Charles White, Surgeon + Man-midwife: On the Politics of Health + Race in Early Industrial Manchester
| Dates: | 20 October 2011 |
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| Times: | 18:00 - 20:00 |
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| What is it: | Lecture |
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| Organiser: | Manchester Museum |
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| How much: | Free, drop-in |
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With Professor John Pickstone.
As a young surgeon, Charles White was the effective founder of the Manchester (Royal) Infirmary, which stood in what is now Piccadilly Gardens from 1755 to 1908. He became a national expert on midwifery as male surgeons pushed to take over a traditionally female role. In the Manchester Infirmary ‘Revolution’ of 1790, White was ousted – so he founded the midwifery charity which became St Mary’s Hospital. In 1799 he published his book on The Gradations of Man – an argument for the separate origins of the human races which was attacked as giving support to slavery. All the while he ran a large house on Cross St which was also a surgery, a museum (with a modern mummy), and a training ground for young surgeons.
The talk and discussion offers a chance to explore the intertwined politics of health, religion and race when Manchester was attracting attention as a new kind of city.
Organised by The Cafe Historique and part of Black History Month.
Travel and Contact Information
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Manchester Museum
Oxford Road
Manchester
Phone: 0161-2752648
Email: museum@manchester.ac.uk
