The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-22
An Example.

running through HaTper'S Monthly,
though somewhat disconnected, illus
rates well the obstacles that have been
thrown in woman's path in her attempt
TO study medicine in England as well
as on this side of the water:
GAS to the study and practice of med
icine degrading women, he asked if it.
degraded men. No; it elevated them.
They could not contradict him on that
point. He declined to believe, without
particle of evidence, that any science
could elevate the higher sex and degrade
The lower. What evidence we had ran
against it. Nurses are not as a class,
uufeminine, yet all that is most appall-
ing, disgusting, horrible, and unSering
IN the art of healing is mOnopolized by
them. Women see worse things than
lOctors. Women nurse all the patients
If both sexes, often under horrible and
Iickening conditions, and lay out all
the cOrpses. No doctor objects to this
On sentimental grounds; and why? be-
cause the nurses get only a guinea
week, and not guinea flying visit;
10 women the loathsOme part of medi-
cine; to man the lucrative! The noble
nurses of the Crimea went to attend
males only, yet were not charged with
lndelicacy. They worked gratis. The
WOuld-be dOctresses look mainly to at
tending lUOnleR;' but then they want to
Oe paid for it; there was the rub. 1t
vas a mere money question, and all the
attempts of the union TO hide this and
play the sentimental shOp-man were
transparent hypocrisy and humbug.
"a doctor justly revered in Edinburgh
answered him, but said nothing new
nor effective, and, to our great joy, the
majority went with us.
"Thus encouraged, the University
Court settled the matter. We were ad-
nitted to matriculate and study medi-
cine under certain conditions, to which
beg your attention.
''Hhe instruction of women for the
| profession of medicine was to be con-
| lucted in separate classes confined en-
! Lirely to women.
"The professors of the Faculty of Med
! cine should, for this purpose, be per-
mitted to have separate classes for
women.
"All these regulations were approved
! by the Chancellor, aud are to this day a
part of the law of that University.
1--WE ladies, five in number, bnt after
| ward seven, were matrIculated and reg
lstered professional students of medi-
line, and passed six delightful months
We now look back upon as if it were d
happy dream.
I'VE were picked women, all in earn
est; we deserved respect, and we met
With it. The teachers were kind, and
We attentive and respectful; the stu
lents were courteous, and we were atfa-
LII 20 IL
seven young women could do to earn
esteem, and reconcile even our OppO-
uents to the experiment, we did. There
was not an anti-student or downright
dirt among us; and, indeed, have OBJ
served that an earnest love of study
aud science controls the amOrOus frivol,
| lty of women even more than mems
Perhaps our heads are really smaller
lhan mems, and we haven't room il
Them to be like SOlOmou-eXtremely
wise and arrant fools.
"rhis went on until the first prOfes,
5ional examination; but, after the eX.
animation, the war; to our cOnsterna,
zion, recommended. Am |, then, bad
hearted for thinking there must have
ueen something in that examination
which reused the sleeping spirit o
Lrades-unionism ?"
at seems probable"
'"Ihen view probability by the ligh
Of fact:
ain physiology the male student.
were one hundred and twenty-seven
In chemistry, two hundred and twenty
six.
Twenty obtained honors in phys
lology.
"Thirty-one in chemistry.
ain physiology and chemistry ther
were five women; one obtained honor
IN physiology alone; four obtained hon
DTS in both physiology and chemistry
, $50 you see, the female Students bea
The male students in physiology at til
rate of five to one, and in chemistry
seven and three-quarters to one.
"But horrible to relate, one of the la
lies eclipsed twenty-nine out of the thiT
Ly-one gentlemen who took hOnOrs il
chemistry. In capacity she surpasse
them all, for the two who were abov
her obtained only two more marks tina
she did, yet they had been year louge
At the study. This entitled her to
Hope Scholarship for that year.
! would you believe it? the scholar
ship was refused her-in utter detianc
of the founders conditions-on the idl
b pretext that she had studied at a differ
ent hour from male students, and there
: lore was not member of the chemistr
! class"
b "Then why admit her to the compet
ton ?" said Wizard.
"Why? Because the q priOri reason
\ ers took it for granted she would be de
{ feated. Then the cry would have beeI
Q You had your chance; we let you tr
: for the Hope Scholarship, but you coul
j not win it, Having won it, she was t
E Oe cheated out of it somehow or any
how. The separate class system was nc
E that lady's fault; she would have pre-
ferIed to pay the University lecture
o lighter fees and attend.a better lectul
: with the male students. The separai
class was an untavOrable condition
n study, which the University imposed o
o US as the condition of admitting us {
- the professional study of medicine
r Surely, then, to cheat that lady out
her Hope Scholarship, when she ha
n earned it under conditions of study Ell
O forced and unfavOrable, was perfdioU
and dishonest. 1t was even little III
grateful to the injured sex; for IL
= money which founded these scholar
| ships was women's money, every penn
Il of it. The good Professor Hope had LEI
), tured to ladies fifty years ago; had take
their fees, and founded his scholarship
l. with their money; and it would haN
Is done his heart good to see lady wi
o and wear that prize, which, but for b
e female pupils, would never have existe
.e But it is easy to trample on dead maj
e as easy as on living women.