Page 380

“…permitted cancer patients to be admitted…”

See “…a complete ban…,” above.

“…Sims resolved to continue…”

As is documented below, Sims continued in violating these prohibitions and eventually offered his resignation over the efforts that were made to enforce them. He would consider the acceptance of his offer of resignation to be his “expulsion” from Woman’s Hospital.

“An epidemic of puerperal peritonitis…”

McGregor, D. K., & McGregor, D. K. (1998). From midwives to medicine: The birth of American gynecology, p. 193.

“The patient was Thomas’s.”

Sims is speaking at the 1874 annual meeting of the AMA, held in Detroit in June of that year.

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1974, p. 196.

“…of good health and morals…”

Sims is speaking at the 1874 annual meeting of the AMA, held in Detroit in June of that year.

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1974, p. 196.

“…when conditions were perfect…”

Sims is speaking at the 1874 annual meeting of the AMA, held in Detroit in June of that year.

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1974, pp. 196-97.

“…he would never operate on a case…”

Sims is speaking at the 1874 annual meeting of the AMA, held in Detroit in June of that year.

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1974, p. 196.

“…the woman died four days later.”

Sims is speaking at the 1874 annual meeting of the AMA, held in Detroit in June of that year.

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1974, p. 197.

“…he had been betrayed…”

Harris, S. (1950). Woman's surgeon: The life story of J. Marion Sims. New York: Macmillan, p. 296.

“…a disgruntled doctor…”

Davis, G. T. M. (1891). Autobiography of the late Col. Geo. T.M. Davis: Captain and aid-de-camp Scott's army of invasion (Mexico), from posthumous papers. Pub. by his legal representatives. New York: Press of Jenkins and McCowan, p. 376.

“…beds reserved for other surgeons.”

EMMET T. A., PEASLEE, E.R, THOMAS, T.G. (1877). Reply to Dr. J. Marion Sims’s Pamphlet, Entitled ‘The Woman’s Hospital in 1874,’ by His Colleagues, New York: Trow’s Printing and Bookbinding, p. 20.

“…held in Detroit…”

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1874, frontmatter, available through the AMA website.

“…no secret of their failed cases.”

Of course, Sims is failing to mention the death of Bridget Headley. See “…perform the operation anyway…,” above.

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1874, pp. 195, 199, available through the AMA website.

“…by the use of her body…”

It is not typical for these transactions to take note of audience response. I take “(loud applause)” to mean that it was much more than a smattering of approval.

Transactions of the American Medical Association, Vol. 25, 1874, p. 199, available through the AMA website.