Category: Uncategorized

Sick City: Unlocking the Secrets of Kingston’s Medical History

July 10, 2023

The Museum of Health Care’s Sick City Outdoor Guided Walking Tours have returned for the summer!

Walk in the footsteps of some of Kingston’s earliest residents and arrivals as they engage in a quest for health care in the Limestone City. The stories of the establishment of one of Canada’s oldest public hospitals, Kingston General Hospital, and Queen’s School of Medicine are full of success and sacrifice, triumph and tragedy. Join us for a fascinating look into the lives of those that lived, arrived and died here, as we unlock the secrets of Kingston’s medical history. … More Sick City: Unlocking the Secrets of Kingston’s Medical History

The Story of Perry Davis and His Painkiller

July 26, 2022

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.” … More The Story of Perry Davis and His Painkiller

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

July 5, 2022

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

Indigenous History Month: Dr. Peter Edmund Jones (Kahkewaquonaby)

June 7, 2022

In 1866, Dr. Peter Edmund Jones became North America’s first licensed Indigenous physician after attending medical school at the University of Toronto and Queen’s College (now Queen’s University). He became a strong voice for the rights and health of Indigenous peoples, lobbying the federal government on behalf of Indigenous peoples, and promoting tuberculosis vaccination programs and advocating for public health initiatives.⁠ … More Indigenous History Month: Dr. Peter Edmund Jones (Kahkewaquonaby)

The Story of Dr. Harold Tovell and His Love of Art and Medicine

May 31, 2022

Dr. Harold M. Tovell was born in 1887, and is considered one of Toronto’s pioneering radiologists. He was an arts and medical student at the University of Toronto, which was where he met his wife Ruth Lillian Massey through her cousin Vincent Massey, the first Canadian to hold the position of Governor General of Canada. Tovell and Massey were married in 1910 and lived first in New York and then in Munich, where Tovell trained under Dr. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, the discoverer of x-rays.⁠ … More The Story of Dr. Harold Tovell and His Love of Art and Medicine

The History of Temporary Military Hospitals in Kingston

November 13, 2021

Kingston was especially hard-hit by these events compared to other towns. Even during a pandemic just over a hundred years ago, Kingston served the same role of regional health care centre as it did during the COVID pandemic. As the largest city between Ottawa and Toronto, Kingston’s healthcare facilities have always serviced a particularly large surrounding area. On top of this, Andrew Belyea, a previous Margaret Angus Research Fellow for the Museum, notes that Kingston was a military hub around the time of the First World War, with a very large number of soldiers stationed in or otherwise filtered through town (find his article here). This created a larger-than-expected need for hospital care when the war ended and soldiers began returning to Canada – a need that would be difficult to meet. … More The History of Temporary Military Hospitals in Kingston

The Story of Dr. James Third and his x-ray innovations

November 9, 2021

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. … More The Story of Dr. James Third and his x-ray innovations

The Lived Experience of COVID-19 in Canada presentation recording available

November 3, 2021

Savannah Sewell (MARF 2021) presented the results of her project, in which she endeavored to create a holistic and human narrative focused account of the lived experience of COVID-19. Savannah spoke to the hurdles and highlights of her experience in amassing a foundational COVID-19 Collection for the Museum of Health Care, and offered examples of the artifacts and narratives collected. … More The Lived Experience of COVID-19 in Canada presentation recording available