Pioneer Work in Opening the Medical Profession to WomenBlackwell, Elizabeth
History
Pioneer Work in Opening the Medical Profession to Women
Blackwell, Elizabeth
Blackwell, Elizabeth, 1821-1910; Women physicians -- United States -- Biography
One morning our lady student was missed at the lecture on anatomy,
and the professor entered the room evidently labouring under great
excitement. He stated that he had a communication to make to the class
which demanded the most serious consideration. He then explained that
he had thought it highly improper that the lady student should attend
certain lectures specially adapted for men, and as he was approaching
that subject he had frankly advised her to absent herself, in a letter
which he read. He dwelt upon the indelicacy of the subject, the
embarrassment under which he should labour if a lady were present,
and the injustice which would be done to the class by the imperfect
manner in which he should be obliged to demonstrate the subject. He
closed by offering her abundant private opportunities for study and
dissection. He then read her reply. It was gracefully written, and
showed a full appreciation of his embarrassing position, when viewed
from the low standpoint of impure and unchaste sentiments. But she
could not conceive of a medical man whose mind was not so elevated and
purified by the study of the science of anatomy that such sentiments
would for a moment influence him. Coming to the practical question of
her attendance upon these lectures, she stated that if the professor
would really be embarrassed by the presence of a lady on the first tier
of seats, she would take her seat on the upper tier; and she trusted
that his interest in his subject would lead him to entirely forget
the presence of student No. 130—her registered number. At the close
of the letter the professor acknowledged the justice of the rebuke
which he had received, and declared that a lady who was animated by
such elevated views of her profession was entitled to every possible
encouragement which the class or faculty could give. He then opened
the door and she entered, only to receive an ovation of the most
overwhelming character. The lectures on anatomy proceeded in regular
order to their conclusion; and it was the universal testimony of the
oldest students that they had never listened to such a complete and
thorough course.
At the close of the term our lady student came up for examination
for graduation, and took rank with the best students of the class.
As this was the first instance of the granting of a medical diploma
to a woman in this country, so far as the faculty had information,
there was at first some hesitation about conferring the degree. But
it was finally determined to take the novel step, and in the honour
list of the roll of graduates for that year appears the name, Dr.
Elizabeth Blackwell.
_Church Union._
New York, 1892.
II
_An M.D. in a Gown_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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