52 Ancestors in 52 weeks: Week 25. Groups. Medicine and My Family

MEDICINE AND MY FAMILY.

When I read this weeks theme of groups, I thought I would explore the incidence of medics within my family and ancestry.

It has been quite and enlightening project as the incidence was perhaps less than I initially had thought within my direct ancestry, however if I could find a spreadsheet large enough amongst the wider family, then the results would show a significant number of other family members having some form of medical background. Why should this be? Well I think it is safe to say that if your father is himself a surgeon, the chances of a child meeting with others from a medical background is likely to be higher than the general population. So in the case of John Randolph surgeon's family, 2 of his daughters married surgeons themselves.

The idea of using a coloured symbol family tree evolved from a fellow forum member hilighting another bloggers exercise in depicting a colour coded tree relating to birth counties and how families may have moved around, or not as the case may be.

This resulted in this pictorial view of my father's family. The paternal line, moving around whilst his maternal family were fairly static. 

It is actually quite interesting to note that as with this birthplace tree, an occupation tree follows a similar pattern, in that his maternal line all followed similar lives working on the land and the women bringing in extra money from home working, whilst his paternal line followed the men having various occupations/careers. Whilst indicating the Surgeon's within this line, it is to be remembered that these men were all formally trained and Members of the Royal College of Surgeons, either London or Edinburgh.

Father's paternal side occupations

           Fathers maternal line occupation. (The Pauper in this line had a disability)

Reviewing the incidence of trained medical practitioners, although there are known to be health care assistants amongst the  family. I reviewed the 2 seperate families descending from my Great Grandfather. The first shows the descendants of Arthur and Jessie, their only son emigrated to Australia in the early 1910's.

 

(Please note not all persons identified in yellow survived beyond childhood)

I am not so certain as to the full accuracy of this table, but as shown there are several nurses and a single Doctor, Physio/OT and Vet within this marriage, through to their Great Grandchildren.

This second table shows the generations inclusive of one 2x Great Grandchildren from Arthur's marriage to Edith. Edith herself was a nurse, although in the days before formal training (1880's), 2 of her sisters also followed a nursing path.

This table shows descendants from this branch of the family following career paths as either Trained Nurses, Doctors or Natural Health Practitioners.

So does this indicate that there is a higher incidence of medical practitioners with my family, well it is difficult to make a valid conclusion, but if on a simplistic level we look at the latest statistics 2.8 doctors per 1000 and just over 8 nurses per 1000, you could perhaps argue that this is the case, but as I have always stated, you can make statistics fit any arguement.