Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-05-03
Account of a Female Doctor
Miss Elizabeth Blackwell, M. d.

Account of a Female Doctor
Miss Elizabeth Blackwell, M. d.
The public, through the newspapers, has
been pretty generally informed that Miss
Elizabeth Blackwell was regular student
of Geneva Medical College, and received
the diploma of that institution at its last
commencement. As she is the first medi-
cal doctor of her sex in the United States,
the case is naturally enough one of those
questionable matters upon which there must
be "A great variety of opinions, and the pub
lie sentiment is. besides, influenced by the
partial and inaccurate statements of facts
and conjectures which usually supply the
place of correct information. 10 help your
readers to a better understanding of the
whole matter than they can gather from
these uncertain sources, and especially to
inform those who feel something beyond a /
merely curious interest in it, | venture to
| furnish you Il hasty sketch of her course,
and such notions of herself and of her aims
as the prophecies of the case seem to war
rant,
Miss B. is twenty-eight years of age. She
was born in the city of Bristol, England
Her father settled with his family in New
York when she was about eleven years old
After a residence there Of five or six years,
) he failed in business and removed to Gin
; cinnati. A few weeks after his arrival
there he died, leaving his widow and nine
children in very embarrassed circumstances.
Elizabeth, the third daughter, was then sew
enteen wears, and assisted two Of her sisters
in teaching yoong lady's seminary. BY
.I H. Ill IA tl,oI
Younger members Of the family were sup.
| ported and educated, and comfortable
homestead on Walnut Hill was secured for
| the family. The property which, in the
r midst of their first difficulties, they had the
, forecast to purchase, has already quadrupl-
, ed the price which it cost them. | give
, this fact for the illustration of character
which it affords. The enterprise of these
young ladies is still farther indicated by the
/. next steps which they severally took An
s ma, the eldest, some years ago took up her
/ residence in the city of New York, where
e she has until lately worked at the trade of
h periodical authorship, French translation,
and composer of music. She is now in
= England, under an engagement with pub
/. Usher there to translate the whole of Four-
h er's works. She was selected for this task
for her very high ability in French transla-
ton, and the excellence other English style.
Another sister, Emily, is teaching boys
school IN Cincinnati, preparing them for
d college in the departments of mathematics
e and the classic languages. And Elizabeth,
t. after two years hard labor and study in
,. North aud South Carolina, and two years
MORE exclusively devoted to the study of
+" medicine, in Philadelphia and Geneva, has
" her medical diploma in her pocket.
About five years ago she first entertained
;e the idea of devoting herself to the study OF
medicine. Having taken the resolution, she
Ut went vigorously to work to effect it. She
commenced the study of Greek, and perse-
s. vered until she could read it satisfactorily
o. and revived her Latin by devoting three OF
o, four hours day to it, until she had both
I'd sufficiently for all ordinary and professional
purposes. French she had taught, and stu
died German to crafty her fondness for it;
modern literature. The former she speak:
with Auency, and translates the latter ele-
ed gan,ly and can manage to read Italian
ne prose pretty WELL
Early in the spring of 1915, for the pur
he pose Of making the most money in the short
% est time. she set out for North Carolina
II, and, after some months teaching French ant
ho music, and reading medicine with DIR. JohI
J: Dickson at Ashevlle, she removed t.
ne Charleston. Here she taught music alone
tb and read industriously under the direction
ON of Dr. Samuel H. Dickson, then a residen
of Charleston, and now professor of practic
|. in the University of New York Two year
lot ago she came to Philadelphia, for the pur
pose of pursuing the study, That summer
on Dr. J. NJ. Allen, professor of anatomy, al
led iorded her excellent opportunities for dlssec
ton, in his private anatomical rooms Tn
winter following she attended her first fu
course of lectures at Geneva. The ne>
> summer she resided at the Blockley Hosp
ne tai Philadelphia, received the kindest after
tons from DR.. Benedict the principal ply
stefan, and the very large range for obse
tu- walton which its great variety and numbe
la of cases afford. Last winter she attende
ri;- her second course at Geneva, and gradu
ted regularly at the close of the session.
Her thesis was upon ship lever, which 81
am had ample opportunities for observing
Bockley. 1t was so ably written that Il
ced faculty of Geneva determined to give it pu
lor- lication. 1t is in keeping with my idea
this story to add that the proceeds of HI
own industry have been adequate to the e.
.,,, tire expense of her medical education
bout eight hundred dollars.
.rd, In few weeks she will leave for Pari
with the design of remaining there one
CHI two years, hoping to obtain there still grea
Oh, er facilities for the further study of her pr
fesson than this country affords especia
ror, ly in the department of surgery, which 81
has had but little opportunity to see. s.
sob, will return when this purpose is accomplis
ues- ed, to practice medicine in all its branch,
and will probably settle in New York city