Black History Month: Clotilda Douglas-Yakimchuk

Black History Month: Clotilda Douglas-Yakimchuk

Born and raised in Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia, Clotilda Douglas-Yakimchuk became the first Black graduate of the Nova Scotia Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. She also went on to earn a postgraduate midwifery diploma and psychiatric nursing certificate, and diploma in adult education. Clotilda is also the only Black President in the history of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Nova Scotia (now known as The College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia) to date. 

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The Story of Dr. Kenneth Fenwick and His Complex Legacy

The Story of Dr. Kenneth Fenwick and His Complex Legacy

Today, we’re looking at a story that may not be as inspiring as many that could be told. It is an important story nonetheless. This is the story of Dr. Kenneth Neander Fenwick (1852-1896), and the women from whom he sought to deprive a medical education.

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The Story of Dr. Crawford Long and the Ether Controversy

The Story of Dr. Crawford Long and the Ether Controversy

Born in 1815, Dr. Crawford Long studied medicine and surgery under renowned scholars and had the opportunity to participate in several surgeries. Surgery was a different experience in the early nineteenth century because patients were not sedated and were in excruciating pain throughout the procedure. ⁠

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The Story of Perry Davis and His Painkiller

The Story of Perry Davis and His Painkiller

Perry Davis (1791–1862) was born in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, on July 7, 1791. His parents owned no property and thus did not even show up on tax records at the time of Davis’ birth. By 1837, he had tried, unsuccessfully, to start multiple businesses, leaving him $4500 in debt. In 1840, Davis became so sick that his pain was debilitating. His solution? A mix of alcohol, opiates, and herbs, which would later be dubbed “Perry Davis’ Painkiller.”

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The Story of Ann Baillie and Our National Historic Site

The Story of Ann Baillie and Our National Historic Site

As part of the Historic Places Days' challenge to explore the stories connected to our National Historic Site, we present to you the story of our site's namesake through the life of lauded Superintendent of Nurses at KGH, Ann Baillie.⁠

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The Story of Dr. Leonidas H. Berry and His Gastroscope

The Story of Dr. Leonidas H. Berry and His Gastroscope

Born in North Carolina in 1902, Dr. Leonidas Berry was one of the leading gastroenterologists of his time. After working as the first black intern at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, he went on to become a junior attending physician at Chicago's Provident Hospital, the first American hospital owned and operated by African-Americans.

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