The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-18

possesses special adaptation for the task of a
''ministering angel" at the sick bed, she should
be endowed with every possible opportunity for
qualifying herself thoroughly for this important
duty; but Philadelphia is entitled to the credit
of making the first systematic provision for the
medical education of women. On the 18th of
October, 1850, the Female Medical College of
Pennsylvania Ga title which has since been
very properly changed to the Womdn'S
Medical College of Pennsylvania)
opened as ''the first in the world regularly or
ganized for the instruction of women in the
various departments of learning taught in the
best medical schools" Since that period it has
encountered large share of the hostility, indif-
ference, and internal discord which usually at
tend new enterprises; but it has, nevertheless,
accomplished much good and, mastering all
difficulties, 1t Is now established on permanent
and prosperous basis. The catalogue of students
at the last session contained forty-four names;
the degree of Doctor of Medicine was conferred
upon fourteen graduates at the March COM
mencement; and the corporators gratefully an
nounce, in their last report, that they have re-
Gently received legacy from deceased fellow
corporator of sixty thousand dollars, which will
place the institution upon fourishing financial
basis.
NOl " LllnG IHc uscluluGSb VI Tic COllGBC III lulS
city was seriously impaired by the want of clini-
cal facilities, and the absence of opportunities
to learn and test, practically, the theoretical
knowledge CLEANED from the textbooks and the
oral instruction of professors. Other cities, and
even conservative New York, in response to the
appeals of that energetic and talented pioneer,
DIR. Elizabeth Blackwell, temporarily showed
greater liberality in extending to female students
of medicine the facilities pOnnpptpd with the
city hospitals, dispensaries, asylums, and mfr
maries than was evinced here. But Philadelphia,
although slow to move, has at last
cast aside her former prejudces. There
is no longer any necessity for the female
student, theoretically indoctrinated here,
to go elsewhere for practical instruction. The
Woman's Hospital attached to the Woman's
Medical College, alone, receives and treats from
three to four thousand patients per annum, and
during the last year the clinics of two great pub
lie hospitals-the Philadelphia Hospital (Block-
ley) and Wills Ophthalmic Hospital-have been
opened to the college class connected with the
Woman's Medical College of this city, so that
the cOrporators are fully sustained in their state
ment that 'the opportunities afforded in Phila-
delphia to lady students of medicine are unsur-
passed elsewhere"
We have no faith in the statement of a con-
temporary that in time women must engross
the medical profession" We regard such
result as neither probable nor desirable. The
true interests of mankind will be best served by
an abundance of well-qualifed physicians of both
sexes. Women, doubtless, suffer much unneces-
sary pain, and even in thousands of cases lose
their lives through hesitancy to state frankly
and thoroughly their Affections to male doctor;
and it is not difficult to conceive that men might
fall victims to similar retcence if they could
not readily consult physicians of their own sex.
1t is folly to talk of women crowding men from
the medical profession, but it is wrong to pre-
vent women from entering it. The marked sue
cess which has attended the labors of some of the
women practitioners of the day, the ease with
which they have acquired large practice, and
the skill they have displayed in relieving suffer
ing humanity, abundantly prove that the heal
ing art opens large and legitimate sphere of
action for intelligent women. Bad doctors of
either sex are woful curse; good ones, whether
male or female are blessing.