Alexander Skene

Alexander Johnston Chalmers Skene was an American gynecologist who described what became known as the Skene's glands. He was born in Fyvie, Scotland, on June 17, 1837 and died on July 4, 1900 in his summerhouse in the Catskills, New York.

At the age of 19, he came to America. He studied medicine first in Toronto, then Michigan, and finally at the Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn graduating in 1863. After a brief military service he entered private practice in Brooklyn and advanced to become Professor of Disease of Women at Long Island College Hospital.

Skene wrote over 100 medical articles and several texbooks. He contributed many surgical instruments and improved on surgical techniques. Primarily, he is remembered for his description of the Skene's glands at the floor of the urethra. He also described their infection - skenitis.

As a scupltor, Skene created a bust of J. Marion Sims, which is on display in the lobby of the Kings County Medical Society. A bust honoring him is located in Prospect Park Plaza.

See also

• Paraurethral glands
• Skene's gland

Reference

Chesley LC: The evolution of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Downstate 1860-1980. 1981.

External link

NY Park link