Lunsford Pitts Yandell Jr., M.D.

  • Professor of the Principals and Practices of Medicine and Clinical Medicine, 1882-1884

Lunsford Pitts Yandell Jr., M.D.
Lunsford Pitts Yandell Jr., M.D.
Born in Tennessee, Lunsford Pitts Yandell Jr. grew up in Louisville, began studying medicine at age 17, and graduated with an MD from the University of Louisville in 1857.

He worked as chief of the Louisville Dispensary for about a year and then practiced in Memphis where he was chairman of materia medica and therapeutics at Memphis Medical College.

He joined the Confederate Army in 1861 and was promoted to brigade surgeon and medical director. His letter describing the Battle of Belmont was later published as the best account of the engagement.

In 1865, he joined his brother David Wendel Yandell in practice in Louisville. He attended the International Medical Congress in Paris in 1867 and visited many European hospitals, taking particular interest in the work of famous dermatologists.

In 1869, he took the chair of materia medica and clinical medicine at the University of Louisville, which he held until 1882 when he took the chair of theory and practice of medicine which he held until his death.

His highly respected analysis of dermatoses argued that all but parasitic diseases are caused by scrofula, syphilis and malaria.

He opposed the use of the microscope and believed that physicians should test drugs on themselves to study their effects.

- Written by Daryll Anderson