Lilian Heath
Encyclopedia
Lilian Heath was the first female medical doctor
in the state of Wyoming
and one of the first to practice medicine west of the Mississippi River
. After the outlaw Big Nose George
Parrott was lynched she was given the top of his skull which she called a "brain bowl" and used alternately as a doorstop and pen jar.
Heath was born in Burnett Junction, Wisconsin
, on December 29, 1865. Her family moved to Aplington, Iowa
, and later to Laramie, Wyoming
, before moving to Rawlins, Wyoming
, where her father got a job as a locomotive painter for the Union Pacific Railroad
. Heath arrived in the Wyoming territory when she was eight years old. She observed the solar eclipse of July 29, 1878
, along with scientist Henry Draper
and inventor Thomas Edison
, who had come to Wyoming to conduct experiments and had stayed in the Rawlins House, where the Heaths were living at the time.
In the early 1880s, Heath's father obtained a job for her as an assistant to Dr. Thomas Maghee, a physician employed by the Union Pacific Railroad. Heath would wear men's clothing and carried a gun as protection. She assisted Maghee, helping treat his patients, including one who had attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chin. Maghee and Heath performed an early example of plastic surgery
on the man, recreating a nose from a section of his forehead. After the March 22, 1881, lynching of infamous outlaw Big Nose George
Parrott for the murder of Robert Widdowfield, Heath was a witness at the autopsy performed by Maghee and was given the skull cap that had been sawn off Parrott's head as a souvenir, while other portions of his body were made into a pair of shoes. She used the skull cap as a door stop. She kept the skull cap for decades and it was positively identified as an exact match in the 1950s after the remainder of Parrott's body was exhumed and examined. The skull cap was put on display at the Union Pacific Railroad Historical Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa
, while the remainder of the skull is on display at the Carbon County Museum in Rawlins.
Heath graduated from Rawlins High School
in 1888. She enrolled in the University of Colorado at Boulder
for a year, and then transferred to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Keokuk, Iowa
, where she was one of three women in the entering class of 22 students. She graduated from medical school in 1893 and came back to Rawlins, where she established a medical office in her parents' house.
On October 24, 1898, she married Louis J. Nelson of Rawlins, a painter and decorator. Her husband used the top part of the skull cap as a tobacco pipe ashtray.
Heath retired from practicing medicine about 1909. She died at Rawlins Memorial Hospital on August 5, 1962, of complications of a broken hip caused by a fall.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
in the state of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
and one of the first to practice medicine west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. After the outlaw Big Nose George
Big Nose George
George Parrott, also known as Big Nose George, George Manuse and George Warden, was a cattle rustler in the American Wild West in the late 19th century...
Parrott was lynched she was given the top of his skull which she called a "brain bowl" and used alternately as a doorstop and pen jar.
Heath was born in Burnett Junction, Wisconsin
Burnett, Wisconsin
Burnett is a town in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 919 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of Burnett is located in the town, and the unincorporated community of Rolling Prairie is located partially in the town....
, on December 29, 1865. Her family moved to Aplington, Iowa
Aplington, Iowa
Aplington is a city in Butler County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,054 at the 2000 census.- History :Aplington was originally Fort Aplington, a US Army outpost until the fort burnt down in 1885. By then a small town had been built nearby and, although much of the town's economy was...
, and later to Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 30,816 at the . Located on the Laramie River in southeastern Wyoming, the city is west of Cheyenne, at the junction of Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 287....
, before moving to Rawlins, Wyoming
Rawlins, Wyoming
Rawlins is a city in Carbon County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 8,538 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carbon County...
, where her father got a job as a locomotive painter for the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. Heath arrived in the Wyoming territory when she was eight years old. She observed the solar eclipse of July 29, 1878
Solar eclipse of July 29, 1878
A total solar eclipse occurred on July 29, 1878. This eclipse was visible at sunrise at a path across northeastern Asia and passed across Alaska, western Canada, and the United States from Wyoming through Texas.- Observations :-References:* ** ** *...
, along with scientist Henry Draper
Henry Draper
Henry Draper was an American doctor and amateur astronomer. He is best known today as a pioneer of astrophotography.-Life and work:...
and inventor Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
, who had come to Wyoming to conduct experiments and had stayed in the Rawlins House, where the Heaths were living at the time.
In the early 1880s, Heath's father obtained a job for her as an assistant to Dr. Thomas Maghee, a physician employed by the Union Pacific Railroad. Heath would wear men's clothing and carried a gun as protection. She assisted Maghee, helping treat his patients, including one who had attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chin. Maghee and Heath performed an early example of plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
on the man, recreating a nose from a section of his forehead. After the March 22, 1881, lynching of infamous outlaw Big Nose George
Big Nose George
George Parrott, also known as Big Nose George, George Manuse and George Warden, was a cattle rustler in the American Wild West in the late 19th century...
Parrott for the murder of Robert Widdowfield, Heath was a witness at the autopsy performed by Maghee and was given the skull cap that had been sawn off Parrott's head as a souvenir, while other portions of his body were made into a pair of shoes. She used the skull cap as a door stop. She kept the skull cap for decades and it was positively identified as an exact match in the 1950s after the remainder of Parrott's body was exhumed and examined. The skull cap was put on display at the Union Pacific Railroad Historical Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
, while the remainder of the skull is on display at the Carbon County Museum in Rawlins.
Heath graduated from Rawlins High School
Rawlins High School
Rawlins High School is a public high school located in Rawlins, Wyoming, United States. Rawlins High School is part of Carbon County School District #1.-Notable alumni:*Lillian Heath , the first female doctor in Wyoming....
in 1888. She enrolled in the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
for a year, and then transferred to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, where she was one of three women in the entering class of 22 students. She graduated from medical school in 1893 and came back to Rawlins, where she established a medical office in her parents' house.
On October 24, 1898, she married Louis J. Nelson of Rawlins, a painter and decorator. Her husband used the top part of the skull cap as a tobacco pipe ashtray.
Heath retired from practicing medicine about 1909. She died at Rawlins Memorial Hospital on August 5, 1962, of complications of a broken hip caused by a fall.