In the 19th century, there weren’t many female physicians. For more than 40 years, Margaret Bulkley, an Irishwoman, practiced medicine under the guise of Dr. James Barry. This article describes what transpired, Bulkley’s time in Malta, and how we came to know what did.
Her early life
Most sources concur that Margaret Bulkley was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1789. Her father was a trader who provided the powerful British Navy’s Cork base with supplies. Her father’s business was destroyed by the 1798 revolt, and he became insolvent.
Margaret ran away to London with her mother. James Barry, a painter, was their neighbor and also her mother’s brother. Margaret made the decision to pose as a boy in order to pursue a career in medicine. She adopted her uncle’s name and Edinburgh University 3 accepted her in either 1809 or 1810.
In the university, there were early rumors that he must be a prepubescent male rather than a woman. Many were so certain that a woman couldn’t succeed in higher education that it never even occurred to them that “James” might be a woman.
She trained as a surgeon and went back to London.
Barry made yet another risky move by enlisting in the British Army. Before becoming the Medical Inspector for Cape Town in 1815, according to certain records, this occurred as a hospital aide on July 5, 1813. According to other sources, he visited Cape Town in 1812.
The British military eventually dispatched Dr. Barry to Malta.
Barry in Malta
Dr. Barry deceived everyone throughout the globe for 46 years. Barry was assigned by the army to Malta as the islands’ principal medical officer on November 2, 1846.
He landed on November 17 from Gibraltar. Days after his arrival in December 1846, Barry went to the liturgy at Valletta’s St. Paul’s Cathedral. Barry received a reprimand from Governor Sir Patrick Stuart for occupying a pew intended for clerics.
Before settling in the contemporary town of Sliema, Barry booked a room at the Claredon Hotel in Valletta. Barry’s Sliema landlord claimed that because he would refer to Barry as “Dan ix-xitan ghandu ikun mara,” he knew she was a woman (This devil should be a woman.)
A cholera epidemic struck the soldiers in Fort St. Elmo on September 6, 1848. Barry resisted making the cholera diagnosis despite there being an outbreak in Mauritius in 1819. He asserted that diarrhea was the cause of this. This judgment was supported by two other surgeons who attributed the problem to stagnant water. A post-mortem conducted by Barry on a purported cholera victim disproved the claim.
Barry created a vehicle in 1849 to transport ill soldiers from the Customs House dock up to the military hospital. There were ferries to ferry soldiers from Fort Ricasoli across the harbor, but there were no other means of transportation available. Several people were too frail to climb the hospital’s inclining hill. Until Barry made a change, nobody took any action.
Barry’s efforts to stop a typhus epidemic were praised by the Duke of Wellington. Barry was promoted to the position of Inspector-General of hospitals, the highest rank an army doctor can have. This title is comparable to Brigadier-General.
The Malta Times noted that “the troops and the impoverished particularly, as well as a great number of acquaintances among the first circles in the island, will grieve their loss” while reporting on Barry’s departure from the islands for Corfu on April 1, 1851.
Dr. Barry is renowned for making numerous medical advancements.
Barry’s medical career
Dr. Barry continued to enhance modern medicine. In South Africa, where Barry’s temper and outbursts revolutionized healthcare and preceded Florence Nightingale’s directives in Crimea, his insistence on hygiene had its start.
He created a plant-based treatment for gonorrhea and syphilis, advocated for clean air, water, and a balanced diet, and invented the smallpox vaccine.
He performed the first successful Caesarian delivery in which the mother and child both survived in 1826 (or 1820).
Dr. Barry was able to maintain his secrecy right up to his passing.
Death
Dr. Barry passed away at Marylebone, London, on July 25, 1865. He had given clear instructions to have his body buried in the clothes he was wearing when he passed away. This is a clear ploy to prevent the truth about Margaret/James from being revealed.
Sophia Bishop was the charwoman employed to lay out the body and who discovered the truth. She tried and failed to blackmail the British Army about this..
With the news, which was first broadcast in Dublin and then the rest of the Empire, she went to the media. This was subsequently covered by The Malta Times on October 5, 1865.
The Day an Israeli F-15 Landed with One Wing: Zivi Nedivi’s Unbelievable Mid-Air Survival
Discover the astonishing true story of Israeli pilot Zivi Nedivi, who safely landed an F-15 after a mid-air collision tore off its entire right wing. Learn how skill, quick thinking, and the F-15’s unique design turned a disaster into a legendary feat in aviation history
Nicholas Winton ‘British Schindler’: Man who rescued 669 Czech children from Nazis
A man named Nicholas Winton saved 669 kids during WWII and lived almost all his life without letting people know.
Atomic Tourism: In the 1950s, nuclear tests in Las Vegas served as a draw for tourists
Between 1950 and 1960, Las Vegas offered “Atomic Tourism” in which guests could watch atomic bombs being tested in the desert as a form of entertainment.
D.B. Cooper: Man who hijacked a plane and jumped out with a $200,000
On November 22, 1971, DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, drank a whisky, smoked a fag, and then jumped out of the plane with $200,000. He was never again seen.
Story of Kathrine Switzer: the first woman to run in Boston Marathon
Before women were allowed to run in the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer participated. A race official attempted to forcefully remove her from the race in 1967, but her boyfriend pushed him down. She was the first female finisher who had a numbered entry in the race.
Nathan's Famous Doctor Stunt
When Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs first opened in 1916, the owner hired people to dress as doctors and eat hot dogs outside his shop, to convince people his hot dogs were healthy.
Ancient Egyptians Had Pregnancy Tests Over 3500 Years Ago
The ancient Egyptians used a pregnancy test that involved potentially pregnant women peeing on barley and wheat seeds. Plant growth indicated pregnancy: barley for a boy and wheat for a girl. Later tests revealed that pregnant women's urine causes plant growth 70% of the time, whereas non-pregnant women's urine does not.
3 men lived on top of a billboard in tents for almost 9 months
From 1982-1983, three men in Allentown PA competed in a radio contest in which they lived on top of a billboard in tents. Whoever stayed up longest would win a house. Due to economic pressure from the recession, none of the contestants wanted to give up, so the contest lasted almost 9 months.
What Was the Beast of Gévaudan?
Between 1764 and 1767, a mysterious animal called the Beast of Gévaudan terrorized the French village called Gévaudan. It attacked and killed about 100 adults and children. While most believe it was a wolf, some say it may have been a wolf-dog hybrid, hyena or even a lion, but without any genetic evidence, the beast will remain a mystery forever.
What exactly was the US's 'Ghost Army' during WWII?
During WW2, there was a special unit of men dubbed the ‘Ghost Army’. The unit was made of artists, creative and engineers and their job was to create deception about the enemy. From inflatable tanks to phony convoys to scripted conversations in bars intended to spread disinformation, they used all possible tricks to fool the enemy.
Inside China’s Footbinding Tradition: The Painful Ritual of Lotus Shoes and Bound Feet
In China, Lotus shoes were used to bind women's feet to keep their feet small
Louis Le Prince Invented the motion picture camera, and then he mysteriously disappeared
Louis Le Prince, the inventor of motion pictures, vanished without a trace in 1890. Thomas Edison quickly claimed the title of "first and sole inventor of cinema," even taking Le Prince's son to court to dispute it. A few years later, the son also dies under mysterious circumstances.
Sylvan Goldman: The Visionary Who Revolutionized Shopping with the Cart
The inventor of shopping carts, Sylvan Goldman, had to hire several male and female models to push carts around in his store, demonstrate their utility, and explain their use to other customers, due to not catching on initially.
The worst blizzard in recorded history: the 1972 Iran blizzard
The deadliest snowstorm ever recorded occurred in Iran in 1972. It lasted for a week, burying areas in 26 feet of snow and killing over 4,000 people, including the entire populations of three villages.
The true story of Annie Oakley, legendary sharpshooter
Anne Oakley was such a good shooter that she could split a playing card help edge-on, hit dimes thrown into the air, shoot cigarette from her husband's lips, and pierce a playing card thrown into the air before it hit the ground.
The youngest person executed, George Stinney Jr was proven innocent
In 1944, George Stinney Jr. was 14 years old when he was executed in South Carolina. It took only ten minutes to convict him — and 70 years to exonerate him.
Poto And Cabengo: The Secret Language Of Twins
Poto and Cabengo, as the two girls called each other, communicated in their own language. The twins were ignored by their parents and secluded from the outside world because their father felt they were developmentally retarded, and their unique language evolved as a result of that neglect.
Titanoboa cerrejonensis, fossils of the world’s largest species of snake
In 2009 in a coal mine of Columbia, scientists discovered fossils of the world’s largest species of snake. The species is called “Titanoboa cerrejonensis,“and it is from around 60 million years ago. It would have had measured about 48 feet long and weighed about 2,500 pounds
8 Interesting Facts About The Unsinkable Ship, TITANIC
If you ask your friends what's the most famous ship in history the answer in most cases will be the same, of course the legendary Titanic. Its history is full of mysteries, at first it was a source of hope and national pride as well as proof of the triumphs of mankind but it soon became a source of nostalgia and pain, the extent of which cannot be described in words.
The Bizarre (And Magical) Duel Between Chung Ling Soo And Ching Ling Foo
Ching Ling Foo and Chung Ling Soo were two magicians from the early 20th century who were bitter rivals. While Ching Ling Foo was genuinely Chinese, Chung Ling Soo was actually a New Yorker named William Robinson.
How Sleep Deprivation Was Once Used as Torture
Sleep deprivation, long before modern interrogation techniques, was considered a “clean” and effective form of torture—leaving no physical scars, yet breaking minds with haunting silence. Victims endured days and nights without rest, leading to vivid hallucinations, disorientation, and psychological torment. This article traces the dark history of sleep deprivation as a weapon, examines the science behind its effects on the brain, and shines a light on the painful balance between human endurance and cruelty in the annals of coercion.
The incredible story of Julia "Butterfly" Hill and her legacy
American environmental activist Julia “Butterfly” Hill lived in a 1500-year-old California Redwood tree for 738 days to prevent it from being cut down by the Pacific Lumber Company. The Simpson’s episode “Lisa the Tree Hugger” was inspired by Hill’s story.
Ea-Nasir: world's oldest written customer complaint
This clay tablet, written in cuneiform, is the oldest known written customer complaint about the delivery of poor quality copper ingots. Originally from ancient Babylon, the tablet dates back to 1750 BCE, and it was written by a customer named Nanni to a merchant named Ea-Nasir. It is currently housed in the British Museum.
Top 10 most cruel medical procedures that are being used today
We are all aware that medicine has advanced dramatically over the last fifty years. There are several modern medical approaches available today, but this was not always the case. However, the past of medicine is a dark one. Medical leeches, lobotomy, vascular surgery, cranial stenosis, and even electroshock therapy are all options. These are only a couple of the cruel healing techniques that are still in use today.
Thomas Baker's heroic act that earned him the "Medal of Honor" was 8 bullets until death
Thomas Baker instructed his team to leave him with a pistol and eight bullets propped up against a tree after he was injured. Later, American troops discovered the now-deceased Baker in the same location, lying next to eight dead Japanese soldiers and carrying an empty pistol.
