MUSEUM BLOG
The Story of Viola Allan Abrum and her military commission
Viola Allan Abrum, born on June 9th, 1911, graduated from the Brockville General Hospital Training School for Nurses in 1933. After graduating, she worked as a private duty nurse before enlisting in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. From 1941 to 1945, Captain (Matron) Viola Allan worked as a Nursing Sister in France and Belgium, as well as in England where she took care of Canadian prisoners of war at the No. 9 Unit in Horsham. As a Lieutenant, she received the military commission in 1943. After the war, in 1946, she was decorated as an Associate of the Royal Red Cross.
The Story of Dr. James Third and his x-ray innovations
He began working with x-rays in 1897, effectively picking up where John Cochrane, the first man to bring x-rays to Kingston, had left off. Dr. Third was responsible for the installation of x-rays in Kingston General Hospital, and he soon began discovering new ways they could be used for diagnosis, such as detecting pneumonia and tuberculosis, as well as using a fluorescent screen with the x-ray tube to observe real-time movement of the heart and lungs.
The Story of Dr. Charles Kirk Clarke and the Rockwood Asylum
the psychiatric field, Clarke worked first as a clinical assistant at the Asylum for the Insane in Toronto, and then as assistant medical superintendent of the Hamilton Asylum. In 1882, he moved to Kingston and began work as assistant medical superintendent at Rockwood Asylum.
The Story of Dr. Lajjavati Man Mohan and her medals
Dr. Lajjavati Man Mohan, born February 24th, 1918, was Kingston’s first ever Indian-born doctor. Dr. Mohan was highly accomplished, having trained at Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi and served at the military Indian General Hospital in Punee, as well as at Queen Mary's Hospital in Lucknow.
The Story of George Taylor Fulford I and his pink pills for pale people
Fulford and Co’s most famous remedy-- and the one which solidified the wealth and status of George Taylor Fulford-- was Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills for Pale People, the patent for which Fulford bought from Brockville doctor William Frederick Jackson in 1890. He advertised the pills very widely and cleverly, using patient testimonials in advertisements that look like little newspaper articles.
The Story of Bennie Stalk and his life-saving operation
William Benjamin Stalker, or Bennie, was only ten years old when he was accidentally shot by his twelve year old brother in September 1901. His arm was severely damaged, and within two days it became gangrenous. Bennie was later sent to Kingston General Hospital from his home near Plevna, Ontario-- an eleven hour trip.
The Story of Lydia Pinkham and her vegetable compound
Today, many remember Lydia Pinkham as a champion of women’s health and provider of important information to thousands of women. The formula of her Vegetable Compound changed over the years, and survives today in different, modern forms.
The Story of Dr. Guilford B. Reed and his Influenza Vaccine
With the help of two research assistants, Dr. Reed developed a flu vaccine from the bacteria in naso-pharyngeal swabs of people infected with the Spanish Flu.
The Story of Ernest Hanna and His Prosthetic Legs
Around the year 1931, when he was thirty-five years old, Ernest was involved in an accident while driving a horse and carriage (or sleigh!), when his horse bolted and Ernest sustained a compound fracture of his left femur. His wounds became infected and Ernest was forced to have his leg amputated.