And here's a pair of extracts from What Can a Woman Do, Or, Her Position in the Business and Literary World, by Martha Louise Rayne, published in 1887.
First, from pages 65 to 67, here's an interesting recounting of the rise of women in the field of medicine:
It is only a few years since the idea of a woman entering the profession of medicine as a doctor was something so quixotic, it not actually absurd, that any girl who alluded to such a vocation was reasoned with and talked to as if she had contemplated moral suicide. Less than fifty years ago, when diseases where usually classed under the heads of colds or fevers, a patient who was sick enough to need medical attention was waited on by a pompous, elderly sort of person who brought the whole pharmacopoeia of medicine with him in his saddled bags. When he had examined the patients's tongue, felt his pulse, and consulted an old silver fob watch, with grave and decorous air; he either bled or blistered -- frequently did both -- and gave copious doses of salts and senna, tinct, rhubarb, and a calomel pill of colossal size. If the patient grew worse his head was shaved; and if the fever ran high he was forbidden a drop of water to cool the tip of his tongue, nor could he eat anything but arrow root and water gruel. If it was the old typhus fever, there was not much chance of life, except in the remedial art of nature. Medical science has now discovered a number of new diseases, and eeveloped corresponding cures. The old saddle-bag dispensary has passed out of sight, and a fever stricken patient is no longer depleted by phlebotomy.
Among the new dispensations of the science of medicine the lady doctor takes a prominent part. What would the Dr. Johnsons or the Abernethys, of the old regime, think if they were called upon to consult with Dr. Mary Jacobi of New York, Dr. Nancy Hill of Iowa, Dr. Gertrude Banks or Dr. Helen Warner of Michigan, all ladies of the highest medical standing, with diplomas from the best medical colleges in the land, with an annual practice each of several thousand dollars, representing individually the States of New York, Iowa, and Michigan. The utmost recognition these skillful scientific doctors could have gained from the old-time medical man would have been, "My good woman, you will make an excellent nurse, you shall have my endorsement."
Yet it does not belong to this century to bestow on woman the first medical diploma. In 1799 Mara Zega was a doctor of medicine in Europe, and in Padua there were famous doctresses. Laura Bassi was elected professor of experimental physics in 1793. The universities of Europe had rare and exceptional cases of women who excelled as surgeons, and were highly esteemed for their skill. A number of ladies, some of them of noble families, graduated both in law and medicine at Padua, in the beginning of the last century. The first woman who was ever granted a diploma in the medical profession was Elizabeth Blackwell, who, in 1855, was admitted to the hospital of St. Bartholomew, in London, as walking physician. Ten years later she gave medical lectures in that city, which challenged the attention and respect of the whole medical fraternity. Dr Blackwell founded the New York Infirmary, where 6,000 patients were treated in one year. Mrs. Mary Jacobi, of New York, is another successful and prominent physician who studied abroad and has successfully competed with the best medical talent of both the New and the Old World.
In 1876 the College of Physicians of Dublin opened its doors to women, and has graduated a number since that time...
And, from a few pages later in that chapter, page 72, here's an anecdote about a person's experience encountering a woman doctor for the first time:
This book has been republished a number of times over the years, and is available in hundreds of libraries around the world, including even Australia. Or for those who would like to have their own copy, it looks like it costs about $30 for a print book or about $8 for kindle.
First, from pages 65 to 67, here's an interesting recounting of the rise of women in the field of medicine:
THE WOMAN DOCTOR
It is only a few years since the idea of a woman entering the profession of medicine as a doctor was something so quixotic, it not actually absurd, that any girl who alluded to such a vocation was reasoned with and talked to as if she had contemplated moral suicide. Less than fifty years ago, when diseases where usually classed under the heads of colds or fevers, a patient who was sick enough to need medical attention was waited on by a pompous, elderly sort of person who brought the whole pharmacopoeia of medicine with him in his saddled bags. When he had examined the patients's tongue, felt his pulse, and consulted an old silver fob watch, with grave and decorous air; he either bled or blistered -- frequently did both -- and gave copious doses of salts and senna, tinct, rhubarb, and a calomel pill of colossal size. If the patient grew worse his head was shaved; and if the fever ran high he was forbidden a drop of water to cool the tip of his tongue, nor could he eat anything but arrow root and water gruel. If it was the old typhus fever, there was not much chance of life, except in the remedial art of nature. Medical science has now discovered a number of new diseases, and eeveloped corresponding cures. The old saddle-bag dispensary has passed out of sight, and a fever stricken patient is no longer depleted by phlebotomy.
Among the new dispensations of the science of medicine the lady doctor takes a prominent part. What would the Dr. Johnsons or the Abernethys, of the old regime, think if they were called upon to consult with Dr. Mary Jacobi of New York, Dr. Nancy Hill of Iowa, Dr. Gertrude Banks or Dr. Helen Warner of Michigan, all ladies of the highest medical standing, with diplomas from the best medical colleges in the land, with an annual practice each of several thousand dollars, representing individually the States of New York, Iowa, and Michigan. The utmost recognition these skillful scientific doctors could have gained from the old-time medical man would have been, "My good woman, you will make an excellent nurse, you shall have my endorsement."
INTERESTING STATISTICS
Yet it does not belong to this century to bestow on woman the first medical diploma. In 1799 Mara Zega was a doctor of medicine in Europe, and in Padua there were famous doctresses. Laura Bassi was elected professor of experimental physics in 1793. The universities of Europe had rare and exceptional cases of women who excelled as surgeons, and were highly esteemed for their skill. A number of ladies, some of them of noble families, graduated both in law and medicine at Padua, in the beginning of the last century. The first woman who was ever granted a diploma in the medical profession was Elizabeth Blackwell, who, in 1855, was admitted to the hospital of St. Bartholomew, in London, as walking physician. Ten years later she gave medical lectures in that city, which challenged the attention and respect of the whole medical fraternity. Dr Blackwell founded the New York Infirmary, where 6,000 patients were treated in one year. Mrs. Mary Jacobi, of New York, is another successful and prominent physician who studied abroad and has successfully competed with the best medical talent of both the New and the Old World.
In 1876 the College of Physicians of Dublin opened its doors to women, and has graduated a number since that time...
And, from a few pages later in that chapter, page 72, here's an anecdote about a person's experience encountering a woman doctor for the first time:
A farmer living near a large Western town was sent in hurriedly to the city to bring the first doctor he could find. He reined his horses up at the door of an office bearing a doctor's sign, went in, and looking at the neat little lady in the consulting room, said hurriedly:
"Where's the doctor? I want him right off."
"I am the doctor," said the little lady quietly.
The man turned red, whistled, then looked perplexed.
"Whew!" he said slowly,“ I hadn't calculated on a woman doctor!”
“No,” said the doctor, smiling brightly, “a good many people had not. Will you take me, or ride a few blocks further for a doctor of your own sex?”
The farmer looked at her and said firmly, "I haven't much time to wait. Jump in. I reckon Polly will be glad to see you, anyhow."
And Polly was glad, and has employed the lady doctor since, when she or any of the family are ill.
"Where's the doctor? I want him right off."
"I am the doctor," said the little lady quietly.
The man turned red, whistled, then looked perplexed.
"Whew!" he said slowly,“ I hadn't calculated on a woman doctor!”
“No,” said the doctor, smiling brightly, “a good many people had not. Will you take me, or ride a few blocks further for a doctor of your own sex?”
The farmer looked at her and said firmly, "I haven't much time to wait. Jump in. I reckon Polly will be glad to see you, anyhow."
And Polly was glad, and has employed the lady doctor since, when she or any of the family are ill.
This book has been republished a number of times over the years, and is available in hundreds of libraries around the world, including even Australia. Or for those who would like to have their own copy, it looks like it costs about $30 for a print book or about $8 for kindle.
