William P. Spratling
William Philip Spratling (October 13, 1863[1] in La Fayette, Alabama[2] - December 22, 1915 in Welaka, Florida) was an American neurologist known for his advances in the treatment and study of epilepsy; he is often described as the first epileptologist[3] -- a word he is credited with having coined in his 1904 work Epilepsy and Its Treatment.[4]
Dr. Spratling was the superintendent of the Craig Colony for Epileptics in Sonyea, New York[5] from 1893 to 1908, and co-founded the National Association for the Study of Epilepsy.[6]
In 1904, Spratling was appointed superintendent of Bellevue Hospital Center;[7] however, due to civil service requirements, he did not actually hold the office.[8]
Later in life, Spratling suffered a nervous breakdown and retired to Florida. In 1915, he died of a gunshot wound while hunting.[9]
Family
Spratling's son was silversmith William Spratling.[10]
Works
- The Treatment of Epilepsy and Its Incipience, 1894
- An Ideal Colony for Epileptics, and the Necessity for the Broader Treatment of Epilepsy, 1901
- Epilepsy and Its Treatment, 1904
- Epilepsy and Its Relation to Crime
References
- ^ NEW HEAD FOR BELLEVUE - Dr William P. Spratling Chosen by Board of Trustees from the New York Times, May 14, 1904, retrieved May 7, 2011
- ^ Contributions of the founders of Craig Colony to epileptology and public care of epileptics: 1890-1915, from Journal of the History of the Neurosciences: Basic and Clinical Perspectives, Volume 4, Issue 2, 1995, Pages 77 - 100; by : E. J. Fine; D. L. Fine; L. Sentz; E. D. Soria; retrieved May 7, 2011
- ^ The first American epileptologists: William P. Spratling, MD, and Rosewell Park, MD., from Neurology, 1994 Jan;44(1):171-4, by Dasheiff RM; retrieved May 7, 2011
- ^ What is an Epileptologist?, at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Department of Neurology, 2011, retrieved May 7, 2011
- ^ "NEW YORK STATE'S EPILEPTIC COLONY - Interesting Village of Sonyea, Where Afflicted Are Cared For" from the New York Times, November 9, 1902, retrieved May 7, 2011
- ^ The Importance of Spratling, from Archives of Neurology 1994 Jan;51(1):82-6.; by Fine EJ, Fine DL, Sentz L
- ^ TANGLE AT BELLEVUE NOW - New Superintendent Must Take Examination, the Commission Rules. from the New York Times, June 16, 1904, retrieved May 7, 2011
- ^ DR. WM. P SPRATLING DIES. Specialist on Nervous Diseases Succumbs in Florida. The New York Times, page 9, December 24, 1915.
- ^ "The Man from New Orleans", by John Shelton Reed, from the Oxford American, November-December 2000.
- ^ William Spratling Biography at SpratlingSilver.com, by Phyllis Goddard, 2003; retrieved May 7, 2011