Dr. Lawson Tait 1888 Biography

[Archaic]

Here's a biography of the eminent surgeon Lawson Tait. It was published in the book 'Contemporary Medical Men' in 1888, shortly before the Ripper murders. (The same book that had the biography of Dr. Thomas Bond)

Tait was a pioneer in abdominal and gynecological surgery and wrote a number of medical books, particularly books focusing on the diseases of women. Tait was a meticulous surgeon and greatly reduced the mortality rates once associated with his specialty. In 1880 Tait was credited with the first successful Appendectomy. Tait was also an impassioned Anti-Vivisectionist, and an anti-animal cruelty society named for him exists to this day.

Tait suggested that the Whitechapel Murderer might be a woman, particularly a strong woman skilled in midwifery. He felt this would help explain how the killer managed to elude the police- bloody clothing could more easily be hidden by a woman wearing and apron and multiple skirts and she would be less suspicious when everyone was out looking for "Jack". Tait also discussed the possibility that the killer was an Epileptic.

There are other threads to be found here on the forums which discuss Tait; I'll try to find a few and post links to them.
(If anyone wants to help that would be great )

I've found some other interesting bits on Tait that don't seem to have been posted before so will try to put them up too.
If anybody has other Tait-related material you are very welcome to post it here.

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Tait Wikipedia Article

There's a Wikipedia entry on Lawson Tate that lists a number of his accomplishments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawson_Tait

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Tait's Whitechapel Theory, Oct. 1889 News Article

The following article discussing Tait is from the Casebook Press Releases Archive:

Bucks County Gazette
Bristol, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
17 October 1889

"Another Whitechapel Theory-

Dr. Lawson Tait, a London surgeon, has put forward a theory in regard to the fiendish Whitechapel murders which is ingenious enough to figure in one of Poe's weird stories.

He says first, the murderer is an epileptic maniac, and does the murders while the fit is on, being unconscious of the crime afterwards.

Second she is, not a man but a woman, who gathers her splashed and bloody skirt around her waist under her shawl immediately after the deed is done, and so escapes detection. Then, since women are "always at the washtub" she easily washes out the stains and is not detected.

Third, the murderer is some one employed in a slaughter house, and familiar with the way in which animals are slaughtered in London. The Whitechapel victims have had their throats cut from behind, and have then been eviscerated in the exact manner in which a London butcher begins to dress a sheep. The cuts are long and slashing, unlike those made either by a surgeon or a novice. There are known to be women employed occasionally about the London butcher shops. It is here, according to Dr. Tait, that detectives should search for a true clew."

Best regards,
Archaic

[Phil Carter]

A Thought on Tait

..... The Whitechapel victims have had their throats cut from behind, and have then been eviscerated in the exact manner in which a London butcher begins to dress a sheep. The cuts are long and slashing, unlike those made either by a surgeon or a novice. [/I]

....Tait was also an impassioned Anti-Vivisectionist.

Tait was a meticulous surgeon

Hello Archaic,

A "meticulous" surgeon commenting on "slashing" cuts and going against any "surgeon" or "novice" having done the murders.? Natural defence of the profession perhaps?

"......and have then been eviscerated in the exact manner in which a London butcher begins to dress a sheep."
Ahhh, Tait knows how a sheep is dressed and eviscerated, an ardent Anti-Vivisectionist..
It would be interesting to know whether Tait was an "early" vegetarian as well.

There are some interesting photographs of Tait at work on the internet I believe. One of which I recall is a shot taken from the visitor's gallery in the operating "theatre", which I saw a while ago. Perhaps someone could lay their hands on it?

best wishes

Phil

[Phil Carter]

Hello all,

From above... found it at this link.. where there are more photos of the man.

http://www.union.ic.ac.uk/medic/cms/content/view/359/249/

best wishes

Phil

[Jonathan H]

Interesting?

The North Country Vicar story from 1899, which I think refers to the un-named Druitt, claims that the cleric knew that the murderer suffered from 'epileptic mania'.

Macnaghten in his cagey/candid 1914 memoirs refers to the un-named Druitt as being 'sexually insane', but also having some sort of diseased body too.

[Hunter]

Thanks Archaic for posting that article on Tait... and Phil for the photos. I don't believe Tait was trying to divert suspicion from his profession. He was, like Forbes Winslow, what we call here in Tennessee, a 'busybody'.

[Phil Carter]

Hello Hunter, all,

Is there anyone else identifiable in the photo I wonder?

best wishes

Phil

[Archaic]

Lawson Tait Society

Hi Hunter, you're very welcome.

Here's another photograph of Tait and a few links relating to the Tait Society.

Lawson Tait Society, University of Birmingham: http://medsoc.bham.ac.uk/lawsontait/

Lawson Tait Digitisation Project, U.B.:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...DpyetgPyuYi6Bg

Logo for Lawson Tait Humane Research Trust: http://medsoc.bham.ac.uk/lawsontait/...0bg=ffffaa.png

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Jill The Ripper Thread

Here's a link to an earlier thread posted by Chris Scott with a couple of news articles; it was under Suspects- Jill The Ripper.

'Theory of Lawson Tait Thread': http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=1358

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Lawson Tait Vs. Jack the Belly-Ripper of Whitechapel, 1890

Here's a rather strange mention of Lawson Tait from an 1890 medical journal called 'The Medical Mirror'.

The article praises the humor of a certain author vs. what it sees as the very poor humor of Mark Twain (!),
and does so by comparing the superior surgical skill of Lawson Tait to that of "Jack the Belly-Ripper of Whitechapel".

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Did Jack the Ripper Suffer From 'Menstrual Mania'?

This article describing Lawson Tait's "Female Ripper" theory is from the 1898 'Transactions of the Texas State Medical Association'.

Apparently Tait thought ovarian surgery might have cured Jill the Ripper of her insanity.

"Lawson Tait strongly believed that "Jack the Ripper" was a woman, the subject of menstrual mania,
who might have been cured of her periodical insanity by a removal of the appendages."

Menstrual Mania...

Well, I suppose it's as good a motive for serial murder as any.

Best regards,
Archaic

[lynn cates]

good show

Hello Bunny. Well done! Interesting chap.

The best.
LC

[Archaic]

"Gentlemen Fond of the Knife"

Thank you, Lynn.

Here's an 1889 'Cincinnati Medical Journal' article in which a rival doctor who is a proponent of "surgery by electricity"
sarcastically compares the respective surgical skills of Lawson Tait and Jack the Ripper.

The last sentence reads:
"Dr McKee cites as on his side many men of prominence as gynecologists and as opponents two distinguished surgeons,
Lawson Tait and Jack the Ripper, both gentlemen fond of the knife."

Best regards,
Archaic

[Hunter]

That's a good 'un. So much for professional courtesy... Yet, he may have known more about Tait than we do.