Medical Miracles

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

By CLAYTON ADAMS

Special to the Times I t was late August in the year 1619 that twenty of the Ndongo people (modern day Angola) stepped off the ship White Lion in Jamestown, Virginia, that African American history begins.

Why an article entitled Black Medical Miracles?

Well, it has been a while in the making and goes something along this order: While serving as a minister for about eighteen years, my time visiting with people in the hospitals and various surgery centers sparked my interest in medicine. I would often hear doctors and nurses speak foreign words – medical terminology. Unfortunately, medical terms are not well translated or interpreted well.

More than a few times I greeted doctors as they entered a patient room to tell the patient or family members, “well your labs are all good … ” or “surgery went well … ” with not much more information.

It was those experiences that piqued my interest in medicine and started by own medical journey.

After completing a Certified Nursing class, I landed an entry level job at the old Crittenden Regional Hospital in the Emergency Department whereupon my medical education began in earnest. Later I interviewed for the position of Phlebotomy Instructor for the Arkansas State University Mid-South. I am now in my seventh year of teaching phlebotomy and sharing life lessons with students considerably younger than myself.

Most of my students are young African American women. Most are enrolled in the phlebotomy class as part of their Certified Nursing Assistant certificate, some are pursuing a EMT license, others are pursuing a nursing degree of one type or another, and a few are taking the class out of curiosity or as a challenge to themselves.

Along the way I started reading about Black history and particularly about medical professionals who were Black. These stories are amazing and I am deeply moved by their tenacity to overcome great obstacles and the God-given desire to succeed and improve the lives of others.

During my classes, I use the stories of these Black Medical Miracles and others to inspire and encourage my students. I know that when they hit the wall of obstacles and the disappointments that will come their way that, just maybe, one story will be remembered and help the students motivate themselves to continue on their journey in the medical professions.

The first Black Medical Miracle I remember reading about was Dr. Charles Richard Drew (1904-1950).

Like many successful people, Dr. Drew began life in less than ideal circumstances. Dr.

Drew is known as the “father of blood banking,” and was placed in charge of the blood plasma effort for World War II. He also created mobile blood donation stations and challenged the then common practice of segregating blood by race. At the height of his career as a surgeon and prominent speaker, Dr. Drew died as the result of a automobile accident.

The first black woman to receive an M.D. degree was Rebecca Lee Crumpler in 1864. Dr. Crumpler was also the only black graduate from the New England Female Medical College in Boston, Massachusetts.

Born in Delaware in 1831, Dr. Crumpler lived with her aunt in Pennsylvania who cared for the sick in their neighborhood. In 1852, she moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts and worked as a nurse for eight years.

She entered medical school in 1860 and graduated with the degree of “Doctress of Medicine.”

In 1883 Dr. Crumpler wrote a book titled, “A Book of Medical Disclosures” based on her years as a doctor treating primarily women and children. Dr.

Crumpler died in 1895 at the age of 64.

The first African American woman to become a neurosurgeon was Alexa Irene Canady. Dr. Canady was born in Michigan in 1950. Dr. Canady faced all the obstacles she could meet pursuing a medical degree.

However, the obstacles of sexism, racism and being viewed as a “token” inspired her to pursue her goals.

Dr. Crumpler summed up her career and outlook with this: “I was worried that because I was a black woman, any practice opportunities would be limited.

By being patient-centered, the practice growth was exponential.”

Though he did not “earn” a formal medical degree, James Durham (sometimes spelled Derham in history) is recognized as the first African American to be a physician in America.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1762, he was a slave to Dr. John Kearsley, who taught Durham to read and write fluently in Spanish and French and the principles and practices of pharmacology. Upon Dr.

Kearsley’s death in 1776, Durham was sold to Dr.

George West who exposed him to the most current medical practices of the day. At the age of 21, Durham was sold to Dr. Robert Dow, a well-known doctor living in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Dr. Dow allowed Durham to “practice” on all races of patients. Sometime in late 1783, Durham was either freed by Dr. Dow or Durham purchased his freedom by the money he earned treating the patients while with Dr. Dow.

With his freedom, Dr.

Durham began his own medical practice specializing in treating diseases of the throat and nose. He also became well known for treating diphtheria cases.

Dr. Durham practiced in New Orleans for a few more years but then moved back to Philadelphia. However, he was not allowed to practice due to not having a medical degree. In 1801 he disappeared never to be seen or heard from again.

What brought Dr. Durham from New Orleans back to Philadelphia was a request of Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. Dr. Rush speaking of Dr. Durham said, “I conversed with him on medicine and surgery and found him learned. I thought I could give him information concerning the treatment of disease, but I learned more from him than he could expect from me” (From the Journal of the National Medical Association, Volume 4, No.1.).

Rush also read Durham’s paper on the subject before the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

In honor of Black History Month, we honor this very short list of Black Medical Miracles. To those pursuing dreams and aspirations in medicine, others have cut the path you now walk.

Honor those who came before you with a faithful effort and help another pursue their goal in medicine.

Remember, “The mind of a person plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

Clayton Adams is a regular contributor to the Evening Times with his weekly column “Time in the Word” and occasional features.

Dr. Charles Richard Drew is considered the creator of the blood bank, which has saved countless lives over the past 80 years.

Photo courtesy of Science History Institute