Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-15
WOMaN IN NEW FIELDS.

The question of extending the field of
woman's usefulness and placing her on an
equal footing with the sterner sex in the race
of life, is one that sooner or later must re-
ceIve that attention which the social interests
and far reaching economic considerations in.
yolved IN its proper solution, demands. The
problem is one which has, during the last half
century, tl!cited large share OF the attention
and par. mage of the philanthropists and
humanltaI iaDs of this spd other countries,
and, it must be admitted, with results not al
together satisfactory in giving promise OF
the emancipation Of woman from tie conven-
tionalities of modern social life and the unre
warded drudgery of her present circumscribed
field of labor.
The experience of the last twenty-five years has
demonstrated that the proper extension of the
domain of woman's usefulness does not neces-
sarIly either jeopardiZe or undermine those
virtues and social traits which are alike the
conservators and best hope of the social fabric
of the country. The women of nation re-
fleet very accurately its civilization. as well as
the orthodox moral and social status of the
body OF the people. Nothing is more revolt
ing to the better element of the civilization of
the present age than the spectacle of woman
unsexed by her own conduct. AS rule.
woman's capabilities and nature respond best
to the requirements and duties of the domes-
tic circle, and 1t is only when the
circumstances of particular case justify a
departure, that an exception is found to justify
and at the same time prove the rule. As
. =,
not of so much importance that woman
should take the initial step in untried fields in
order to better her condition, as it is that her
rst step shall be taken under conditions
which shall in no wise tend to impair her use
fulness in the sphere to which she has been
assigned by the Divine law.
To commerce, manufactures and literature,
woman can turn her attention with profit to
herself, and without in the least detracting
from her rights and prerogatives as
the life and moving spirit of the
social circle. While we believe that
woman would be as much!out of place plead.
ing law before jury as she would in haragu-
ing promiscuous gathering of men on the
political issues of the day, there is no good
reason why she should not aspire to the chairs
IN our universities and academies, or receive
a diploma for the general practice of medicine
among her own sex. That she is for obvious
reasons better fitted by nature for the practice
of certain branches of medicine than man,
there can be no question. Against the
CO education of the sexes in our medical col
leges the same fundamental objections exist
that are urged against woman's entering on
the general practice of medicine, and which,
fifty years from now, will no doubt be sue
cessfully urged against the promiscuous prac-
tice of the profes sion by either of the sexes
The success which has attended the efforts
of the gentler sex in this new field, was very
forcibly and earnestly adverted to few days
since by Prof. Huxley, at the dis
tribution of prizes at the London
School of Medicine for Women. Referring
to the success that had attended his efforts in
this direction, the Professor said: "The ex
pertinent has shown that there are hundreds
women who have the capacity and power
TO do the work of medical practitioners just
as well as it has been done by the great ma.
jority of their brothers. Why, under these
circumstances, they should not be allowed
and encouraged to take no the profession, ]
cannot understand. 1t may interest you, as I
happened for the past twelve months to
be a member of the Medical Acts
Commission, if l say a word or two
as to the results SO far as they affect you
I am obliged to speak guardedly, because it
was only this morning that signed the re-
port of the committee, which has not vel
been laid before her Majesty. But think
may without improperly go SO far as to say
that the commissioners were deeply impressed
with the importance of the question of medical
education for women. II the recommends
tions of that commission be carried out
whether there be one portfolio or many for ad
mission to the Medical register, the way vii
not be closed against women"
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