The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-29 00:00:00

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ability of the lady to treat them as well as the male
practitioner.. Nothing can be more obvious than
that the lady doctor would possess an immense
vantage—in the unreserved communication of he
patient—over the gentleman. A woman's percer"
tion is more quick and keen. In watching tbe,
diagnosis of complaints and in her knowledge e'
the working of the female mind, and of the ailments
natural to the sex, she would possess an undoubted
advantage. They are more tender nurses, more
enduring with a querulous sufferer, and more fall:
bued with compassion. Their place is natural by
the sick bed, and their soothing influence there
would be greater. The advantage of educatinego
women for the treatment of diseases of wole„,a
would, we believe, be recognised at once, but lie
have no machinery by which such education can a
given. There are few young ladies with the couragh
and determination necessary to carry them tbrenrug
the ordeal which Dr. MARY WALKER has .
mounted in attaining her professional knowledge. C.
however, society recognised the utility of women Pr,%o
titioners there would be no necessity for unclerg°V;
this ordeal. A Collegefor the education of women iha
Medicine and Surgery would at once remove 'ill
difficulties. At present the objection consists in
mixing young women with men as students in
,`.1.1a
branch of knowledge. In such a position the &,
are clearly in the wrong place, but the diffieo",Jo
vanishes when the College is devoted exclusion'
their own sex. Women have attained to gre'
eminence as nurses, and have introduced into ,
hospitals, in spite of medical opposition, mall °a la
tary reforms. In proof of this we have only to clod
the history of FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. if
he
these nurses been educated scientifically for t
he
work, there is no reason why they should not Is.
carried their utility to a far higher point. In
cussing the second proposition we must ael,
the experience of Dr. MARY WALKER as strong 6,,
dente on the subject. The inconvenience a lonb
dresses was very fully dwelt on by her, as baraPeif;
ing every movement, and forcing her to a coasts
change of garments in wet and muddy weatbL'.
She went beyond this in condemnation of the att°_;:
" It was a fact," she said, " admitting of no dent
that long dresses were killing women. The bill
were known to doctors, but as long as stays Ids
flowing costume were worn in their own housell,nl,„,
they
,could not advise their patients to abandon toe-,ii
Those ladies who favoured the Bloomer movement
for the most part incapable of apprect°l3
and explaining the physiological, hygienic, and we e,
bearings of the question, and therefore the raeva,g
meat died out." The question, not long age, lila
very fully considered iu America, and ended by be
sex adhering to their present costume. It raattbe
that this determination was arrived at from
causes given by Dr. MARY WALKER, but, we to
gine, that the love of dress ingrained in the
a much more conclusive reason. The last t'ig
women seem to consider, in attiring themselveten
convenience. It is impossible, had convenience 1,
consulted, that women could have appeared bike 0
e _.,a
verted balloons, as. they lately did in our streets vfo
drawing-rooms. Happily a more rational costwelt
is coming into vogue, and men may now fit/ silk
assemblies without being entangled in folds o of
and muslin, and the inexpressible annoyarl3oo6
putting their feet through delicate fabrics. In "aa
days a woman was a fortress which a irate
had to approach cautiously. It was a de:l,tincl
operation, requiring nice tact to walk vr-„e of
the female figure, or to penetrate through a ",,abr
fashionably dressed ladies. Dr. WALKER'S only
chance of success lies in her making a convert teller
theory of the Empress of the FRENCH. Let pr.
Majesty appear in public, ala Bloomer, and ...-
MARY WALKER may take up the cry of victor on
for the battle would be gained, and ruin descend.
the manufacturers of silks, ribbons, and raue-use
These manufacturers, however, have little oacor,
for alarm, for the innovation is not likely to be the
ried out in general, though if a college for
eats'
education of female medical students were e'tha
Wished they might find it necessary to adopt
attire this lady has found essential. We are 'ilo
to add, in conclusion, that the labours of Dr. d-I,stir,
EDMUNDS, at 4, Fitzroy-square, are tending laLv 01
ably in this direction. He already has a class
seen_
at ladies attending lectures on medical
at his house.