Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Canada

  • Health, wellness, and their determinants

    Travis Kirkwood Ottawa, Ontario, Canada   Original map made by John Snow in 1854. Cholera cases are highlighted in black. 2nd Ed by John Snow. Public Domain due to age. John Snow is often referred to as the father of modern epidemiology. His work is certainly worthy of this1 and present-day public health2 still strives toward…

  • The history and significance of voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation

    Hans Erik HeierOslo, Norway “While we have now begun to understand the cost of everything, we are in danger of losing track of the value of anything” (Ann Oakley and John Ashton, 1993) Volutary, non-remunerated blood donation in catastrophe September 11, 2001: Two passenger airplanes are crashed into the World Trade Towers in New York,…

  • Blood and war: Preserving plasma and humanity

    Navanjana SiriwardaneCharlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada Amidst the fighting and chaotic nature of World War II, the need for proper blood banking was greater than ever. Millions of soldiers were dying without proper blood transfusions, and the cost of saving many lives was in the hands of the Red Cross. Dr. Charles Richard Drew was…

  • Norman Bethune’s mobile blood transfusions

    Irving RosenToronto, Ontario, Canada Norman Bethune was born in Ontario’s cottage country in 1895 to missionary parents who influenced him to try to improve conditions for mankind. This resulted in his drive to elaborate grandiose plans that were often unrealized. One important exception was a Spanish sojourn that provided him with a unique opportunity as…

  • Frances Oldham Kelsey: A medical profile in courage

    Kevin R. Loughlin Boston, Massachusetts, United States   Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey.3 Her name has disappeared into the vault of medical history and her dedication to scientific rigor and patient safety has been largely forgotten. Yet her silent but tangible legacy continues to this day. Born in Canada in 1914, Frances Oldham Kelsey received a…

  • King Edward VII Memorial Hospital

    Paul S. Dhillon Saskatchewan, Canada   King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was erected by public subscription and first opened after the Battle of the Falklands on December 8, 1914 on land that was a gift of George Bonner, ESQ. Some reports state the hospital was open in 1912 with the exception of its heating system,…

  • Mary Poonen Lukose

    K.S. Mohindra Ottawa, Ontario, Canada   Dr. Mary Poonen Lukose In a country where the status of women has been less than impressive, the Indian physician Mary Poonen Lukose blazed fiercely forward in a field dominated by men. Specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, she demonstrated innovation, leadership, and effective organizing capacities, making significant contributions to…

  • Madge Thurlow Macklin: medical genetics

    William Leeming Canada  Madge Thurlow Macklin Most histories on the subject say that the name “medical genetics” was coined in 1932 by Madge Thurlow Macklin.1 But as it so happens, the term first appears in a book by the English polymath Lancelot Hogben, Genetic Principles in Medicine and Social Science: “Whatever views one may entertain…

  • Dr. Norman Bethune: A tale of military heroism

    Satish Saroshe Indore, India   A frontline surgeon, noted medical innovator, and early proponent of universal health care, Henry Norman Bethune was best known for his services in World War I, the Spanish Civil War, and above all for selfless work in war-torn China, treating sick Chinese villagers and wounded soldiers. He was one of…