Friday, November 27, 2009

Victorian Medical Registers - including Doctors, Dentists and Midwives go online at Familyrelatives.com

From Cholera to Antiseptic to the inventor of a drug that has saved over 200 million lives....

Familyrelatives.com is proud to announce the addition of 1,000,000 New Medical Records spanning over 90 years.

Familyrelatives.com today launched over one million records of Doctors, Dentist and Midwives spanning over 90 years from 1853 to 1943. The records provide a fascinating insight and invaluable resource to anyone researching the background of any family member who was a doctor, a dentist or midwife

A dedicated team at Familyrelatives.com spent several months painstakingly scanning and indexing original medical registers allowing them to be searched on different criteria including surname, forename and date to provide one of the most comprehensive and accurate databases available.

The records pre-date the foundation in 1858 of the General Medical Council, set up in a back room of what is now the University of Worcester to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the community. Prior to 1858 anyone could call themselves a medical practitioner with some of the treatments worse than the disease and devices resembling ancient instruments of torture but it gave an insight into Victorian imagination and ingenuity. The years 1853 to 1943 saw remarkable developments in the field of medicine and notable medical practitioners:

John Snow (1813-1858) - Discovered Cholera
John Snow (1813-1858) - was voted in 2003 as the greatest Physician of all time some, 145 years after his death, for his evidence based investigation and tracing of Cholera in Soho in 1854. He was the first person to dispel the myth that Cholera was caused by miasma or poor air. He traced the source to a public hand water pump in Soho. Those who drunk from it were infected by bacteria although remarkably all those that worked in the nearby brewery (where water was heated and subject to a separate water source) were not affected.

Joseph Lister (1838-1912) Discovered Carbolic Acid (Antiseptic)
In 1865 Joseph Lister (1838-1912) discovered that by using carbolic acid as an antiseptic during surgery and by ensuring hygienic conditions in theatre and around patients greatly improved chances of survival.

Alexander Fleming (1881-1955) - His discovery saved 200 million people
Alexander Fleming (1881-1955) is arguably responsible for saving in excess of 200 million lives having in 1928 discovered the antibiotic-penicillin, which although accidental has been hailed by many as possibly the greatest advance in medicine. He was Knighted in 1944 and won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945.

He was also recognized by being awarded the Honorary gold medal from the Royal College of Surgeons, received a fellowship from the University of London, a fellowship from Toronto, Philadelphia, and many other institutions including from Harvard, USA and from Spain. He is buried in St Pauls Cathedral, London.
Sir Ronald Ross (1857-1932) - Identified mosquitoes as the cause of malaria

Another Nobel Prize winner Sir Ronald Ross (1857-1932) identified the mosquito as the cause of malaria during his service in India and distinguished himself in tropical medicine and the prevention of malaria in Indian, Africa , Egypt , Cyprus and Mauritius

The collection is part of over 650 million historic records available online to all members and visitors by way of an annual subscription of only £30.00 or US$50.00 at http://www.familyrelatives.com

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

1 Million New Military Records added to Familyrelatives.com

1 Million New Military Records added to Familyrelatives.com

From Wellington to General Gordon of Khartoum

From Waterloo to the Charge of the Light Brigade to the Great War
Familyrelatives.com is proud to announce the addition of 1,000,000 New Military Records spanning over 100 years.
This autumn marks the 201st anniversary of the beginning of the Peninsular War and to commemorate, the event Familyrelatives.com has added over 1 million army records covering a broad range from 1808 through to De Ruvigny's biographical record of World War I soldiers.

The Peninsular Medal Roll 1808-1814
In 1808 Napoleon deposed the Spanish monarch and replaced him with his brother Joseph Bonaparte. Recognising the increased threat that Napoleon posed to Great Britain - British Forces under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, landed in Portugal to check Napoleon's progress. After 5 years of prolonged and bitter campaigning Napoleon's forces were routed at the Battle of Vitoria, on June 21, 1813 and the liberation of Spain was complete.

The Peninsular Medal Roll is one of most valuable and unique records covering the conflict and sets out invaluable information about some of those who fought in the Iberian Peninsular. The following information is given in the database; Forename, Surname, Rank, Number of Clasps, Particulars of Clasps, Remarks, Regiment.

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1918

We continue to add to our First and Second World War collection and are excited to have added De Ruvigny's Roll of honour (2 volumes). The Roll of Honour includes the Biographies of over 25,000 men although we have currently uploaded 12,500 men who lost their lives in the Great War. The detail varies however, the example below gives a good indication of what kind of information can be found.


AKEHURST, ALEXANDER JAMES,
Private, No 1539, 5th Battn. Royal Sussex Regt., s/ of Alfred Akehurst, of Walters Farm Cottage, Ticehurst, Sussex, Farm Labourer, by his wife, Sussanah, dau. of George Cheesman; b. Etchingham, co. Sussex, 22 June, 1896; educ. Frimwell School ; was a farm labourer on Walters Farm ; joined the Sussex Territorials, 29 Aug, 1912 ; mobilised, 5 Aug. 1914 on the outbreak of war ; went with battn. To Dover and then to the Tower, where he volunteered for Imperial service ; left England for the Front, 18 Feb, 1915, and was killed in action at the Battle of Careney, 9 May, 1915,; unm. He was buried about about half a mile from St Vaast.

Furthermore a quick check of the World War I Army Deaths database details Alexander Akehurst - allowing you to order a certificate of his death.

But don't stop there - a further search on the database Soldiers Who Died in the Great War shows the following

Charge of the Light Brigade
Lieutenant General James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, KCB (16 October 1797 - 28 March 1868) commanded the charge of the Light Brigade of the British Army during the Crimean War. A colourful individual who by order of King William was dismissed from the 15th Hussars early in 1834, only to be prosecuted for a duel with one of his former officers in 1841.

Perhaps his most infamous exploit was during the Crimean War on October 25 1854. He led the Charge of the Light Brigade at the battle of Balaclava in which almost half of his men were killed.. Although ascribed to a misunderstood order it was a heroic event that left its mark in history. On a more mundane note Cardigan's name is better known for the knitted waistcoat he wore in campaigns and to this day it carries his name.

Search the Harts Army List for the Earl of Cardigan and many others.

The collection is part of over 650 million historic records available online to all members and visitors by way of an annual subscription of only £30.00 or US$50.00 at http://www.familyrelatives.com/index.php