Alexander Gordon (physician)

Scottish physician known for his work on puerperal fever

Alexander Gordon (20 June 1752 – 19 October 1799) was a Scottish physician noted for his pioneering work on puerperal fever, a condition affecting women after childbirth. His insights into the contagious nature of the disease were ahead of his time and laid the groundwork for future developments in infection control and obstetrics.

Early life and education

Alexander Gordon was born in Peterculter, near Aberdeen, Scotland. He was the son of a farmer and received his early education locally. Gordon showed an early interest in medicine and pursued his studies at the University of Aberdeen, where he graduated with a degree in medicine. He furthered his education in London and Leiden, where he was influenced by the leading medical thinkers of the time.

Medical career

Gordon began his medical practice in Aberdeen, where he worked as a physician and surgeon. He was appointed as a physician to the Aberdeen Dispensary, a charitable institution providing medical care to the poor. It was during his time in Aberdeen that Gordon encountered numerous cases of puerperal fever, which was a significant cause of maternal mortality.

Research on puerperal fever

Treatise on the Epidemic Puerperal Fever of Aberdeen (1795)

Gordon's most significant contribution to medicine was his research on puerperal fever. In 1795, he published "A Treatise on the Epidemic Puerperal Fever of Aberdeen," in which he documented his observations and conclusions about the disease. Gordon noted that puerperal fever was highly contagious and could be transmitted by the hands of physicians and midwives. He advocated for strict hygiene practices, including handwashing, to prevent the spread of the disease.

Gordon's work was groundbreaking because it challenged the prevailing miasma theory of disease, which attributed illness to "bad air" or "miasmas." Instead, he proposed that puerperal fever was caused by a specific contagion, a concept that would later be supported by the work of Ignaz Semmelweis and Louis Pasteur.

Legacy

Alexander Gordon MD

Although Gordon's work was not widely recognized during his lifetime, it has since been acknowledged as a significant contribution to the field of obstetrics and infection control. His insights into the transmission of puerperal fever anticipated the germ theory of disease and highlighted the importance of hygiene in medical practice.

Gordon's treatise is now considered a classic in medical literature, and his recommendations for hygiene practices laid the foundation for modern antiseptic techniques. His work is a testament to the importance of careful observation and scientific inquiry in advancing medical knowledge.

Death

Alexander Gordon died on 19 October 1799 in Aberdeen. Despite the lack of recognition during his lifetime, his contributions to medicine have been celebrated posthumously, and he is remembered as a pioneer in the fight against infectious diseases.

Related pages

• Puerperal fever
• Infection control
• Obstetrics
• Ignaz Semmelweis
• Louis Pasteur