The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-29
WOMAN AS A PHYSICIAN.
BY MRS. S. HEwEs, NJ. D.

By MRS 5. HEWES, N. D.
At the present time more than a
dozen medical colleges are receiving
women as students in medicine. Many
have graduated with honors, and are
successfully working in their profess
sions; some also filling honored posi-
tions as Professors and Presidents of
medical colleges. The names of Eliza
beth Blackwell, Drs. Lozier, Sartain,
Fowler, and hundred more, will be re-
membered by coming generations as
the able pioneer women of their time in
the medical profession.
You will learn to judge of woman's
strength when you see that she persists
strenuously in this worthy purpose,
and, having intelligence, secures by her
energy the rights which shall invest
her with power. This desire for knowl-
edge which women evince will not be
readily extinguished, but under the
genial rays of liberal sentiment, which
is becoming universal, it will blaze
forth like a gigantic flame, infusing
new life, wisdom, and knowledge into
our homes and our common schools,
until every individual shall grow up in
the knowledge of that which pertains to
his or her physical well-being.
The Medical College of California is
now considering the propriety of ad-
mitting women as students. Some
nine years since the government OF
Sweden established a medical college at
Gottenburg with anatomical and class
ical lectures for the education of women,
with the right to establish themselves
as physicians in any part of the King
dom. In London a Woman's Medical
Society was formed in 1858, which mum.
bered sixty-nine graduates in 1860. The
intelligent and accomplished Misses
Chapman and Garret were of their rnum.
ber. France and Germany are liber'
ally educating in this direction.
| 1t may be interesting to remember in
connection with woman's work in med
icine, as well as in philanthropy, that {
Roman lady (Madame Tabiola) in the
fourth century founded at Rome the
first public hospital, and, in the word!
of the historian, "the charity planted
by that woman's hands overspreads The
world, and will alleviate to the end o
time the darkest anguish of humanity
But to return to own beautiful Amer
lea, where the largest spirit of liberality
in education should prevail. We men
tion with pride the action of the Legis
Iature of Michigan in creating a chair o
homeopathy in their State Medical Uni
versity, as also in admitting women t,
the same; and all praise is due to thi
beautiful young Oregon, which has al
ready opened its college doors to women
We learn through the press that Ho
mepathic College is soon to be estab
lished in Portland, which will doubtles
admit women to every department.
None so we'll as woman can compre
hend and soothe the tender infant, b,
her delicately educated perceptions
and her intuitive and sympathetic ma
ture. At the bedside of the mother sh
will be received as one commissions,
by Divine Providence, one to whom th
sufferer will confide without reserve
and one whose coming will not produe
fear; but she will listen for the gentl
footsteps, and wait impatiently for tn
grasp of the womanly hand, the inter
change of sisterly expression, sym
pathy, and affectionate encouragement
and thank God that she lives in this Ell
lightened age, when women can ente
the sick chamber as competent phys
clans. The youthful maiden will liste
with an easy, natural grace to the il
structions given by lady in regard
her present and future physical deve
opment.
Woman as a teacher, as a nurs
wife or mother, should be largel
educated in all that pertains to I'll
well-being, and to the vigorous growt
and development of those who are ell
) trusted to their charge. Let the masst
! be educated in this direction, so tn;
manhood and womanhood shall be ric
in the blessings of full health; an
: when their brows shall become viii
r ened by the frosts of years, their vigc
may challenge admiration, and be SUI
gestive veofimmortality, and of our Faith,
who is in Heaven.