https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox Blessie Blount Griffin and Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler - Recognizing Their Contributions en-us 2022-06-21 03:21:03 UTC 2022-06-29 03:38:15 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/2696.png chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2226494738 2022-06-21 06:26:43 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2226494738 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231803154 2022-06-27 22:03:42 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231803154 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231813096 During her time here, she began cultivating interest in the developing field of Physical Therapy ]]> 2022-06-27 22:07:58 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231813096 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231813712 2022-06-27 22:09:16 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231813712 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231817005 There were many injured soldiers who returned to the United States in need of help restoring as much physical function as possible. 
Blessie spent a lot of her time working with soldiers in different Veterans Hospitals helping the wounded regain physical function. 

]]> 2022-06-27 22:18:16 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231817005 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231821356 2022-06-27 22:28:53 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231821356 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231828957 During her time working with wounded Veterans, Blessie noted that there was a need to give back some form of independence to the soldiers who became unable to feed themselves as a result of the lost of the use of their arms. 

Blessie first created a device that resembles a feeding tube system commonly used today in healthcare to deliver nutrition to those who are physically in need of nutrition and are either unable to feed themselves or need alternative methods of receiving nutrition.

Blessie's feeding tube system consists of a feeding tube, a food receptacle and a motor to push the food to the mouth. The device was simple to use as the person using it just has to bite down on the tube inserted in their mouth and the food is propelled into their mouth. 

The Portable Receptacle Support that Blessie later on patented was easier to use. It consisted of a neck brace that held a bowl, cup or a dish - This device is seen in the picture of the schematic above. 

Although technology and medicine continue to evolve, it truly is admirable to learn about the inventions Blessie has created during WWII to help those who have paid the price for the freedom of our country. 

Unfortunately, Blessie received some pushback when she tried to share her invention with the Americans Veteran's Association. ]]> 2022-06-27 22:46:59 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231828957 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231839664 The rights to Blessie's Portable Receptacle Support patent was bought by the French Government in 1952. 

As a result, more military hospitals were able to easily have access to its use for recovering veterans. ]]> 2022-06-27 23:14:06 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231839664 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231844063 What is it?
A very ingenious invention. This invention is similar to the plastic emesis basins found in hospitals in the United States. This is a little cardboard container used to catch vomit or used to spit into if a person needs to brush their teeth in bed or in their chair. ]]> 2022-06-27 23:25:00 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231844063 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231847864 She began a separate line of work as a Chief Examiner for police departments in Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia in 1969.

Then in 1977, Blessie was the first American woman to be admitted and attend the Document Division of the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory in London, England. 

Sometime after that, Blessie began a private practice working with law enforcement. She continued this until 1983. ]]> 2022-06-27 23:34:09 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231847864 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231855962 Most often we don't think so deeply about things like deciding what we want to wear each day, what we want to eat or drink and what time we decide to do certain things. If these things were suddenly impossible to do for a person, it drastically changes their life. By creating the portable receptacle support, Blessie created a new possibility for disabled people. Giving them the choice to decide when they want to put food in their mouth and being able to do it themselves was very important. Before all of the technology created today to make eating possible for those unable to eat normally, there was a time were there were no options for these people. Blessie was truly an admirable innovator and person. ]]> 2022-06-27 23:48:44 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231855962 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231890090 https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/bessie-blount
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/bessie-blount-griffin-1914-2009/]]> 2022-06-28 00:33:52 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2231890090 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232690445 2022-06-28 18:33:28 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232690445 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232831224 This was a special school that offered a kindergarten program. The founder, Nathaniel Allen had advocated for a racially inclusive and co-ed school environment. The school also included physical education as part of the curriculum, which at the time was being newly added to the educational system in the United States. ]]> 2022-06-28 23:52:48 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232831224 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232841785 2022-06-29 00:11:15 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232841785 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232855683 During her time, it was viewed by society that females were not capable of becoming doctors. Additionally, black students, both men and women were blocked from attending  most medical schools. 

At the time, out of the 54,543 white physicians practicing in the United States, only 300 were female. 
Then in 1864, Dr. Crumpler became the first female African American physician!
She graduated from NEFMC with a degree called "Doctress of Medicine". ]]> 2022-06-29 00:28:50 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232855683 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232915452 Dr. Crumpler had decided she would move to Virginia from Boston because she believed that there she would find "the proper field for real missionary work, and one that would present ample opportunities to become acquainted with the diseases of women and children". 

Under the support of the Assistant Commissioner of the Freedman's Bureau of Virginia, General Orlando Brown, Dr. Crumpler cared for a population of over 30,000 out of the 4,000,000 African American slaves freed. ]]> 2022-06-29 01:31:15 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232915452 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232922854 In 1869, Dr. Crumpler goes back to Boston and later on writes and publishes a book. 
In her book, Dr. Crumpler writes about medical problems she has encountered in infants, children and young women. She offers insight to different diseases and how to treat them based on her knowledge and experience.  ]]> 2022-06-29 01:39:43 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232922854 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232930011 Dr. Crumpler continued her work and treated patients near her home in a predominantly black neighborhood in Boston. Some patients were unable to pay, but financial hardships did not sway Dr. Crumpler away from treating the very sick. ]]> 2022-06-29 01:47:48 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232930011 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232931479 Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was a woman who incited a monumental change in the United States. During a time of severe racial discrimination, she defied all common thinking and became the first African American woman to receive a Doctress in Medicine degree. 
Her successes in the medical field and the care she provided for the poor, sick and powerless are things that will continuously encourage men and women of all ages and races to do seemingly "impossible" things that go against the grain of the society they live in.

]]> 2022-06-29 01:49:29 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232931479 chlowediaz https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232956835 https://www.nps.gov/people/dr-rebecca-lee-crumpler.htm
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/celebrating-rebecca-lee-crumpler-first-african-american-physician ]]> 2022-06-29 02:14:48 UTC https://padlet.com/chlowediaz/v5swqfk0xh71tbox/wish/2232956835