Mentor/s
Dr Brian Stiltner; Dr Suzanne Deschenes
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
The mad monk, the faith healer – so many names are associated with the infamous Grigori Rasputin, most of which arise from the mystery that surrounded his life. Even Robert K. Massie, author of the famed Nicholas and Alexandra, wrote “Without Rasputin, there could be no Lenin”. Yet, the monk’s legacy is intertwined with that of Alexis Nikolaevich Romanov, the last Tsesarevich of Russia. Born as the only son of Nicholas II and Alexandra of Hesse, he would one day inherit the throne – until, not long after his birth, it became clear that he was born with hemophilia. As a descendant of Queen Victoria, there was no question as to where he inherited the disorder form, though there were questions as to whether he would live to see his reign. Since the Romanovs had a net worth of nearly $300 billion in today’s money, they surely had access to the best treatment during their time. However, this has caused many to ask the question: if the Romanovs were able to afford any kind of treatment that was available to them, were options so unsupported at the time that they had no choice but to turn to the faith healer, Rasputin?
Hemophilia’s earliest depictions date to the 2nd century AD, but it would only gain its notoriety after emerging in the descendants of Queen Victoria. The disease is characterized by a lack of clotting factors, thus producing violent bleeding and large bruises. The name of the disease is derived from the Greek word ‘haima’ – meaning blood – and ‘philia’, which means friend (Kaadan & Angrini, 2010). Thus, in ancient times, a person afflicted with the disease would, quite literally, appear to be a ‘friend of blood.’ The rapid and uncontrollable bleeding is caused by a deficiency of clotting factor VIII (hemophilia a) or factor IX (hemophilia b). These proteins work to make the blood stickier in the presence of an incision, allowing a clot to be formed to prevent blood loss. Hemophilia’s cause had long been a mystery, though one fact would be clear through the early 20th century: males scattered across the royal houses of Europe inherited the disorder.
College and Major available
Nursing BSN
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building
Start Day/Time
4-29-2022 1:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-29-2022 4:00 PM
Prize Categories
Best Multidisciplinary Research or Collaboration, Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Most Creative
Hemophilia: The Royal Disease, The Romanovs, and the Mad Monk Rasputin
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building
The mad monk, the faith healer – so many names are associated with the infamous Grigori Rasputin, most of which arise from the mystery that surrounded his life. Even Robert K. Massie, author of the famed Nicholas and Alexandra, wrote “Without Rasputin, there could be no Lenin”. Yet, the monk’s legacy is intertwined with that of Alexis Nikolaevich Romanov, the last Tsesarevich of Russia. Born as the only son of Nicholas II and Alexandra of Hesse, he would one day inherit the throne – until, not long after his birth, it became clear that he was born with hemophilia. As a descendant of Queen Victoria, there was no question as to where he inherited the disorder form, though there were questions as to whether he would live to see his reign. Since the Romanovs had a net worth of nearly $300 billion in today’s money, they surely had access to the best treatment during their time. However, this has caused many to ask the question: if the Romanovs were able to afford any kind of treatment that was available to them, were options so unsupported at the time that they had no choice but to turn to the faith healer, Rasputin?
Hemophilia’s earliest depictions date to the 2nd century AD, but it would only gain its notoriety after emerging in the descendants of Queen Victoria. The disease is characterized by a lack of clotting factors, thus producing violent bleeding and large bruises. The name of the disease is derived from the Greek word ‘haima’ – meaning blood – and ‘philia’, which means friend (Kaadan & Angrini, 2010). Thus, in ancient times, a person afflicted with the disease would, quite literally, appear to be a ‘friend of blood.’ The rapid and uncontrollable bleeding is caused by a deficiency of clotting factor VIII (hemophilia a) or factor IX (hemophilia b). These proteins work to make the blood stickier in the presence of an incision, allowing a clot to be formed to prevent blood loss. Hemophilia’s cause had long been a mystery, though one fact would be clear through the early 20th century: males scattered across the royal houses of Europe inherited the disorder.
Students' Information
Noah Vargoshe, Nursing major, Honors student, class of 2023