Dr. Ephriam McDowell

Male 1771 - 1830  (58 years)


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  • Name Ephriam McDowell 
    Prefix Dr. 
    Born 11 Nov 1771  Augusta Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 25 June, 1830  Danville, Mercer Co. KY Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried McDowell Park Danville Boyle Co. KY Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephraim_McDowell

      Ephraim McDowell received his early education at the classical seminary of Worley and James, then spent three years as a medical student under Dr. Alexander Humphreys in Staunton, Virginia. He attended lectures in medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1793 to 1794 and studied privately with John Bell. He never received a diploma, but in 1825, the University of Maryland conferred on him an honorary M.D. degree.

      In 1795, he returned from Scotland, settled in Danville, Kentucky and began his practice as a surgeon. Dr. McDowell played a prominent role in his community. He was a founder of Trinity Episcopal Church in Danville, donating the land for its first building. He was also a founder and original corporator of Centre College in Danville. Dr. McDowell became a member of the Philadelphia Medical Society in 1817.

      One of his most famous patients was James K. Polk, for whom he removed a urinary stone and repaired a hernia. In 1809 he removed a 22.5 pound ovarian tumor from Jane Todd Crawford. This was the first successful removal of an ovarian tumor in the world. It was done before anesthesia and antiseptics. The operation took 25 minutes to perform. Mrs. Crawford returned to her home in Green County 25 days after the operation and lived another 32 years.

      All attempts at abdominal exploration before 1809 had resulted in peritonitis and death. So, understanding the procedures taken by Dr. McDowell is important. Descriptions of McDowell include phrases like "neat and clean" or "scrupulously clean." He was not only neat, but meticulous.

      In 1879, a monument in his honor was erected by the Medical Society of Kentucky in Danville. In 1929, Isaac Wolfe Bernheim donated a bronze statue of McDowell by Charles Henry Niehaus to the state of Kentucky for placement in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection. In 1959, a United States stamp was issued in his honor. Dr. McDowell's house, office, and apothecary in Danville are preserved as a museum and are designated a National Historic Landmark. Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville is named in his honor.
    Person ID I10218  Master File
    Last Modified 5 Jul 2012 

    Father Colonel Samuel McDowell,   b. 07 Nov 1735, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Oct 1817, Danville, Mercer Co. KY Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years) 
    Mother Mary MCCLUNG,   b. 28 Oct 1735, Coleraine, Londonderry, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Oct 1827, Mercer Co. KY Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 91 years) 
    Married 17 Jan 1754  Augusta Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F6585  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Sarah Shelby,   b. 08 Oct 1785, Stanford, Lincoln Co. KY Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Oct 1846, Danville, Boyle Co. KY Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 61 years) 
    Married 1802 
    Last Modified 31 Dec 2011 
    Family ID F6586  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart