A Great Leap Forward
One Edinburgh practitioner in the 19th century made a lasting contribution to the practise of midwifery and the quality of the birth experience for mothers-to-be.
James Young Simpson was appointed as Professor of Midwifery at Edinburgh University in 1840, at the remarkably young age of 29. In early 1847, Simpson began using ether as an anaesthetic during childbirth. Although ether was effective, its volatile nature and side effects prompted Simpson and others to search for an alternative.
After a suggestion by a chemist, David Waldie, Simpson experimented with chloroform along with two assistants Dr George Keith and Dr Matthews Duncan. This resulted in the now-famous ‘Chloroform Party’ that took place in his house in Queen St, Edinburgh on 4 November 1847. Though accounts vary, it seems that after dinner that evening, Simpson and several of the guests took part in an experiment with chloroform and passed out under the table.
Following the successful results of these ‘trials’ of the new drug, Simpson wasted no time and administered chloroform to a patient giving birth a few days later and the child was delivered safely. The new anaesthetics of ether and chloroform were quickly applied, both during childbirth and in other surgical procedures.
Simpson’s contributions to midwifery are often overshadowed by his discovery of chloroform. He may also be regarded as one of the founders of gynaecology as a distinct speciality. He overcame the prudery of the age and established the value of the uterine sound and speculum as diagnostic aids. In addition, he made significant contributions to the design of obstetrical instruments including forceps that facilitated difficult deliveries and the first attempt at a suction cup.
In his later years Simpson was one of the few notable men in the medical community who advocated the cause of women who wanted to follow a medical career. He was a vocal supporter of Sophia Jex-Blake and the Edinburgh Seven in their campaign to be admitted to Edinburgh University to study medicine.
* We hold a large James Young Simpson archive comprising over 2000 items. Please contact library@rcsed.ac.uk for more information.
