Apr 21, 2017

Women Under the Knife

    

Amazon and Goodreads have different book covers.  I prefer the simple blue cover.
 
Women Under the Knife       ****
Ann Dally

An extremely fascinating book. I found it both interesting and educational. The book is a look backward at the historical approach that doctors, surgeons, and later, specialists, took to learn and treat medical illnesses and diseases that effected women.

To understand the current issues women face today, the public would need to have better knowledge of the history of how women were treated medically (and socially!) in the past. Obstetrics and Gynecology became a very important part of women's struggle for recognition as human beings with choice, access to better care and control of their own body. [Could we ever forget the blistering and painful mechanical restraints used on women to curb masturbation?].

Very interesting reading about pioneer surgeon, J. Marion Sims, early experimental surgeries to repair vesico-vaginal fistula and recto-vaginal fistula.

After reading this book, I agree with author, Ann Dally, that previous authors in history had falsely labeled Dr Sims as a misogynist – stated that he treated black female slaves inhumanely and with contempt. He truthfully expressed that he did not “enjoy” working with the “female anatomy” in part due to the odor.
This was true of EVERY surgeon of that time period.

Untreated vesico-vaginal fistula and recto-vaginal fistula were very much more common and surgeons refused to do surgery to repair. Women spent their lives ostracized due to the constant urine and/or fecal leakage from the vagina. Imagine the humiliation and emotional as well as physical suffering these women endured.

There is no doubt that much was learned from the early surgeries, and treatment of the female disease conditions has vastly improved – yet some of the historical medical treatments were bizarre.

When previous authors state Dr J. Marion Sims “tortured” black female slaves [while performing surgical repair of vesico/recto fistula] ….. they are inaccurate. Dr Sims SAVED these women and returned them to live a normal life, no longer isolated, shamed and humiliated.

If you enjoy medical books, like history, this is an excellent book to read.

I received the book free in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my rating or review.

My review will be posted on amazon, goodreads, netgalley and moonshineartspot.blogspot


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