History Revealed: Charles W. Malchow

Charles W. Malchow and the Story Behind “The Sexual Life”
With Dr. Ryan Hurt with Paul Nelson

History Revealed Series
Program Date: April 22, 2021
Video on YouTube

Viewer discretion advised.
At the turn of the twentieth century, a progressive doctor named Charles W. Malchow, who worked at Hamline University’s short-lived Department of Medicine, wrote a book—a book about sex. Trained at the Minneapolis College of Physicians and Surgeons and in Europe, the young doctor believed it was important for readers, particularly women, to better understand sexual relationships as healthy and normal. He partnered with publisher Olly Burton. Together, they ran their work by test audiences. They even contacted the postal authorities to make sure they could send promotional materials and the book itself through the mail. They were reminded by one postal official of the Comstock Law. Despite that, they proceeded as planned.

Authors Ryan T. Hurt and Paul Nelson, will share the story of Dr. Malchow, Olly Burton and the aftermath of their publication.

Past History Revealed Programs
More videos of some of our past History Revealed programs are available on the RCHS YouTube channel.
Ramsey County Historical Society Youtube Channel

To purchase titles from the History Revealed series, or other books of interest, see our partner, Subtext Books at https://subtextbooks.com/