About

James Young Simpson pioneered the use of anesthetic during childbirth in the mid 1800’s in Edinburg, Scotland.  He was both vilified and adored.   Some went so far as to argue that women were commanded by God to feel the pain of childbirth and that taking that suffering away from them was to deny them redemption from the original sin in the Garden of Eden.  Victo Dolore “pain conquered” is found on his family’s coat of arms.  Here, in this work of fiction, I intend to explore the complicated life of Victorian women by touching on the medicine and morality of the era.

One of my weaknesses is old books.  But not just ordinary old books.  I love medicine, mourning, religion, and etiquette in particular, specifically from the early Victorian period.  I have used this collection as a primary source for my serial novel.

This is a hobby, an outlet for the pain and suffering that I see every day, and I will add to the story as I have time.  I appreciate your thoughts and input as this takes shape!  I cherish every follow and like.

All photography featured on this site is my own.

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80 thoughts on “About”

  1. What an intriguing project! I look forward to getting to know it a little better. As I am very much into genealogy, I also try to collect information about my ancestors’ lives back in Victorian times. If you’re interested – here’s a post I wrote about Fanny, born in 1827, whom I’m very fascinated with: http://nothingofthekind.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/revealing-fanny/. She died of pneumonia when she was 50 and left behind six children. I often wonder what her life was like and how she suffered and loved.
    This blog is so beautiful. And by the way, your photos are true masterpieces!

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  5. Hi there,
    Thank you for taking the time to stop by and check out my little corner of the blogosphere and the follow, your support is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to seeing more from you 🙂

    Have a great day,

    Eddie

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  11. Being repetitious and unoriginal on a Monday morning, I have to say, like everyone else here, I LOVE your blog!

    (My son currently works for a medical device R&D company and my great grandfather helped start the psychology department at our state university just outside the Victorian Era. Your blog makes me curious….)

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  14. Was just introduced to your “real life” blog, as well as this one when reading Follow Friday from Grasshopper Girls at http://mylittlegrasshoppers.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/follow-friday-thoughts-from-northern-ireland-a-doctor-and-a-bonus/
    Intrigued by both, but especially looking forward to this serial novel- I worked for many years as a childbirth educator and doula, have a strong (and secret) desire to have lived during the Victorian era in a stately mansion, yet am also a feminist who would not have survived long in such an essentially patriarchal time.

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  16. This is so interesting! I have a lot to catch up on in this story!! I love history and the Victorian period too. Growing up in Jamaica, I do recall lots of women spouting that women must feel the pain of childbirth because “God said so” or whatever. When I came to the US and mentioned to some people that I was going to have an epidural during labor, you thought I’d have said I was going to let someone else have the baby for me. Ooh the outrage! I didn’t really care, since they weren’t sharing my pain 🙂

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  19. The Midwife — The Midwife’s Advise — Flowers In The Blood by Gay Courter, some reading, historically accurate, turn of the century Russia, and Flowers In The Blood is India and opium.
    Victo Dolore a beautiful motto you have adopted as part of your soul. Thank you for all you have done

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  20. Your “About” is heartbreaking. This was not so long ago. That era seems positively barbaric with the suffering unnecessarily inflicted by … well you know. Thank you for your courage in writing, as well as practicing medicine and living and loving, and laughing, too. ❤ ❤ ❤

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  21. re: outdated cures This one is positively Medieval. 🙂 Venus Vina Musica

    Adscribes in papyro ferarum
    Nomina et ad caput ligabis;
    Leo (Leo), Lea (Lea), Taurus (Taurus), Tigris (Tigris),
    Corvus Corax( Corvus Corax), Pantera
    Dum ligaveris in silentio,
    dicis ipsa nomina

    [2x]
    Leo (Leo), Lea (Lea), Taurus (Taurus), Tigris (Tigris),
    Corvus Corax(Corvus Corax), Pantera

    [2x]
    Venus Vina Musica
    Corrupunt Corpora Sana
    Et vitam Faciunt
    Venus Vina Musica

    [2x]
    Leo (Leo), Lea (Lea), Taurus (Taurus), Tigris (Tigris),
    Corvus Corax (Corvus Corax), Pantera

    [2x]
    Venus Vina Musica
    Corrupunt Corpora Sana
    Et vitam Faciunt
    Venus Vina Musica

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  23. Just found out you had a SECOND blog – and such a wonderful one! I have to say, you are one of my favorite bloggers. I am going to mention you and link to your blogs on a post I have planned for this coming Wednesday. I’d like to share your blogs with others – you have great content.

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  24. Pingback: Wednesday Whine: The Brick Wall | Odyssey of a Novice Writer

  27. Found another book for your reference collection if you don’t have it already 🙂 http://www.amazon.com/Good-Caring-Woman-Nellie-Tallman/dp/1880090309 We were visiting our daughter’s the past couple of days and spotted this book laying around. I’d just read this about page on this blog before taking off on our trip…and when I the back cover of the book, I thought to myself Victo Dolore would LOVE this book! (It combines some medical, w/ a woman’s diary from the Victorian time period, a little religion, and lots of personal stuff. It’s the whole enchilada. Daughter would have let me take it home, but I’m a speed reader and digested 90% of it. (attached is a link to Amazon books)

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  28. I have nominated you for the Creative Blogger Award. If blog awards aren’t your thing, or if you have already received this one, please feel free not to pass it on. Simply accept it as a sincere compliment to your work.

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  33. Had I read the “About” first, I could have saved myself time and trouble. But, I blunder through and eventually get there.

    I searched for a literal translation of the phrase “Victo Dolore” and then the individual words with no success. I tried a Latin Dictionary online and later found WordReference.com, which is listed as “Free online dictionaries – Spanish, French, Italian, German and more. Conjugations, audio pronunciations and forums for questions.”

    The closest I came to finding what I was looking for was a definition of ‘dolor’ in the Portuguese dictionary—both definitions being listed as archaic.
    dolor n Archaic (pain)
    dolor n archaic (sorrow)

    Finding that deeply depressing, I wondered what other sources might give the exact meaning. The search might have been halted there had it not been that the last token given to Evelyn by Dr. Brierly was a lock of his hair and a note with the words: “Victo Dolore.” Where else might I look? Surely the message to Evelyn would be encouraging. Typing the word “Victo” brought up “Victorian” and “Victory.” Was I on the right track?

    Later, a simple Google search brought up the information about James Young Simpson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Young_Simpson).
    ‬
    ‪Sir James Young Simpson, 1st Baronet (7 June 1811 – 6 May 1870) was a Scottish obstetrician…. “Sir James Young Simpson: Victo Dolore” (pain conquered) is the inscription of his coat of arms.

    Yes, that was a satisfying find.

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  36. Thanks for liking my piece on the plot to blow up Napoleon III… the best bit is yet to come, featuring a Nottingham lacemaker child bride, a stabbing in an Italian restaurant in London’s Soho, Little Bighorn and Pasadena…
    And now an invasion of your personal space. It has often occurred to me that either you sleep three hours a night or you have successfully cloned yourself. Come on, which is it?

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  37. “An outlet for the pain and suffering I see everyday”. I wanted to be a doctor all my life. My bookshelves are filled with books on medicine, for doctors and by doctors. My favourite, and one which I have read and reread hundreds of times is called ‘Matters Grey and White’ by Russell Martin, and since then I decided I wanted to be a neurologist. It didn’t work out for me. I was lazy. I didn’t work hard enough. But I think in a way that was a good thing, because I don’t think I would be able to handle all that pain and suffering. I have deep respect for those who do. And also, your work is deeply interesting! I look forward to reading this novel from the beginning. Happy writing.

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