#dr. Quinn medicine woman

[madlori]

honestly pairing of all time.

Period Drama Meme | Couples (2/8) ↳ Dr. Michaela Quinn & Byron Sully

[madlori]

Ah, 90s TV

Y'all, I don't know how or why, but I've somehow fallen into a complete rewatch of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" (although I never watched this show start to finish when it aired, just now and then). It's surprisingly seductive and it sucked me right in. I'm slightly disturbed how VINTAGE it feels - it looks and feels like it was a contemporary of like, Little House on the Prairie, but was in fact made in the mid-90s (LHOP aired in the mid-70s to early-80s, btw).

The show holds up surprisingly well. It's got the typical tone and structure of "heartwarming prime time drama" from the 80s-90s (what I sometimes think of as the Schlock Era of TV). Almost entirely episodic, the succession of guest stars having an Incident of the Week that's totally self-contained (like seriously, one episode her little son had to have brain surgery and they made kind of a big thing of shaving his head and the next episode, full head of hair like it never happened). People are constantly getting kidnapped and experiencing grievous bodily injury so the other characters can lose their minds over it.

They do not shy away from The Issues. We've done "The Army Is Kind of Evil, Actually", "The Indians Are Being Treated Like Shit And That's Not Okay," "Racism is Bad, Actually", "Domestic Violence is Rampant and Also Bad", "Vaccines are Good", "Immigrants Are Also Being Treated Like Shit and That's Also Not Okay" and "Capitalism Poisons the Environment" and that's just the first season. Plus the usual personal storylines, like "the Civil War gave people PTSD," and "my teenage son wants to grow up too fast and I'm not actually his mom but it's too much" and "the mountain man I'm in a situationship with is a bit out there for my stuffy Boston relatives" and "I'm determined to be a pioneering woman doctor but sometimes I'm scared and uncertain and this shit is hard ok" and "hey I could marry this Boston doctor who actually thinks I'm awesome and should be taken seriously too bad this mountain man has my whole-ass heart."

You can almost HEAR the voices of the producers, too. "Okay we want this beautiful woman to be a DOCTOR and fighting against stereotypes, but we also want her to be MOTHERLY but also be free to have a SEXY ROMANCE with the mountain man so howwwwww wait I know she'll inherit three kids from a woman she just met who dies in the pilot. BRILLIANT."

The tightrope they're walking with most of the townspeople is tricky, too. Like they need them to be folksy and for you to like them, but also to exhibit period-typical attitudes (racism, sexism, etc) so that Dr. Mike can push back against it, so they often whipsaw wildly between likable and unlikeable depending on the needs of the plot.

I'm kind of impressed that they usually avoid making Dr. Mike a Super Doctor. She loses patients, she doesn't know how to treat some things - and they have to keep her to period-appropriate medical knowledge, so no antibiotics, brand-new smallpox vaccines, germ theory is barely a thing (it was very very new in the post-civil-war era). They don't have her independently recreating modern medicine (which is sometimes a thing Outlander does, although Claire has the benefit of being a time traveler whereas Dr. Mike is not).

Man you can also see the footprints of "Last of the Mohicans" all over this show, too. She couldn't have one of the stuffy townspeople as a love interest - she has to have the Wish version of Hawkeye (no shade on Sully, love Sully, but they obviously downloaded him right from that film). The film came out in 1992, this show started in 93.

It's shockingly balming to the soul. It's from an era when TV didn't take itself very seriously, there were no subreddits to pick everything apart, and the earnestness is just on full display.

I saw a post from someone else watching this who said "I just found out that the main couple on this show is a REALLY SLOW BURN" and like...oh you sweet summer child. Mike and Sully are not that slow. They were wildly obviously telegraphed as the OTP of this show from the first episode, had kissed by the end of the first season, declared their love in the first third of the second season and were married by the end of the third season.

That's not a slow burn by old-school TV standards. A slow burn is eight seasons of longing glances and slightly perturbed expressions when the other one is dating someone else. These two were all in from Minute One. Like, every episode has that obvious ticky box of "Mike and Sully have a sweet/tender/longing moment." They were constantly hugging, touching, and generally being all up in each other's business. This was never a "will they or won't they" although they tried to throw a few obstacles between them, there was never any doubt about it.

Man, this is real UST. This is how it's done. And these seasons are like 29 freaking episodes! WE USED TO HAVE A SOCIETY.

[colorado-springs]

[macgyvermedical]

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, "A Time To Heal" (get your tetanus shots, folks)

Be warned- I've never seen this show before and this episode was from season 6, so I'm not entirely sure of the character's relationships, etc... Also there will be spoilers.

"A Time To Heal" is the story of a diphtheria outbreak in Colorado Springs. Dr. Quinn, our main character, struggles to keep as many people alive as possible- including her own sister. She is also faced with a choice- she can either stick to tracheotomies as the last-ditch effort to save someone with diphtheria, or she can try a new technique called intubation.

Per the show's understanding, tracheotomies are painful but the tried and true method, while intubation is less painful and dangerous at the outset but comes with an increased risk of pneumonia. Dr. Quinn decides not to perform the intubation with Becky, and she dies from diphtheria. She then decides to perform an intubation with Marjorie, and while Marjorie survives the diphtheria, she dies later of pneumonia from the intubation.

Diphtheria:

Diphtheria is a highly contagious illness caused by a bacteria with a virus inside it that produces a toxin (all three! woo!). The primary symptoms are a fever and a very sore throat with a very distinctive odor and a "leathery" appearance. Untreated, it has a mortality rate of about 30-50% depending primarily on age (adults die at a higher rate than children).

It kills in a fairly unique way. The virus inside the bacteria create a toxin that kills cells. This primarily occurs in the throat, which then rather quickly produces a scar-like material that sticks to the back of the throat like a plaque that can't be removed. This is called a pseudomembrane. Lymph nodes in the throat around the pseudomembrane then swell, blocking the airway and killing the person.

If that doesn't kill the person, the same process can happen to the heart- this time where the pseudomembrane/scar tissue interrupts the flow of electricity through the heart muscle, causing it to be unable to beat properly, causing death.

So where were we in understanding all this?

The show takes place in about 1872-3. At this time, diphtheria was common in urban areas as an endemic disease. An endemic disease is one that is constantly circulating in the community. Because it was so prevalent, it tended to just infect susceptible people whenever they happened to come into contact with it. In rural areas, however, it acted more like an epidemic disease- showing up every 25 years or so, infecting all the children, killing about a third of them, and then disappearing.

Fortunately, most people would only get diphtheria once in their lives, most often as young children in cities, or as under-25 year olds in rural areas. It would be extremely rare that someone would make it to middle-adulthood without immunity to diphtheria.

At the time this show takes place, germ theory had only just been established, and most medical people, especially in rural North America, would not have accepted it as fact yet. However, understanding that it was contagious only required observation, so things like shutting down the school and posting quarantine signs would have been something well established by this point in history for contagious diseases.

Tracheotomies

Tracheotomies are ancient. Like, we know they did them in Ancient Greece. Tracheotomies for diphtheria specifically came about in the 1820s, and would have been well in use by the time Dr. Quinn went to medical school. This genuinely would have been the state of the art of care for diphtheria at the time and would have saved a lot of lives.

However, here's where we get into some 1990's TV sensibilities. They stretched a few things to make it so that Dr. Quinn's tracheotomies were both disinfected and anesthetized.

A doctor in rural North America in the early 1870s very likely wouldn't be using any kind of antiseptic or anesthetic when creating a tracheostomy. Joseph Lister, who invented surgical asepsis, was barely using creosote at this point halfway around the world, and while ether anesthesia had been around for 25 years, it was mainly used for larger, planned surgeries or tooth removal. The two anesthetics that would have been available -ether and chloroform- take about 20 minutes to work, and cause a lot of vomiting on the other side. Both of these are unfriendly circumstances for emergency tracheotomies. Since most doctors waited until the last possible second to perform a tracheotomy, ether just wouldn't have been the way to go.

Intubation

Non-surgical intubation was invented in 1858 specifically for diphtheria by a Dr. Bouchut in Paris. It was highly controversial at the time for 2 reasons (neither of which is pneumonia). One, a very well respected Dr. Trousseau, who had recently perfected the art of the tracheotomy, was strongly against it when it was presented, and a lot of people took his side. And two, Dr. Bouchut used a straight tube, which, while life saving, was extremely difficult and physically traumatic to insert.

Intubation would not become well recognized as an alternative to tracheotomy until 1885, when a Dr. O'Dwyer from Cleveland, OH developed the idea separately. Unlike Dr. Bouchut's invention, Dr. O'Dwyer received significant praise when he presented the concept to an American audience, none of whom had heard of the previous attempts. The instruments for intubation referred to in the show are "O'Dwyer's instruments". This means the show skipped a few years and it is now the late 1880s, or they fudged the year O'Dwyer came up with his invention.

Here is a set of those instruments from around that time period, which largely line up with the instruments shown in the show:

Unlike modern tubes, the tubes available at the time were short and made of metal. They would be placed in the throat with the introducer and held in place with silk sutures.

Why don't we get diphtheria today?

Well, you know I never pass up an opportunity to tell you to get your vaccines. You probably were vaccinated against diphtheria as a young child. But most people don't know you still need to get boosters as an adult to keep your immunity (and herd/community immunity) up. That "d" in Tdap (the standard adult tetanus shot)? Stands for diphtheria. You need it at least every 10 years.

So to summarize:

Diphtheria being an epidemic disease in rural North America is accurate

So many adults over the age of 25 having it would be unusual

Tracheotomies would definitely have been in use, and the indication of "the false membrane thickening" would be what they were used for

Tracheotomy sites would likely not have been disinfected, nor would a person be anesthetized for the procedure

Tracheal intubation, especially via O'Dwyer's instruments happened about 12 years after the show takes place

Get a tetanus shot if you haven't had one in 10 years

[avonlea71]

Michaela and Sully get married, part 1.. Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

[stingrayextraordinaire]

TV Show Moodboards // Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Man and woman are not meant to be alone. Like Mother Earth and Father Sky, everyone needs a partner or they become unbalanced. It's nature.

[wild-lavender-rose]

Can i request a Hank Lawson x Gender Neutral Reader?

Reader is new in town, and the town is somewhat against Hank at the moment for something that isn't his fault. We see through the rumors and get close to him! Fluff!! and maybe smut? I saw your poll asking about that, its fine if you arent able to do that though.

- 🎭 Anon

Anon, you requested this ages ago and I just now got around to writing this. My apologies for the delay, and I hope you enjoy <3

The Truth

Warnings: Canon typical violence and swearing, smoking, brief mention of non-consensual sexual acts (in past tense and not in reference to Hank x reader relationship), sexual innuendo

You stepped off the stagecoach and into the middle of a fight. Not literally. But close enough.

A short, stubby man was doing his best to fight a tall man with long blond hair in the middle of the street. However, the stubby man was doing all the work. Yelling, cussing, and swinging his fists, he came at the tall man again and again, only to miss as his opponent simply laughed and stepped out of the way.

"Welcome to Colorado Springs." said the stagecoach driver, a grim smile on his face as he leaned over from his seat to hand you your bag.

You smiled up at him. "I've seen worse." You accepted your bag, hoisting it over your shoulder by one of the straps. "But not much worse."

"You good for nothin', lily livered, son of a bitch!" The stubby man screamed, after he had fallen for the hundredth time. "You sullied my sister's good name, Hank, and I'm gonna kill ya' for it!"

"I didn't do no such thing." the tall man called Hank threw a grin to the crowd. "Can't sully a name that a scumbag like you already drug through the dirt, John."

"Bastard!" the stubby one, John, came charging again.

You walked closer to stand among the gathering crowd, watching the show. People threw looks at you, but you paid them no mind. Without meaning to, you ended up being in the front row closest to the fighting.

John kept on trying to fight, and you could tell that Hank was getting bored. That's why his back was turned the next time John fell, which meant he didn't see the quick flash of silver when John pulled a knife from inside his boot.

But you did. Your heart skipped a beat when John stood, noting that Hank's back was still turned. "Hey, watch it!"

Hank spun around. John attacked, but you were faster. You pulled your gun and fired straight in the air. Everyone jumped. John froze, turning around to find your gun aimed straight at his forehead.

"Drop that knife." You ordered.

John's expression went from scared to disgusted. Behind him Hank was watching, his blue eyes piercing you in a way that made your insides flutter.

"What authority you got, stranger?" John drawled. Clearly he was drunk.

"You're lookin' at it." You nodded to the gun.

"Well, I don't know," he began to saunter forward. "I don't think you'll shoot an innocent man."

It happened in an instant. John rushed you, with Hank close behind. You took aim and fired, hitting John in the shoulder. Hank grabbed him and took away his knife before throwing him to the ground.

The crowd rumbled in shock and fear. John was screaming in pain. You lowered your gun, locking eyes with Hank.

"Someone get Dr. Mike!" A red-haired woman yelled.

"Thanks." Hank muttered. "But I had it under control."

"Sure ya' did." You slipped your gun back into your holster and tipped your head to him before turning around.

Hank's gaze lingered as you disappeared back into the crowd.

# # # # #

The next time you saw Hank, it was past midnight. You were walking down main street, heading towards a friend's house for the night. He was standing outside his saloon, lanky figure reclined against a wooden support as he smoked a cigar. He blew a cloud of smoke into the air and nodded to you. "Nice night." You could hear the smirk in his voice. "What's a pretty thing like you doin' out so late?"

You paused, regarding him in the moonlight. "Had things to do."

Hank's chuckle was low and soft, the sound making a pleasant shiver run through you. "What kinda things?"

"I've heard things about you." You crossed to him without thinking, watching the moonlight reflect off his golden hair as he shifted out into the light to meet you. "About what you did to John's little sister."

"Oh, yeah?" Hank's face hardened. He took another long drag of his cigar, blowing the smoke in your direction. "Don't believe everything you hear, darlin'."

"Then tell me the truth."

"What's there to tell?"

"Did you take advantage of his little sister?"

"Everybody says I did."

"But did you?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because," you came closer, stopping when there was hardly any room between you.

Hank loomed above you, his head tilted down so your eyes met. His hardened expression had softened into one of confusion. He looked even better this close, especially in the dangerously seductive moonlight and the way a cool wind blew across your heated skin. Your heart fluttered.

"Because," you repeated. "I wanna know if I wasted a bullet defending a rapist."

"I ain't a rapist." Hank's eyes sparked in indignation at the word. "His sister wanted to do things with me as much as I wanted to do things with her. It was just a little fun, was all. She told her brother that, too, but that bastard didn't believe her and came after me."

"And that's the truth?"

"God's honest."

"I knew it." You exhaled a breath of relief.

Hank's expression was even softer, as if he was relieved as well that you believed him. "How?" he whispered. "How'd you know?"

"You're a saloon owner in a Bible fearing town. No matter what you do, the town'll be against you. Also, you're not the type." You look up into his eyes. "Your eyes aren't the eyes of someone like that...I'd know better than anyone."

Hank dropped his cigar but didn't crush it under his boot. He pushed off the wooden support and shifted closer, seemingly enveloping you with his stature, his presence, him. "Has someone hurt you?"

"It's in the past. Don't wanna talk about it." You didn't step back, instead soaking up the closeness. It had been an ungodly amount of time since you had been attracted to someone like this. Since you wanted someone this close to you, and closer. Of course, the fact Hank was a saloon owner was sure to draw some stares. But then, you had gotten used to stares and whispers a long time ago.

"Is this girl and you. John's sister," you swallow hard as Hank gently brushes a strand of hair from your face. "Is it, are you,"

"Just a one-time thing, honey." Hank inhaled, seeming to breathe in your smell. "I'm an unattached man."

And the next thing you knew, the two of you were crashing into each other kissing desperately. It was the beginning of what would turn into a very long, very enjoyable night.

Fanfic Masterlist

[completeandrandomshit]

Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman Season 6 Episode 22:

Colleen: Grandma was never happy about you marrying Sully, was she?

Me: Was she happy? You should know the answer you were there!

hashtag: it could be that she was a child and oblivious to everything.

[historicalreusedcostumes]

This White and Black Dress is worn on Jane Seymour as Dr. Quinn in Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman: Washinton Affair Part 2 (1994) and many years later worn on Jessica Bowman as Colleen Cooper in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within (2001)

[matthewxcooper]

It’s been forever since I’ve been here. I’ve had a lot going on in real life that have kept me offline including the loss of both my grandparents so to say I haven’t felt like being online or roleplaying. I’m returning now after quite a long time away and am considering returning to Matthew if anyone is around anymore.

[dekaohtoura]

[vintageviewmaster]

One View-Master packet that should have been made: Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman!

Note: This is a fake View-Master packet that I have Photoshopped. Send me an ask with an idea for a fake View-Master packet you wish had been made and I just might edit a design for you!

[colorado-springs]

[avonlea71]

Michaela Quinn (Jane Seymour). Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

[doctor-whoreusedcostumes]

This black embroidered gown with colors flowers and leafs on is worn on Jane Seymour as Dr. Quinn/Mike in Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman: Where the Heart Is: Part 2 (1993) and years later worn on Jennifer Hill as Mrs. Peace in Doctor Who: The Unquiet Dead (2005)