Sneezes as fresh as a daisy!
For the last few weeks I have been
creating a database of the Kirkpatrick Index Cards. These are part of the
extensive archive of Dr Kirkpatrick (1869-1954) which he bequeathed to RCPI. Each
card contains the names, qualifications and biographical details of a Licentiates,
Member or Fellows of the College. There are over 3,330 cards recording the
names of every member of the College from our foundation in 1654 to about 1910.
They are an invaluable source for the lives of these men and women for historians
and genealogists.
Cataloguing the cards and reading the
entries provided a fascinating insight into medicine and medics over the last
350 years. One newspaper cutting which especially caught my eye, and caused
some amusement was on the card of Dr John Martin.
Dr Martin received his Licentiate from
this College in 1868. In January 1880 he published an article in the British
Medical Journal entitled
‘How to cure fits of sneezing’. In
the article he states that since his school days he has known if the nostril of
the affected side be stopped early enough, as by pressure with the finger on
the ala nasi (in layman’s terms the outside of the nose) there will be no
sneeze. He goes on to add that in recent years he has, when he feels a sneeze
coming on, placed a good ‘chamomile
flower’ in each nostril. He finds that ‘it
not only acts as a respirator, but the flower gives off a grateful aroma’.
The
Kirkpatrick Index Cards are available for researchers to consult in the
Heritage Centre’s reading room by appointment. At present the database to these
cards is only available to consult on line. I can certainly recommend the Index
Cards as a fascinating resource, although I don't think I’ll be taking up Dr
Martin’s advice for sweet smelling sneezes!
Rebecca Ryan
Heritage Centre Intern