The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-04-15
Woman and Medicine.
Inr pR. orrA7r. xAsIroroc. wrs.l

LEI DE- oNfAST. AAhfTOWOS. WEI
Whatever nay be thought of the fitness
of women far tho practice, there are certain i
ly few subjects Acknowledged, which are Of
more vital importance to her than that of
medicine. She may be good housekeerer, /
faithful wife and a well meaning mother; |
yet, without. at least, some knowledge OF
diseases in their various ferns. and the lead |
ing remedies used in their treatment, she is
united for the high position to which God
assigned her. l do not mean that woman
should deyots years to tbs study of medicine,
bending her every energy to the mastery OF
the science, but that che pursue well that
branch oft which most closely effects her
that ofthe mechanism and functions of that
most wonderful Of mysteries, her own being.
hold that no woman should assume the Darri- |
age relation until she is thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with the functions of her own body, and
familiar with the symptoms of the diseases
to which she is alone liable. But this
knowledge il not sufficient, there is hardly
day 10 the life Of the married woman that
she is not called upon to exercise some
knowledge Of medicine or surgery. 1t may
be but the dressing of a slight burn, or cut
finger, or treating child for cold, headache
or fever, but however trivial the ailment
may be,the fact of knowing just how to 20
about it is of vast Importance TO the sufferer;
for, no matter how slight the wound or the
attack of disease, the results are often very
serious. How often do we see crooked or
tiffened limb or an otherwise handsome
face dis6gured by an ugly, unsightly scar,
the result of what was perhaps very slight
injury, but which through the carelessness
or ignorance of the nurse, resulted in per.
manent Disagreement Of the poor sufferer,
who was 20 unfortunate as to have been
placed under such care. 1t may seem like
harsh assertion, yet am sure that many
infants lives are sacrificed yearly through
the ignorance of mothers. The fact that
such ignorance exists is burning shame to
American women. know that all women
cannot attend medical college but every
family can and should possess at least one
standard medical work; and q work on
Anatomy and Physiology. We have several
good Domestic works, which are written in
familiar and simple language; being entire
ly free from technicalities, they may be
easily understood by any woman of ordi-
nary education. No family library is con-
sidered complete now -a-days without q
cook book containing thousand recipes
for impairing the health and laying the
foundation for innumerable diseases: yet
venture the assertion that not one family
in ten possesses q sound medical work, and
where We, by chance, find family possessing
such work, it is usually kept under lock
and key, as being something unfit for the
perusal of young girls, instead of forming
as it should q portion of their daily reading.
1t would seem that the mother instinct in
woman ought to teach her to be good
nurse, and yet how few there are whose
presence is a source of comfort to the patient.
But ON the other hand her manner of caring
for the sick is so awkward and unscientific
as to be a source of irritation, if not actua
annoyance, to the sufferer. How often
does the careful physician feel the
great responsibility resting upon him when
he is comr elled to leave his patient in the
charge of careless ignorant and iDattentiye
nurse, for the result Of whose ignorance
he i'll be censured no matter how uni Justly?
Surely, nevertheless, then why can we not
have connected with our colleges depart.
ment for tie education of women particu-
larly in practical medicine and minor
Surgery? She might attend Hospital
clinics and bitness operations in Surgery and
listen to lectures on the subject Of nursing.
She might also be allowed 20 practice in the
Hospital thus fitting herself ior any emer-
gency; but let both her study and practice
be under the immediate supervision of the
Hospital Surgeon or some well qualified
male physician. And although believe thut
woman mag with great propriety practice
medicine, ii she is thoroughly educated in
ull its branches. Yet there are many reas.
ons why she should not engage in the gen.
eral parotics of medicine. A woman is
naturally much better nurse than q man
and she should qualify herself for what, in
emergencies, seems to be quite natural to
her
| at 10 her sphere to watch beside
The bed of sickness and of pain.
And when the ht 81 almost desFars
i IL. .h,srA hon. andh. A.rain