By Dr. Allan Marble
The letters and personal effects of Dr. John Stewart, who 100 years ago commanded Dalhousie University's No. 7 Stationary Hospital on the battlefields of WWI and lacer helped bring Dalhousie's Faculty of Medicine co the international stage, have been preserved for posterity at the Nova Scotia Archives.
Dr. John Stewart was born at Black River, Richmond County, Cape Breton, in 1848, co Rev. Murdoch and Catherine (MacGregor) Stewart.
After studying ac the Provincial Normal College in Truro and teaching school in Black River and Sydney, John Stewart went co Scotland co manage the MacGregor farm in Aberdeenshire. From 1871 co 1872 he studied Classics ac Edinburgh University, returning to Nova Scotia to study medicine at Dalhousie University in 1872.
In 1874, John returned co Edinburgh; he completed his MD in 1877, graduating from Edinburgh University with first-class honours. During his medical program he was Professor Joseph Lister's Dresser in 1875, his Clinical Clerk in 1876, and his House Surgeon in 1877. They remained friends and colleagues until Lord Lister's death in 1912.
Dr. John Stewart returned to Nova Scotia in 1878, practising in Pictou and later in Halifax. In 1915, he was selected co organize Dalhousie University's No. 7 Stationary Hospital, which he commanded in France until 1918. From 1919 co 1932, Dr. Stewart served as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie.
Following his death in 1933, Dr. Stewart's two sisters inherited his possessions, including his letters, papers and a microscope chat had been presented to him by Lord Lister. Eventually another family member donated them to the Medical History Society of Nova Scotia. The microscope is held by the Division of Medical Humanities at Dalhousie. Dr. Stewart's letters and papers were donated to the Nova Scotia Archives by the Medical History Society in July 2014.
The collection of letters and papers contains 133 items, including 70 letters written and received by Dr. Stewart between 1874 and 1917. Two of the letters are from Lord and Lady Lister. Nine of the letters were written by John Stewart co his family while he was a medical student at Edinburgh.
