Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-06-23
WOMEN AS PHYSICIANS.
R,suits SO Fnr--Tbc " Experiment " n sue
cess---Intcre-tinR Statements by Lady
hy.icinns.

lHouku tit uctloHh Ol NhTlOub leRlh-
latures has shown that the dominant
sex is not prepared to give women the
equality of suffrage, tho equal extension
of women's prerogatives and employ
ments during the last thirty years is
enough to make the departed advocates
of old-time conservatism turn in their
graves. The change is specially marked
in medical circles. Not very long ago
female physician was only heard of in
the ranks of quackery and iugglery,
classed with fortune-tellers and other
humbugs. The address Of DR.. Rachel
Bodley, Cincinnatian by birth, at the
twenty-ninth commencement of the
Women's Medical College OF Pennsyl-
vania, OF which she is dean, has unusual
interest. The institution has pa liv-
ing graduates, from 1s9 of whom letters
have been received in answer to in
quiries. OF those replying, all but
twenty-three are in active practice; $50
report that they are accorded due social
and professional recognition, and only
seven the contrary. Seven.y-six tell
how much they are making: twenty.four
between $1,000 and 1000 per annum;
twenty between 81, 900 and $4,000; ten
between $4,000 and $1,000; five between
$4,000 and $4,000; three between
/ $1,000 and $4,000; four from S15, 900
to 20,000; and ten less than 81, 900.
The average is 81, 9O7.3O. Sixty-one
answer tho question, "What influence
has the study and practice of medicine
upon your domestic relation as wife
and mothcr?" Fifty-two arc married,
and of these forty-five report flavor
able" six "not entirely favorable" and
one unfavorable" The author adds:
Returning to the answers of married
women, because these possess the
/ greater general interest, remark that
the song of domestic life, as l have lis
tened with ear attcnt, has been sung in
no minor key. In the melody are n few
discordRnt notes. For example, thor
oughly conscientious mother writes
from her nursery, where three quite
/ young children claim the mothers min
istry: "The study of medicine is OF
great benefit, but the practice often in
terferes with my duty to my family" The
clear, pure quality Of the replies, as q
whole, is truly exhilarating, for exam
pie: " Purifying and ennobling. Mar
ried physician since l began practice.
Am the mother Of n boy eight years OF
age" Another: Il keep house and
care for husband and three children as
| would il not in practice" Another:
/ have not been less a wife or mother.
Ny duties as such have never been neg
lectcd. At times may have been more
/ taxed than il l had not these duties to
attend to- Another wife and mother,
whose successful trimming of three
| children, now in adult life, entities her
to an opinion: 81 think il the history
of the families Of woman physicians
were written il would be found that
their children are well cared for, well
trained, we'll educated; all this and
household duties not neglected.
Women who study medicine are watch
full and careful" Another: "As wife
my duties have never been interfercd
with; as a mother l have been incalcrl-
ably benefited. NY husband
is also physician. / am often enabled
TO assist him with his cases, both in
diagnosis and treatment, and often
find his advice OF great value to me.
We are, mutually, a help to each
other"
On the whole DR.. Bodley is highly
encouraged. She calls attention TO the
small number Of deaths among the
graduates-thirty.two out OF 276 in
thirty years-as a refutation OF the idea
that the female constitution cannot sus-
tain the wear and tear OF medical prac-
tice, aud dilates upon the usefulness of
the graduates among their sex at home
and in foreign mission fields, and sum
up by declaring that the inherent vi
tality Of the cause is in M manner more
thoroughly demonstrated than in the
fact that rs workers fall or sleep new
toilers arise, the ranks close solidly up.
and the work with accelerated strength
moves on. She has certainly made a
good showing for the institution with
which she is connected. Cincinnati
Gazette,
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