WOMEN in MEDICINE: the EARLY YEARS by MAY THORNE, O.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.S.I., L.S.A
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Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.27.309.355 on 1 July 1951. Downloaded from July 1951 THORNE: Women in Mledicine: The Early Years 355 AINSWORTH, N. J. (1928), Roy. Dent. Hosp. iMag., 2, 2-15. 27WEAVER, R. (1950), Brit. Dent. J., 88, 231. 'AINSWORTH, N. J. (1933), Brit. Dent. J., 55, 233. 2"WEAVER, R. (1948), Proc. Roy. Soc. Med., 41, 284. 9DEAN, T. (1946), 'A.A.A.S. Dettal Caries and Fluorine,' 5-3r. 2HODGE, H. D. (1950), J. Am. Dent. Ass., 40, 436. "'BLACK, G. V., and McKAY, F. S. (1916), Dental Cosmos, 58, 129. "McKAY, F. S. (I929), Dental Cosmos, 71, 747. 30KLEIN, H. (1947), Science, 105, 45. 2McCLURE, F. J. (1946), 'A.A.A.S. Dental Caries and Fluorine,' 3KLEIN. H. (1948), U.S. Pub. Health Rept., 63, 563. 74-92. 32ARNOLD, F. A., JUN. (1946), 'A.A.A.S. Dental Caries and 3McCLURE, F. J. (I949), U.S. Pub. Health Repts., 64, 34. Fluorine,' 99-107. "4BROMEHEAD, C. N., MURRAY, M. M., et al. (1943), The 33RUSSELL, A. L. (1949), J. Dent. Res., 28, 298. Lancet, April 17, 1943, 490. "4DEATHERAGE, C. F. (1943), J. Dent. Res., 22, 129. 1'McCLURE, F. J. (1943), Anm. Disease of Children, 66, 362. 35FORREST, J. R., PARFITT, G. J., et al., in press. "McCLURE, F. J., et al. (1945), 7. Industrial Hyg. and Tox., 27, 36BULL, F. A. (1950), J. Am. Dent. Ass., 41, 146. 159. 3"BULL, F. A. (1951), J. Am. Dental Ass., 42, 29. "IMcCLURE, F. J., and KINSER, C. A. (1944), U.S. Pub. Health 3"STREAN, L. P., and BEAUDET, J. P. (1945), N.Y. State J. of Rep., 59, 1575. Med., 45, 2183. "SMITH, F. A., et al. (1950), J. Dent. Res., 29, 569. 3'IRVING, J. T. (I949), J. Dent. Res., 28, I7. "PANDIT, C. G., et al. (I940), Indian Y. Med. Res., 28, 533. 4OGEROULD, C. H. (I945), J. Dent. Res., 24, 223. 20MURRAY, M. M., and WILSON, D. C. (1948), Brit. Dent. J., "CLAPPER, W. E. (I947), Proc. Soc. Exp. Bio. and Mfed., 65, 333. 84, 97. 42DEAN, H. T., et al. (1941), U.S. Pub. Health Rept., 56, 365. "SHORT, E. M. (1944), J. Dent. Res., 23, 247. 43ARNOLD, F. A., DEAN, H. T., et al., U.S. Pub. Health Repts., "2McCLURE, F. J., and LIKINS, R. C. (1950), J. Dent. Res., 29, 57, 773. 315. 44BOREI, H. (I945), 'Arkiv. for Kemi-Mineraloci och geoloci 2oA,' "3McCLURE, F. J. (1948), J. Dent. Res., 27, 287. N. 8, 208. 2)IEAN, H. T., et al. (1939), U.S. Pub. Health Repts., 54, 862. "McCLURE, F. J. (1941), Amer. J. Dis. Child., 62, 512. "'D)EAN, H. T. (I947), Am. J. Orth. atd Oral. Surg., 33, 49. 46HODGE, H. C., and SOGNNAES, R. F. (1946), 'A.A.A.S. Dental "'IWEAVER, R. (1944), Brit. Dent. J., 75, 29. (aries and Fluorine,' 53-73. copyright. WOMEN IN MEDICINE: THE EARLY YEARS By MAY THORNE, O.B.E., M.D., F.R.C.S.I., L.S.A. http://pmj.bmj.com/ A hundred years ago a stirring began to be felt pathy, though they could give her little help; by a few women both here and in America that but she got a little teaching and experience here they should be able to prepare themselves to enter and there and made the best possible use of it. the medical profession. Elizabeth Blackwell was After some years she learned that the Society of the first woman in America who, about i850, Apothecaries of London admitted, to their licence to who made up her mind to study medicine. She had practise medicine, students held the on October 1, 2021 by guest. Protected no idea at that time of the difficulties that stood certificate of a practical apothecary. She became between her and qualification, but by dint of apprenticed and subsequently qualified as an attending a few lectures here and there, by making apothecary, and in I865 applied for admission to use of every scrap of experience, by reading and present herself at the final examination. She was by the help of a few physicians who sympathized admitted to the examination, passed and was thus with her in her ambition, she, after some years of the first woman in England legally qualified to hard struggle and disappointing work, managed practise as a physician of medicine. The Society to present herself for examination at the University was apparently horrified at what it had done, and of Geneva in the State of New York, passed and at once took steps to alter its regulations for became a qualified physician. admission to the examination, by making a rule In England a few years later Elizabeth Garrett that in future, certificates of instruction from a had similar ambitions. She met with similar recognized medical school must be presented by trying experiences, but she, too, persevered in an all candidates for the final examination. This indomitable way. She had the friendship of some regulation prevented any other woman from pre- of the leading medical men, who gave her sym- senting herself for the final examination. Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.27.309.355 on 1 July 1951. Downloaded from 356 POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL Julyl 1951 At this time (1865) Sophia Jex-Blake, who had safely. No damage was done to them personally, seen something of Dr. Lucy Sewell's good work but much mud and many rotten eggs were thrown, in America, made up her mind to study medicine which soiled their clothes. The loyal band in England and applied to the University of Cam- accompanied the women to and from their anatomy bridge, among other places, to be admitted as a classes for a week or io days and the noisy young medical student, but was refused by all. She then students, finding they could not deter the women applied to the University of Edinburgh for from attending at Surgeons Hall, soon contented admission to its course of medical study, but was themselves with writing abusive anonymous letters' refused on the ground that the Senate did not see which, though unpleasant to receive, did no harm. its way to open its course in the interest of only one Several women secured marks which qualified woman. This decision received much notice in them for prizes during this session, but the usual the Press and was seen by Mrs. Isabel Thome, presentation of prizes did not take place at the my mother, who at once wrote to Miss Jex-Blake end of the winter session, as neither the President that she would be glad to join her in the event of of the C(ollege of Physicians nor the President of her making another application and that she the College of Surgeons would take the chair as thought she knew two or three friends who would usual, owing to women being amongst the prize- join them. This was done, and in the autumn of winners. 1869 five women, after passing the matriculation The question of clinical instruction now became examination of the University, received their cards an urgent matter. All medical students at Edin- of Civis Academiae Edinensis showing them to be burgh do their clinical work in the wards of the full students of the University. All now seemed Royal Infirmary. It was known that the Lord straightforward and the five women attended the Provost, at the annual meeting in January I87I, lectures for the first academic year (i869-70), would propose six members favourable to the though in separate classes as co-education was admission of women as students, but, the resolu- deemed to be inadvisable. At the end of the winter tion being lost, all chance of the women obtaining session the usual class examinations were held and hospital teaching was at an end for at least a year. in that for chemistry all the women passed, four As the agitation continued to increase and thecopyright. taking honours and one, Miss Edith Pechey, took struggles of the women to obtain a qualifying the first place. She thus became eligible for the course in the University, which had admitted them Hope Scholarship, but this was withheld and given as full students, became more widely known, many to the man who took the second place. The people became interested in their efforts and an women's success was certainly to their own dis- influential committee of over 500 members was advantage, for the men students were annoyed that quickly formed. From that time the little band the women had done so well. From this time on- of women were no longer an isolated group ward there was a feeling of opposition amongst struggling for themselves, but the pioneers of an certain of the men to the facilities accorded to the important movement strengthened by friends http://pmj.bmj.com/ Women students. willing and able to help with money and wise For the session 1870-71 women were admitted counsel. to the classes of anatomy and physiology and all The five original women students were now went smoothly for a time. The anatomy lectures eligible for the first professional examination. and weekly examinations were held in the College Three of them applied for admission, paid their of Surgeons and on a dark November afternoon in fees and had received their tickets when, 10 a days I870 crowd of noisy young students assembled before the date of the examination, they received on October 1, 2021 by guest. Protected outside the gates of the College at the time the official notice that they would not be admitted usual weekly class examination was to be held to it.