Venereal Disease and the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, 19th Century
Cover of the book Venereal Disease and the Lewis and Clark Expedition by Thomas P. Lowry, UNP - Nebraska
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Thomas P. Lowry ISBN: 9780803255807
Publisher: UNP - Nebraska Publication: May 1, 2014
Imprint: University of Nebraska Press Language: English
Author: Thomas P. Lowry
ISBN: 9780803255807
Publisher: UNP - Nebraska
Publication: May 1, 2014
Imprint: University of Nebraska Press
Language: English

One of the greatest challenges faced by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis on their 1804–6 Corps of Discovery expedition was that of medical emergencies on the trail. Without an attending physician, even routine ailments and injuries could have tragic consequences for the expedition’s success and the safety of its members. Of these dangers, the most insidious and potentially devastating was the slow, painful, and oftentimes fatal ravage of venereal disease.

 

Physician Thomas P. Lowry delves into the world of nineteenth-century medicine, uncovering the expedition’s very real fear of venereal disease. Lewis and Clark knew they were unlikely to prevent their men from forming sexual liaisons on the trail, so they prepared for the consequences of encounters with potentially infected people, as well as the consequences of preexisting disease, by stocking themselves with medicine and the latest scientific knowledge from the best minds in America. Lewis and Clark’s expedition encountered Native peoples who experienced venereal disease as a result of liaisons with French, British, Spanish, and Canadian travelers and had their own methods for curing its victims, or at least for easing the pain it inflicted.

 

Lowry’s careful study of the explorers’ journals sheds new light on this neglected aspect of the expedition, showing in detail how sex and venereal disease affected the men and their mission, and describes how diverse peoples faced a common threat with the best knowledge and tools at their disposal.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

One of the greatest challenges faced by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis on their 1804–6 Corps of Discovery expedition was that of medical emergencies on the trail. Without an attending physician, even routine ailments and injuries could have tragic consequences for the expedition’s success and the safety of its members. Of these dangers, the most insidious and potentially devastating was the slow, painful, and oftentimes fatal ravage of venereal disease.

 

Physician Thomas P. Lowry delves into the world of nineteenth-century medicine, uncovering the expedition’s very real fear of venereal disease. Lewis and Clark knew they were unlikely to prevent their men from forming sexual liaisons on the trail, so they prepared for the consequences of encounters with potentially infected people, as well as the consequences of preexisting disease, by stocking themselves with medicine and the latest scientific knowledge from the best minds in America. Lewis and Clark’s expedition encountered Native peoples who experienced venereal disease as a result of liaisons with French, British, Spanish, and Canadian travelers and had their own methods for curing its victims, or at least for easing the pain it inflicted.

 

Lowry’s careful study of the explorers’ journals sheds new light on this neglected aspect of the expedition, showing in detail how sex and venereal disease affected the men and their mission, and describes how diverse peoples faced a common threat with the best knowledge and tools at their disposal.

More books from UNP - Nebraska

Cover of the book Winter Wheat by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book Benjamin Franklin and the American Revolution by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book One Man's West by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book A Bride Goes West by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book Beautifully Grotesque Fish of the American West by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book The Ends of the Circle by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book Saga of Chief Joseph by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book Scoreboard, Baby by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book Left Handed, Son of Old Man Hat by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book Mountains of Light by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book The Solace of Stones by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book The Kid and Me by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book The Alamo by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book San Francisco's Queen of Vice by Thomas P. Lowry
Cover of the book The Breaking of Northwall by Thomas P. Lowry
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy