The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-01 00:00:00

FEMALE PHYSICIANS.

As already mentioned, a meeting of the General Council
of the University of Edinburgh has been held—the Right
Hon. John Inglis, Chancellor, presiding. The first subject
taken up was with reference to the admission of ladies to
medical study. The Rev. Dr. Phin, Galashiels, moved,—
"That the General Council disapprove of the resolutions of
the University Court to admit ladies to medical study in the
University of Edinburgh." He objected to the proposal in
the first place because he believed there was no need for
the admission of ladies into the medical profession. He
did not believe in the stories which were so often told
about women losing their health because they could not
make up their minds to consult medical men. Things
were going on well, and why should they not let well
alone ? They had no women coming forward and saying
that they desired the services of female practitioners.
He was convinced that the demand for them did not exist,
and if there was no demand why should they furnish the
supply? He also objected to the proposal because there
was great risk of practitioners of the female sex appearing
who would enter upon very improper practices. That was
a very delicate subject; but the details which were given
of it in the University Court, when the matter was pleaded
there, were of the most alarming, he would add even of the
most horrible description. Speaking of females generally,
he held them to be both physically and mentally dis-
qualified from acting as surgeons or even as physicians in
those nerve-trying cases which doctors most constantly
anticipate. If ladies were to be admitted into the medical
profession he did not see why they could object to them
becoming clergymen, barristers, legislators, or soldiers.
Dr. Andrew Wood, in seconding the motion, said that the
competition in the medical profession had arrived at such a
pitch that many medical men were actually starving for
want of employment ; and were they to improve that
state of matters by bringing ladies out of their proper
sphere into a sphere that had hitherto been occupied
by men ? There was no use of being mealy-mouthed on the
subject, and he must say that he could not look with any
degree of comfort upon any lady whom he saw coming out
of the dissecting-room. He did not think the ladies knew
what they were going to encounter. Professor Masson
moved as an amendment—" That the General Council
approve of the resolution of the University Court
respecting the admission of women to the study
of medicine in the University of Edinburgh." He
said that five women had come to Edinburgh,
and had taken the necessary steps for qualifying them-
selves for studying medicine. They had passed the
preliminary examination, to which 152 candidates in all
had come forward. The results of the examination were
that not one of the five women were "plucked," and four
of them were among the very first in all or most of the
subjects. As to the objections to the admission of ladies to
medical study, there was 'a phrase which was a summary of
the whole, namely, "the sphere of women." That phrase
was a phrase which was meaningless, hurtful and prejudi-
cial. The sphere of women, who could tell what it was?
The sphere of men, who oould tell what it was ? The sphere
of man or woman was the whole round of space, any posi-
tion they could fill honourably or usefully by their mind or
their ability. From the beginning of the world women had
attended sick beds, and nursed, and laid out corpses.
Professor Bennett, in seconding the; amendment, said that
the effect of refusing to admit ladies would be to compel
them to go to Paris for that education which they
could not obtein at home. Professor Macdonald, St.
Andrews, thought there was no use in forcing ladies into a
university, some members of which were opposed to
receiving them. Let them get qualified the best way they
could, whether in this country or elsewhere, and if they
attained a sufficient qualification they could be presented
with university honours. Mr. Skelton, advocate, said he
understood that there was a strong desire among ladies to
be attended, not only at certain interesting periods of their
life, but generally, by members of their own sex. That
appeared to him to be a very natural and a very laudable
desire. He did not think there was any risk
of golden-haired young graduates turning the heads
of the young men, or becoming the occasion of amatory
odes to medical professors. On the contrary, the
graduates proposed to be admitted were framed on a much
severer model—the model of :the Minerva Medica. Prin-
cipal Sir Alexander Grant said he thought the Council
should leave it to the applicants to find out whether the
medical profession was suitable for them. Dr. Alexander
Wood said that if women were fit to enter the medical pro-
fession, and fit to compete with men in it, he was sure
there was not a member who would not bid them " God
speed." He repudiated the insinuation that there was any
thing of a degrading or impure tendency in medical studies
On a division Professor Masson's amendment was carried
by a large majority. A committee was appointed to con•
sider whether the regulations as to.the degree of Bachelor
of Divinity might not with advantage be modified so as tc
admit " candidates who are-not members of the Church of
Scotland," without requiing of them attendance on the
Theological Faculty of the University; and also whether
iany changes should be made in the system of graduation
generally. The meeting then separated.

The Edmunds scandal case inquiry is drawing to t
close. On Saturday Mr. Higgins completed his summing
up on behalf of Mr. Edmunds. The Attorney-General
then replied at great length, contending that the, amount
which Mr. Edmunds had received to which NO was not
entitled, and which lie ought to refund, was, with
interest, £14,719. The Court then adjournectugil neal
Thursday.