 8, 1894, p. 706.

“…a rebel heart…”

“Reminiscences of Dr. J. Marion Sims in Paris,” Edmond Souchon, Medical Record, Vol. 46, No. 23, December 8, 1894, p. 705.

“…his mission abroad.”

There is no evidence that Souchon ever became aware that Sims had a more than passing interest in the conduct of the war. I have taken the safer course here, but as both men were Southerners, and as Souchon went on to be Sims’s champion until well after Sims died, it’s also possible that Souchon not only knew of Sims’s activities, but assisted them. As will be documented in a later chapter, Union officials in Paris at this time said that every Southerner abroad was an agent of some kind.

“…sign on as his translator.”

“Reminiscences of Dr. J. Marion Sims in Paris,” Edmond Souchon, Medical Record, Vol. 46, No. 23, December 8, 1894, p. 706.

“…the omnibuses weren’t too crowded…”

From the July 30, 1863 entry of the Parisian war diary of Dabney Minor Scales, a relative of the Maury family. The transcription was completed by Russell Hooper, who is in possession of the original diary as well. As noted many times above, I’m very grateful to Mr. Hooper for his wisdom as to all things related to the Maury family, and for his generosity with his substantial collection.

“…Café de Ambassadeurs…”

From the July 19, 1863 entry of the Parisian war diary of Dabney Minor Scales, a relative of the Maury family. The transcription was completed by Russell Hooper, who is in possession of the original diary as well. As noted many times above, I’m very grateful to Mr. Hooper for his wisdom as to all things related to the Maury family, and for his generosity with his substantial collection.

“…five hundred jets of the fountains…”

From the August 2, 1863 entry of the Parisian war diary of Dabney Minor Scales, a relative of the Maury family. The transcription was completed by Russell Hooper, who is in possession of the original diary as well. As noted many times above, I’m very grateful to Mr. Hooper for his wisdom as to all things related to the Maury family, and for his generosity with his substantial collection.

“…a gang of servants…”

From the July 13, 1863 entry of the Parisian war diary of Dabney Minor Scales, a relative of the Maury family. The transcription was completed by Russell Hooper, who is in possession of the original diary as well. As noted many times above, I’m very grateful to Mr. Hooper for his wisdom as to all things related to the Maury family, and for his generosity with his substantial collection.

“…tooth extractions on the street.”

Evans, T. W., & Crane, E. A. (1905). The memoirs of Dr. Thomas W. Evans. New York: D. Appleton and Co, p. 7.

“…already felt an animosity…”

As will be documented later in a later chapter, Sims would attack Evans in 1870, for reasons that remain mysterious. What seems most likely is that the hostilities of the war bled over into their personal relationship.

“…strolled across the Pont Neuf…”

From the July 28, 1863 entry of the Parisian war diary of Dabney Minor Scales, a relative of the Maury family. The transcription was completed by Russell Hooper, who is in possession of the original diary as well. As noted many times above, I’m very grateful to Mr. Hooper for his wisdom as to all things related to the Maury family, and for his generosity with his substantial collection.

“…already a thousand years old.”

“The Curious History of L'Hotel-Dieu De Paris,” Hospital, Vol. 53, March 8, 1913, pp. 625-26.

“…Well, What does he want?”

I’ve taken some liberty here in imagining the context of the meeting, but it does seem likely that pending surgical cases would have accumulated in Velpeau’s prolonged absence, contributing to his sour mood.

“Reminiscences of Dr. J. Marion Sims in Paris,” Edmond Souchon, Medical Record, Vol. 46, No. 23, December 8, 1894, p. 706.