Editing George H. Tichenor

{{short description|American physician}}

{{Infobox medical person
|name                    =George Humphrey Tichenor     
|image                   = DrTichenor.JPG
|caption                 = George H. Tichenor, as [[United Confederate Veterans|U.C.V.]] Louisiana Division Commander, 1916–1918
|birth_date              ={{birth date|1837|4|17}} 
|birth_place             =[[Ohio County, Kentucky]] 
|death_date              ={{death date and age|1923|1|14|1837|1|14}} 
|death_place             =[[Louisiana]]
|resting_place           =Roselawn Cemetery
|profession              =[[Physician]]
|known_for               =[[Antiseptic]] surgery  
}}
'''George Humphrey Tichenor''' (April 12, 1837{{spaced ndash}}January 14, 1923) was a [[Kentucky]]-born physician who introduced [[antiseptic]] surgery while in the service of the [[Confederate States of America]]. Thereafter, in private practice in [[Canton, Mississippi|Canton]] ([[Madison County, Mississippi|Madison County]]), [[Mississippi]], he developed the formula that became "Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic."

==Early life and education==
Tichenor was born in [[Ohio County, Kentucky|Ohio County]] in western Kentucky to Rolla Tichenor and the former Elizabeth Hymphrey. He was educated in private schools.

==Career==
Initially, Tichenor was a businessman in [[Franklin, Tennessee|Franklin]] ([[Williamson County, Tennessee|Williamson County]]), [[Tennessee]], when the [[American Civil War]] began. After the American Civil War had begun, in 1861, he entered military service with the 22nd Tennessee [[Cavalry]] Regiment.

In 1863, he became an enrolling [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] officer, and thereafter an assistant surgeon, during which time he is believed to have been the first in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] to have used antiseptic surgery. Tichenor experimented with the use of [[ethanol|alcohol]] as an antiseptic on wounds. He was badly wounded in the leg in 1863, and [[amputation]] was recommended. He insisted on treating his wounds with an alcohol-based solution of his own devising. His wound healed, and he regained the use of his leg.

His potential reputation as a humanitarian was clouded by his fierce regional loyalty; Tichenor insisted that his techniques be used only on injured Confederates, never on [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] prisoners.

An unconfirmed story was later circulated that Dr. Tichenor's antiseptic was granted the first patent issued by the Confederate government.<ref>Burger, Nash K., "The Road to West 43rd Street", University Press of Mississippi, 2009, p. 10</ref> An image of the [[Confederate Battle Flag#Battle flag|Confederate Battle Flag]] remained on the product label well into the 20th century.<ref>Burger, Nash K., "The Road to West 43rd Street", University Press of Mississippi, 2009, p. 10</ref>

[[File:DrTichenor1895Ad.jpg|right|thumb|1895 advertisement for Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic]]
Tichenor developed his antiseptic formula in [[Canton, Mississippi]], and thereafter practiced medicine in [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], from 1869 to 1887. He started bottling ''Dr. Tichenor's [[patent medicine|Patent Medicine]]'' in [[New Orleans]]; the formula, consisting of alcohol, oil of [[peppermint]], and [[arnica]], was originally marketed as useful for a wide variety of complaints for both internal and external use for man and animal. A patent was registered in 1882.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gennotes.150m.com/genealog.html |title=Genealogical Notes and Anecdotes |accessdate=2009-05-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422182225/http://gennotes.150m.com/genealog.html |archivedate=2009-04-22 }}</ref> The company producing this liquid was incorporated in 1905 and is still in existence, though the recommended uses are now more modest: principally as a mouthwash and topical antiseptic.

==Personal life==
Tichenor married the former Margaret A. Drane of Kentucky while they were in Canton. They had three sons: Rolla A. Tichenor, George H. Tichenor Jr., and Elmore Drane Tichenor. He was a member of the [[Masonic Lodge]] and the [[Baptist Church]]. He was [[adjutant general]] and commander of the [[Louisiana]] division of the [[United Confederate Veterans]].

He is interred in Roselawn Memorial Park in Baton Rouge, La.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
"George Humphrey Tichenor", ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'', Vol. 2 (1988), p.&nbsp;791

==External links==
*[http://www.drtichenor.com/ Homepage for Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic Mouthwash]
*[http://andspeakingofwhich.blogspot.com/2012/04/dr-tichenors-antiseptic.html "And speaking of which... Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic"]
*[http://nolavie.com/swingin-with-dr-tichenor-94362/ "Swingin' With Dr. Tichenor" - NOLAvie] a look at Dr. Tichenor's in New Orleans area culture

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tichenor, George H.}}
[[Category:1837 births]]
[[Category:1923 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century Baptists]]
[[Category:People from Baton Rouge, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Physicians from New Orleans]]
[[Category:People from Canton, Mississippi]]
[[Category:People from Ohio County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Confederate States Army surgeons]]
[[Category:Baptists from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Baptists from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Baptists from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Members of the United Confederate Veterans]]