Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-04-05

The above theme was the subject Of
discussion at a recent meeting Of the
"Association for the Advancement of
the Medical Education Of Women" in
New York and we give the following
synopsis of two Of the addresses made
on the occasion. a
Mr.. Rooseyelfs address was entitled
the Social Influence of Women Phys
icians," and be pointed out very plain
ly the benefits that were to arise from a
general employment by women OF thor
oughgoing women doctors. aft is said
by writer upon the subject" began
Mr.. Roosevelt, ''that the vast majority
of women Of the present day are in poor
health or at all events far from being
perfectly sound; taking the standard or
absolute health at 100, the vast maiori-
ty are not above seventv-fye. How
many women there are who drag through
sort o1 halt Ilfe, who look with dread
upon q walk: who are tired out as by a
days labor almost before the day has
begun. Nature never intended that
one-half of the race should be in d con-
tinual state of illness. Woman may be
the weaker vessel, but she was not in
tended TO drift over a lifelong sea Of
suffering, with liability to sink at any
moment. This consequence of bodily
ill-health in women is deplorabie. II
causes unhappiness to parents, breeds
trouble between husband and wife, and
perpetuates itself in children. Men
look upon the continuous ailings OF wo-
men first with surprise, then with pity,
and very often, finally, with contempt.
The most kindly disposed call IT aiTec-
tation, and the brainless idiot bases upon
il his claim TO be considered woman's
mental superior. II is true that in these
times the physical standard among men
is said to have deteriorated, but never
theless the average aman can do tolera.
bly, we'll the work that is laid out for
life, and is not necessarily numbered BY
feebleness and ill-health. The same
should certainly be the case with wo-.
men. They have even better opportu-
mites for taking care Of their health
than have their brothers, for man must
earn the bread. while the majority Of
women need exert themselves only as
they think wise and best" This de-
plorable state of affairs the speaker went
on to attribute mainly to q lack of pro--
per medical advice and Treatment. He
spoke very plainly and pointed out many
instances ia which the possibility Of OBJ
tanning medical assistance and advice
from one or her own ex@wo0id have
saved woman from life Of suffering.
This association, he concluded, sis
intended not only 70 gave women con-
fidence in women, but 20 make Husbands
and fathers trust their wives and daa gh-
ters 10 the care Of this class Of physi-
Clans"
DR.. Emily Blackwell, pleasant, mid
dle-aged lady, with silver hair brushed
back from her iorehead, was the mex.
speaker introduced by Mr.. Dodge. She
was received with much applause, and
narrated the history Of female medical
edueation in this country. The moye-l
meus MRS. Blackwell said, began in
1919, when her sister, Elizabeth Black
well, gfadusted ii the Medical College
in Geneva, N. Y. Previous to thistaere
had been women practising midwifery,
and engaged in various parts of. the,
country as nurses. She was, however.
the FIRST woman regularly graduated
with . medical education. After this
lady some half dozen others were made
NJ. DIS at various "menss colleges p
bus the number increasing asdiscussioii
began to arise. the result Of which was
that al the doors of regular medical col
leges were again closed to wcmen after
having admitted this little group. In
1853 DR.. Elizabeth Blackwell applied
for position IS physician in, one of,
the New York dispensaries, which po-
sition was denied her. An independent
dispensary was tfeTeupon established.
which led eventually TO The present In
Urinary. In 1857 the dispensarv Of
which DR.. Blackwell had charge was
changed or enlarged into hospital,
which began in . small way In room
with ten beds IN Bleecker street. There
were at this time medical colleges for