title: When a cane was the necessary complement of a physician.
abstract: Although Dr John Radcliffe's gold-headed cane, presented to the Royal College of Physicians in 1825, became well-known following the publication two years later of Dr William Macmichael's book, The gold-headed cane, little consideration has previously been given either to medical canes, or to the custom of cane-carrying by doctors in the 18th century. This article makes a brief assessment of medical canes within the social and historical framework of the period, and views Macmichael's book in its literary context, with mention of other relevant examples of books in this genre.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Gibbs
mesh_terms: D002183:Canes / Q000266:history*; D002325:Caricatures as Topic / Q000266:history*; D004739:England; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008093:Literature, Modern / Q000266:history*; D008513:Medicine in Literature; D008512:Medicine in the Arts; D010820:Physicians / Q000266:history*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000266:history