The Macabre to the Mundane: Death, Life, and Medicine in Marquette County Michigan during the Early 1900’s - Softcover

Parlin M.D., John; Willey, Stacey; Solka, Thomas L

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0985210826 ISBN 13: 9780985210823

Publisher: Grosebeak Trail Press and Globe Printing, 2022

Synopsis

Marquette County’s Medical History Explored
The Macabre to the Mundane: Death, Life, and Medicine in Marquette County Michigan during the Early 1900’s—with Covid 2020 Updates by John Parlin, M.D. reminds me of the fat old medical books my grandmother used to own that looked like the pages were covered with blood cells. That’s just how immense this book is, and I guarantee there is something in it that will interest everyone, plus it’s physically more attractive than those old medical books It’s not a book you’ll probably want to read from cover to cover, but more like a coffee table or bathroom book to dip into and read a few pages of here and there to find what interests you
While the book’s primary focus is medical events in Marquette County’s history since 1900, Parlin delivers a lot of background information about the history of medicine from ancient times. He opens with a discussion of the state of medicine in the early 1900s as reviewed in the 1910 Flexner Report. Interestingly, medicine was not considered a reputable profession prior to the twentieth century. At the time of the Civil War, M.D.s were considered “too stupid for classics, too immoral for the pulpit, and too dishonest for the bar.” As medicine advanced, fortunately that opinion changed.
The book is full of intriguing general information and facts. The history of vaccinations is provided, including for smallpox and polio. Timelines reflect medical advances over the course of different wars. Countless charts adorn the pages, showing everything from leading causes of death at different time periods—surprisingly, drowning was a major cause of death in Marquette County in the early twentieth century—to detailed charts about mining accidents.
Photographs are profuse throughout, most of them historical or images of medical advertisements. A photo of mining scaffolding makes it clear why accidents were so common in the mines. Another rather comical photo shows a car accident from 1915.


“Dr. Parlin’s fact-filled research and informal writing style are a prescription for a good read. You will be both informed and amazed.” ~ Jonathan L. Stolz, M.D. Williamsburg, Virginia author of Medicine from Cave Dwellers to Millennials
“A truly fascinating historical review of Medicine over the last 125 years in the isolated remote region of Marquette County, Michigan - the Commercial and Cultural Capital of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A must read for all local history buffs and those interested in the evolution of medical care in rural North Woods areas.” ~ Frederick Maynard M.D., Marquette, MI
“In this book the author explores and elucidates the evolution of medical care in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the first half of the twentieth century. As is the case of his first book ‘Harvesting the Wilderness,’ extensive research combined with curiosity and compassion result in an informative and readable narrative.” ~ Tory Parlin, Marquette MI

“John Parlin, M.D. has done extensive and timely research on this important medical history in a complex region of the country. Reading his narrative is akin to an in-depth conversation on the subject with someone personally inform by the shock-waves of medical progress.” ~ Margaret O’Malley, Harbor Springs, MI

“I’ve never read anything quite like it.” ~ Sarah Keene, South Egremont, NY

“As a law enforcement professional of 30 years in Marquette County, I have investigate many deaths. The cause and manner of deaths in the early part of the 20th Century is an interesting topic, giving the reader a fascinating look into the field of death investigations.” ~ Undersheriff, Dan Willey, Ishpeming, MI

Edition details

• Publisher: Grosebeak Trail Press and Globe Printing
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0985210826
• ISBN 13: 9780985210823
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384