A Woman's Quest: The life of Marie E. Zakrzewska, M.D.Zakrzewska, Marie E. (Marie Elizabeth)
History
A Woman's Quest: The life of Marie E. Zakrzewska, M.D.
Zakrzewska, Marie E. (Marie Elizabeth)
Women physicians -- United States -- Biography; Zakrzewska, Marie E. (Marie Elizabeth), 1829-1902
I wish I could mention all of the noble minds, pioneers of a new era
in the broadening of thought. No specialism was represented, except
perhaps that of Abolitionism and the Advancement of Women. Free scope
of the intellect was admitted, and every one who promoted culture of
mind and body was welcomed. Scores of able women sought instruction,
demanding to know what was objectionable in woman’s aspirations.
These and other activities were evidences of the smoldering volcano
which burst forth into active conflagration in the outbreak of the
Civil War, in 1861, and which gave birth to a new type of Woman--as
Minerva was said to have issued forth from the head of Zeus fully armed
with weapons of force and intellect.
The names of Lucy Goddard, Abby May, Ednah D. Cheney, Sarah Shaw
Russell and Anna Lowell should be engraved on plates of gold for
remembrance by those who will come after, for they took a stand which
made history in life, and especially in the life of women.
For, let it be understood, the impression of the great liberality of
Boston society, which I had cherished and fostered as a belief, was
not as well-founded as I thought, and upon closer acquaintance I was
soon convinced that here also it required a great deal of courage to
advocate a new era in woman’s sphere.
Although I found much less tendency to ridicule, to treat with
contempt, or to prophesy failure than we had met in New York, yet
the fear of losing social caste was strong here also. Declarations
that the study of medicine would unsex girls or break down health and
beauty prevailed throughout the community, and newspaper remarks were
discouraging rather than otherwise.
In short, I had to go over the same ground as in New York, explaining
the possibility of a woman physician’s being able to do precisely the
same work as the average man physician. The only difference I found in
the two cities was that in spite of doubt and prejudice against woman
“leaving her sphere,” as it was called, intelligent men and women in
Boston were ready to listen to and to discuss all possible chances.
The fact that this small medical college for women had now lived for
nearly ten years induced the liberal-minded to go a step farther and to
begin to employ women, especially in midwifery cases.
One of the graduates of this school was still practicing in Boston as
midwife on July 1, 1889, she having by that time attended five thousand
confinement cases. Although she was never sought by the well-paying
portion of the Boston community, she held a very reputable position
among her patients and among such of the profession as had business
relations with her. Her name, Mrs. Hassenfuss, has been mentioned to me
quite often by the best of men physicians. Therefore, honor to whom it
belongs. This good, sensible woman, the mother of eleven children, has
done her share in overcoming prejudice against women physicians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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