Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1870-12-10

lFrom the Revolution,l

ability and success OF Drs. blackwell,
Lozier. Preston, and scores of other
woiffen who are devoting their talents
and energy to the profession which has
enlisted their best thoughts and most
womanly endeavors. But it may be
serviceable to us to consider in what
ways woman contributes especially to
the elevation of the medical profession,
and the good of humanity, by sharing
its labors and rewards with her brother
man.
In the first PLACE, her efforts tend to
purify and ennoble the profession. OF
the thousands of male students who
graduate annually in the United States,
and go forth to practice upon the sick
and suffering. very large minority are
unscrupulous men, who merely seek a
livelihood from their practice, without
any high, ennobling aim or motive !;
these are generally coarse, vulgar be-
ings, who are incapable of appreciating
either the sacredness attaching to the
most wonderful of Gods works-the
human organism-or the purity of
heart of many of the afflicted ones who
call upon them for aid and counsel.
Many sufferers have, in times past,
been compelled TO consult such physiei-
ans, or do without medical advice. OF
the women who have chosen this field
OF labor, there arc very few who have
not felt sense of their own peculiar
fitness to perform their part worthily,
or who are wanting in reverence for
either the material or spiritual revela-
tions OF the Divine Being in humanity
These purer hearted women will. in
coming years, displace those men whose
coars, ne IS. ignorance and want OF prln>
ciple Law made the practice of medl-
cine, in t)o many instances, repulslve
cruel empiricism. The true and large
hearted of the other sex will not only
remain in the profession, to dignity and
ennoble it, but will welcome the advent
OF every woman whose nature impets
her to seek its labars and rewards.
Such men will ever receive grateful
tribute from all good women, whether
patients or fellow practitioners.
Another great benefit which will
accrue to mankind through women ply
sicians is the growth aud diffusion of a
healthier, purcr sentiment with regard
to the sexual relations of husband and
wife. Mankind have been wont to talk
eloqueutly abontthe sacredness of mar
rage; but how small has been the
number of husbands aud wives whose
closest aud most intimate relations have
been the outgrowth Of holy love. l.
there anything sacred in .he mere
blending of the sexual forces Under the
blind guidance of passion! Marriage
| is used by many husband as a mere
cover for the qualification of sexual de-
| sire, rather than as "a sacred bond OF
pure and perfect mutual love Against
this iniquity, women as physicians
WELD mightier influence than men
through their keener sensitiveness t.
such wrongs, they make more d.ter,
mined and strenuous efforts against
them; they will continue to do so, aut
will labor to arouse both husbands and
wives to sense Of their duty to eacl
otheEsand the responsibility of those
who assume the privilege OF parentage
Whelfa. woman enters sick room
as physieiau. whiskey and tobacco d
not pollute the atmosphere. La how
many cases docs the patient find th'
male physicians breath tainted will
one or both of these poisons ? How
inconsistent to go to the bedside of th'
invalid, carrying foul and deleteriou,
matters, when it is always Of the utmos
importance to supply the sick with al
abundance of pure. fresh air. In tn
better time coming, women will demant
of men, whether physicians or hus
bands and brothers, abstinence from al
unclean, injurious habits. For thos
men who are already free from al
bondage, such as marks the slave o
alcohol or tobacco, true women enter
tain the most hearty respect aud appre
citation.
Women physicians very properl
render humanity service by administer
ing to class of sufferers who, througl
extreme seusitiveness, find themselve
unable to communicate their condition
! to those of the opposite sex. MucI
can be done for those who snffer fror
diseases peculiar to their sex by inteli
; gent, explicit instruction. The enhght
, ened physician does not feel her dut
completed when she has made pre-
scription for her patient; indeed, pre-
scribing is small part of her labor
her province is to teach her patien
, how to avoid disease, pointing out th
causes thereof, and interpreting to he
patients the laws of life and health
] this, to, in phraseology that she can Ut
+ derstand--not in the vernacular Of tn
profession. This especially is woman
work Educated women who hav
Subjected their minds to thorough dis
cipline are not only, as general thing
superior to men as teachers, but partic
ularly SO in their ability to present SCI
entifc truths in language marked b
] simplicity and clearness.