{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]],"date-time":"2026-10-06T06:53:06Z","timestamp":1791269586241,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":13,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Med Ethics"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1993,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) was a common ailment among American women in the 19th century. Prior to that time, no successful surgery had been developed for the cure of this condition until Dr J Marion Sims perfected a successful surgical technique in 1849. Dr Sims used female slaves as research subjects over a four-year period of experimentation (1845-1849). This paper discusses the controversy surrounding his use of powerless women and whether his actions were acceptable during that historical period.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/jme.19.1.28","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,11,6]],"date-time":"2008-11-06T00:48:04Z","timestamp":1225932484000},"page":"28-31","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":110,"title":["The medical ethics of the 'father of gynaecology', Dr J Marion Sims."],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"D","family":"Ojanuga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1993,3,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"185","article-title":"Experiences in the treatment of 80 labours which have followed the repair of these injuries","author":"J, Hamlin R.H.; C, Nicholson E.","year":"1966","unstructured":"Hamlin R H J, Nicholson E C. Experiences in the treatment of 80 labours which have followed the repair of these injuries. Ethiopian medical journal 1966; IV, Oct: 185-192.","journal-title":"Ethiopian medical journal"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"59","article-title":"On the treatment of vesico-vaginal fistula","volume":"1852","author":"M, Sims J.","year":"23, Jan:","unstructured":"Sims J M. On the treatment of vesico-vaginal fistula. American journal of the medical sciences 1852; 23, Jan: 59-87.","journal-title":"American journal of the medical sciences"},{"key":"ref_3","article-title":"Vesico-vaginalfistulas and related matters","author":"C, Russell S.","year":"1962","unstructured":"Russell S C. Vesico-vaginalfistulas and related matters. Springfield: Charles S Thomas, 1962."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"1","article-title":"Female disorder and nineteenth century medicine: the case of vesico-vaginal fistula","volume":"3","author":"McGregor, D.K.","year":"1987","unstructured":"McGregor, D K. Female disorder and nineteenth century medicine: the case of vesico-vaginal fistula. Caduceus 1987; 3, 1: 1-31.","journal-title":"Caduceus"},{"key":"ref_5","article-title":"Lying-in: a history of childbirth in America","author":"W, Wertz R.; W, Wertz D.","year":"1977","unstructured":"Wertz R W, Wertz D W. Lying-in: a history of childbirth in America. New Horizon: Yale University Press, 1977."},{"key":"ref_6","article-title":"Brought to bed: childbearing in America, 1750-1950","author":"Leavitt, J.W.","year":"1985","unstructured":"Leavitt, J W. Brought to bed: childbearing in America, 1750-1950. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"33","article-title":"The father of gynecology","author":"B, Ward S.","year":"1972","unstructured":"Ward S B. The father of gynecology. Alabama journal of medical science 1972; 9, Jan: 33-39.","journal-title":"Alabama journal of medical science"},{"key":"ref_8","article-title":"The story of my life","author":"M, Sims J.","year":"1886","unstructured":"Sims J M. The story of my life. New York: D Appleton and Company, 1886."},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"7","article-title":"Jim Marion Sims - woman's surgeon and more","author":"S, Sparkman R.","year":"1975","unstructured":"Sparkman R S. Jim Marion Sims - woman's surgeon and more. Bulletin of the American College of Surgery 1975; Mar; 7-11.","journal-title":"Bulletin of the American College of Surgery"},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"2","article-title":"Women as victims of medical experimentation","volume":"2","author":"E, Axelson D.","year":"1985","unstructured":"Axelson D E. Women as victims of medical experimentation: J Marion Sims's surgery on slave-women (1845-1850) Sage 1985; 2, 2.","journal-title":"J Marion Sims's surgery on slave-women (1845-1850) Sage"},{"key":"ref_11","first-page":"878","volume":"15","author":"of J Marion Sims, Kaiser I.H.Reappraisals","year":"1978","unstructured":"Kaiser I H. Reappraisals of J Marion Sims. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 1978; Dec 15: 878-882.","journal-title":"American journal of obstetrics and gynecology"},{"key":"ref_12","article-title":"Scalpel","author":"Young, A.","year":"1956","unstructured":"Young A. Scalpel. New York: Random House, 1956."},{"key":"ref_13","article-title":"A history of medicine","author":"N, Magner L.","year":"1992","unstructured":"Magner L N. A history of medicine. New York: Marcel Dakker Inc, 1992."}],"container-title":["Journal of Medical Ethics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/jme.19.1.28","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,23]],"date-time":"2024-05-23T05:59:09Z","timestamp":1716443949000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jme.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/jme.19.1.28"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[1993,3]]},"references-count":13,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1993,3,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1993,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/jme.19.1.28"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/jme.19.1.28","relation":{},"ISSN":["0306-6800","1473-4257"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0306-6800","type":"print"},{"value":"1473-4257","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[1993,3]]}}}