Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-04-27

ElIrahelh blackwell, ND.

its last commencement. As she is the first Med.
ical Doctor of her sex in the United States. the
case is. naturally enough. one Of thnse question:
able matters upon which there must be great
variety of opinions. and the public sentiment is,
besldes Influenced BY the partial and inaccurate
statements Of facts and conieciures which usual
ly supply the place of correct information. To
help your readers To bcuer understanding of
Ihewhoemaiter than they can gather from these
uncertain sources, and especially to inform those
who feel something beyond merely curious in.
teresi 10 it. venture to furnish you hasty
sketch Of her course, and such notions Of her
self and Of her aims as tho proprctes of the
case seem TO warrant.
Miss B. is iweniy.eghI years OF age. She
was born 10 the ci,y OF Bristol, England. Her
father settled with his family in New York when
she was about eleven years old. Aher resi-.
dence there of five or six years, he failed in bJs-
ness, and removed TO Cincinnati. A few weeks
after his arrival there. he died, leaving his wild
ow and nine children in very embarrassed cir
cumsiances. Elizabeth, the third daughter. was
then seventeen years Of age. During the ensu.
Ing seven years, she assisted Two Of her sisters
in teaching a young lady's seminary. By the
Joint efforts of the elder children. the Younger
members Of the family were supported and edu-
Gated, and a comfortable homestead on Walnut
Hill was secured for The family. The proper
tywhirh, in the midst Of their first difficulties,
they had the forecast to purchase, has already
auadrupled The price which it cost them. give
this fact for the illustration of character which
il affords. The enterprise of these young ladies'
is still further indicated BY The next steps which
they scveraIly took. Anna, the eldest some
wears ago took up her residence in the city Of
New York, where she has until lately worked at
the trade Of periodical authorship. French trans
lalion. aud composer of music. She is now IN
England under an engagement with publisher
ihere. to translate the whole of F0nrier's works
She was selected for this task Tor her very high
ability in French translation, and the excellence
Of her English style. Another sister, Emily. is
teaching a boys school in Cincinnati. preparing
them lor college in the departments of mnthe.
malics aud the classic languages. And Eliza.
beth, after Two or three years hard labor and
study in Norh aud South CarnliLa, 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 enrrrlainpJ the
cine. Havi Ig taken the resolution, she went
vigorously to work to eff'cl it,. She commenc.
cd the study of Greek. and perseverrd until she
could rcad it satisfactorily, and revived her Lat
in by devoting three or four hours a day to il.
until she had both sufficiently for all ordinary
and professional purposes. French she had
taught, andsludlcd German TO CRAFTY her fond.
ness for us modern literature. The former she
speaks with 0uency, and translates the Inter
elegantly, and can manuge TO reud Italian prose
pretty well.
Early in the spring of l845 for the purpose
Of making the most money in the shortest time,
she set out for Norh Carolina. and. after some
months teaching French md music, and reading
medicine with DR.. John Dit kinsnn at AShnviIle,
she removed TO Charleston. Here she taught
music alone. and read induslrinusly under Tho
direction Of DR.. Samuel II. Dickson, then res.
ident Of Charleston, aud now Professor Of Prnc.
iice in the UniverSilyof New York. Two years
ago she came to Philadelphia, for the purpose
OF pursuing the study. That summer. DR.. J.
NJ. Allen, Professor Of Anatomy, afforded her
excellent opportunities for dissection in his pri.
vnIe anatomical rooms. The winter following,
she attended her first full course of lectures at
Geneva. The next summer, she resided at the
Bockley Hospital, Philadelphia, where she had
the kindesi attentions from DR.. Benedict, the
Principal Physician, and the very large range
Tor observation which its grent variety and num-
Der of cases affords, Last winter, shealtended
her second course at Geneva, and graduated reg.
uIarIy al the close Of the session. Her thesis
was upon Ship Fever, which she had ample OPP.
portunilies for observing N I|rockl"y. 1t was so
ably written, that the Faculty Of Geneva deter.
mined to give il publication.
Il isin keeping with my idea Of this story to
add, that the proceeds Of her own industry have
been adequate to the entire expense Of her med.
icaI educalion-about eight hundred dollars.
In n few weeks she will leave for Paris. with
tho design of reu aiming there ono or Two years,
hoping 10 obtain there sill greater facilities for
the larher study of her profession than this
country affords; especially in the department OF
surgery, which she has had but liuc opporu.
uity to see.
She will return, when this purpose is accom-
pished. TO pracIice medicine in all its branches,
and will probably sellIe in the city of New York.
My purpose IN detailing these particulars is, ia
give the fullest notion Of her enterprise and OBJ
iec. She gave tho best summary Of il that car
BE- put into words in her reply 10 the Pr'slrn
of The Geneva College, WHEN he presented he
diploma. Departing from the usual form, he
rose und addressed her in manner 50 emphatic
and unusual. thar she was surprised into re
sponso. Il thank you, sir" Said she. "Wul
the help of the Most High, il shall b, the study
Of my life to shed honor on this diploma"
Tier settled sentiment was. perhaps, unconsci
ously discovered in this brief speech. She ha,
fought her way into lheproIcssion, openly, with
ou. disguise. evasion, or any indirecIon, scadi
ly refusing all compromises aud expedencie'
aud under better impulses and with higher aim
than personal ambition or The distinction of sin
gularily Her object was not the honor that
medical degree could confer upon her, but tn
honor ,ha, she resolved 10 boslow upon it; an
H., sha Mill rnhlv ye1ann this nledun ia IN ,