Medical Frontiers: Women Physicians and the Politics and Practice of Medicine in the American West, 1870-1930 by Jacqueline D. Antonovich A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History) in the University of Michigan 2018 Doctoral Committee: Professor Alexandra Minna Stern, Co-chair Professor Regina Morantz-Sanchez, Co-chair Professor Anna Kirkland Professor Matthew D. Lassiter Professor Martin Pernick Jacqueline D. Antonovich
[email protected] ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6295-7735 © Jacqueline D. Antonovich 2018 For my younger self. A single mother, working as a waitress, with only an associate degree in hand. You are my inspiration every day. ii Acknowledgements Years ago, when I decided to return to school to finish my bachelor’s degree, I never imagined that the journey would end with a Ph.D. I want to thank the History Department at the University of Michigan for taking a chance on me, and I also want to encourage them to keep taking chances on students like me – first-generation, non-traditional students bring a valuable and much-needed perspective to the academy. Alexandra Minna Stern is a phenomenal advisor. Her scholarly insight and professional mentorship has made this dissertation a stronger project, and I am a better historian because of her. My dissertation co-chair, Regina Morantz Sanchez, provided unwavering support over the past seven years. She has always taken my claims about the importance of medical women’s politics seriously, and graciously opened up both her home and her archives to me. Martin Pernick taught me not only how to be a pretty good medical historian, but also how to be an excellent teacher.