Presentation to Focus on Alternative Medicine in Nineteenth Century Niagara Falls

September 30, 2015: A book presentation and signing featuring Museum of disABILITY History founder and author, James M. Boles, EdD, will take place on Friday, October 16, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Museum of disABILITY History, 3826 Main Street in Buffalo.

The presentation, which is part of the Museum’s Dialogues on disABILITY Speaker Series, will highlight the book, They Did No Harm: Alternative Medicine in Niagara Falls, NY, 1830-1930, by James M. Boles, EdD. The publication explores the growth of alternative healing facilities in the 1800s, in response to primitive practices in the field of medicine. With good marketing and common wisdom, these enterprises used a variety of colorful methods to aid their customers. Dr. Boles will provide an overview of the book and share the research that shaped it. Students, human service employees, historians and medical professionals are encouraged to attend and learn about this unique era in the history of medicine.

Throughout his career, Dr. Boles has made valuable contributions to the human services field. From 1981 to 2014, he served as president and CEO of People Inc., Western New York’s leading nonprofit health and human services agency. In1998, he founded the Museum of disABILITY History and was honored for his work with the Hervey B. Wilbur Preservation Award from the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. In 2006, Dr. Boles was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as an advisory committee member on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities for two terms. In 2010, he established People Ink Press, a company dedicated to publishing books relating to disability history and awareness.

Admission for the book presentation and signing is $6 for adults, $3.50 for students, seniors and human service employees and free for Museum members. For more information or to register, call 716.629.3626.

The Museum of disABILITY History, a project of People Inc., is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and display of artifacts relating to the history of people with disabilities. The mission is to tell the story of the lives, triumphs and struggles of people with disabilities as well as society’s reactions. The Museum of disABILITY History, located at 3826 Main Street in Buffalo, NY, offers educational exhibits, programs and activities that expand community awareness.