Bleed, Blister, And Purge: A History Of Medicine On The American Frontier [Paperback]

Volney (Author), M.D. Steele (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2005

Bleed, Blister, and Purge traces the fits and starts of medical progress on the western frontier. With the authority of a scholar and the sparkle of an old-time storyteller, Dr. Volney Steele takes the reader from rotgut whiskey to modern anesthetics, from castor oil to antibiotics, and from barroom surgery to modern hospital operations. Dr. Steele wrote Bleed, Blister, and Purge to shed light on and celebrate the dedication and humanitarianism of those many physicians, nurses, shamans, and people of sound practical sense who saw their patients often friends and family through the adversities that bedeviled them. Citing everything from government reports to first-person remembrances, combined with his own sensitive interpretation, the author creates a full, clear, and colorful picture of illness and the healing art in the old West. The reader will find fascinating descriptions of the mysterious rituals of Indian medicine men; the spread of venereal disease among gold camp hurdy-gurdy girls; how military surgeons grew vegetables to combat scurvy; pioneer home remedies such as applying fresh cow manure to wounds; the cure-all tonics of traveling medicine-show quacks; the horse-and-buggy house calls of homestead doctors; and much more. Nearly one hundred historical photographs and a glossary of medical terms enhance the text.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Volney Steele was born in a small town in northwest Arkansas in 1922, the son of the town s only physician and its only schoolteacher. From 1959 to 1986, Dr. Steele practiced pathology in Bozeman, Montana. After retiring he served for several years overseas with Project HOPE and Pathologists Overseas. A passionate student of the history of medicine, he has published several articles on the subject. The Volney Steele Endowment to the Montana State University Foundation has helped support the Medical History of the West Conference in Bozeman since 2000.

Product Details

• Paperback: 367 pages
• Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing Company (April 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878425055
• ISBN-13: 978-0878425051
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #534,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting anecdotal history of frontier medicine, August 1, 2006

By 

Elizabeth Clare "author, To the Ends of the E... (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bleed, Blister, And Purge: A History Of Medicine On The American Frontier (Paperback)

In the first part of this book, Steele covers a wide range of topics, from native medicine to Lewis & Clark to folk medicine, quackery, and the pioneering physicians who first came to the West. A section on women physicians is both inspiring and troubling: one admires the women who defied convention to become doctors, but shudders at the stories of women's health in the era and how poorly understood were needs such as prenatal care and birth control.

In the second section, Steele talks about public health, including early hospitals, sanitation, and epidemic disease. Again, with a good eye for telling details, stories, and photographs, Steele reveals an unfamiliar story with what he calls a "mixture of awe and distress."

I've always been interested in epidemics, and found particular fascination in the discussion of the frightening diseases that stalked the frontier, especially the resistance of civic leaders and ordinary citizens to take the appropriate measures to stop them. Many families lost children to cholera, diphtheria, and other so-called "childhood diseases" before understanding and civic will brought about changes in sanitation. Cattle ranchers initially fought the tick-control efforts to curb Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the veterinary procedures to eradicate typhoid and bovine tuberculosis. Even during the flu pandemic of 1918, which killed an astonishing 675,000 Americans, people resisted all efforts to curb public gatherings to try to stop the spread of the disease.

But it was the story of polio that most surprised me. Beginning in 1916, a series of polio epidemics terrified the nation almost every summer. Polio was worse in rural areas such as Montana and other western states, where children had not built up the viral resistance that saved many children in more densely populated areas.

Steele notes that the fear of polio took on a life of its own, out of all proportion to the actual risk of the disease. Out of millions infected with polio, only one percent became paralyzed; half of these children later regained normal function. The rest recovered with no lasting harm. From the 1920s to the 1940s, children were five to ten times more likely to catch diphtheria, tuberculosis, scarlet fever, or strep throat than polio, any one of which had a higher death rate.

But the fear of paralysis, however unlikely, made polio the most haunting and feared of all infectious diseases. The reason isn't hard to understand. In those years, disabled children were barred from attending school. In some places they were not allowed out in public, and faced ridicule and ostracism if they did go out. Worst of all, they became a burden on their families. In a time and place where most work was physical, a disabled person was a real drain on the ability of a farm or ranch family to survive. Becoming crippled was truly a fate worse than death.

It's interesting to wonder what attitudes now drive our fears and how they will look to generations yet to come. Bleed, Blister, and Purge is full of such thought-provoking nuggets and would be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in the history of medicine. It's a quality book that you can either dip into or enjoy reading straight through.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise and well written, August 23, 2005

By 

H. S. (Boise, ID) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Bleed, Blister, And Purge: A History Of Medicine On The American Frontier (Paperback)

This book refers to the 1800s in Montana through the eyes of various doctors and medical personnel. Well written and filled with interesting facts from the era. An excellent read and well worth your time. If you are studying medicine in the Old West, this is the book for you.

5.0 out of 5 stars An informative and beguiling overview, November 27, 2010

By 

A. Gardner - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bleed, Blister, And Purge: A History Of Medicine On The American Frontier (Paperback)

I loved this book and read it with an almost ecstatic compulsion. Although I was familiar with some of the basics from history and science professors, I had never had an opportunity to see the rich and varied history of this profession interact with such a charming and brutal historical context, and there wasn't anything dry about this narrative. For a non-fiction book, it is warm and engaging, and while many of the things described are brutal and stomach churning, the humanity of the book shines through. Some of the previous reviewers felt that it was lacking in the explanation of certain medical terminology, and certainly there were some things that could have been better defined for an average reader, who may occasionally have to find the definitions for some words in an outside source (yes, there is a glossary, but I didn't find every word I needed there). Another reviewer mentioned that they would have preferred more first person accounts and information on certain subjects. While I felt a similar urge, one of the things I liked about this book was that it inspired a deeper interest in many of the side mentions, and conveniently, this book is well cited: every small first person quotation can be looked up or found so that one can read the greater text, and there is a wealth of information on many of the other issues. I am glad it left me hungering to read more on various topics, but I feel that all of the information in this book is well contained and well chosen, and does not require fleshing out even if it would be enjoyable to read more.