Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-03-28

AGAINST PREJUDICE AND IGNORANCE
THEIR SKILL, NERVE AND SYMPATHY.
from the Baltimore SUM-
At the Woman's Medical College OF Bal
timore this year there are twenty students
who are striving to gain thorough knowl-
edge of their chosen profession, and not
few far-off States are represented among
them. The course of instruction extends
over three years of seven months eacn, ana
is arranged as follows In the earlier part
of the course students are required TO sPend
much of their time i'll the laboratory, drug
and dissecting rooms, so as to acquire
substantial groundwork for their future
studies. The didactic instruction is illus
trated by plates, casts, models, anatomlcal
and pathological specimens, and materla
medica and pharmaceutical preparations.
The advanced students assist lnoperatlol1s,
and have the fullest opportunities 1oT -, Inc
examination of patients. The Thomas Will
son Sanitarium for Children has for the
past five years appointed graduate OF this
col lepe to the position of resident physician.
By a recent action of the faculty certain
number of senior students are elected 10 De
"hospital Students" by which they nave
special facilities for clinical oDserVaI Az y
and study from constant attendance. While
MANY of the students enter the college with
a desire to earn livelihood by the prac-
tice of medicine not a few study from
genuine love for the science and make no
practical use Of this knowledge. Others
Study from philanthropic motives to be
come observation-disclosures in foreign
lands There are two OF the latter class at
present in the college.
While to the United States belongs the
distinction of having established the hrSt
medical school in the world for the eXclu-
siye education of women, Baltimore can
claim the honor of being the first and only
Southern city to follow the example OF the
East. North and West. Notwithstanding
the undoubted advantages offered for the
study in this city there are comparatively
few female practitioners here. The at
tractiye signs on the houses containing the
names of feminine NJ. DIS are few and
far between, and it is not very common
sight to see a bright young woman trudg-
case or driving furiously along the streets
in her stylish looking buggy. There are
altogether not more than thirteen regular
female doctors in the city's physicians
directory. although there are many nurses
who have made a partial study OF medical
science and who practice medicine to some
extent. The movement as a whole has
heen Int moderately successful in Balti-
more. but the few who have worked in the
profession are highly thought of, and are
making comfortable support by their
practice. :: ;a,,-
bright Young woman who is rapidly
making her mark in the. profession, IN
speaking of the condition OF affairs IN Bal
timore, said: 1--WE are rapidly gaining
oround in our profession, and the number
of patients and the general interest In the
work is daily increasing. But as regards
the encouragement given by male physlc-
ians this is the worst State in the country:
The complaint was at first that women had
not brains enough to succeed IN the profes-
sion. Brains enough r. she repeated con On
temptuously, 'why it is frequently the
case that in the examinations the women
come out ahead, and the comparative num-
Der succeeds equally with the men, Then
the CIV was that women hadn't nerve.
Well, about the best example of that, L
have found in the fact that in all the years
of nv studies | never knew one OF my class
mates to faint or become unneIEea curing
irving surgical operations, while frequent
ly when outside students-young men
have attended the same class they have
become ill and obliged to leave the room.
This does not argue, however, that women
have more nerve than men, but merely
that while hundreds OF young men enter
| the profession who have no vocation for 1t,
merely to do work of some sort OF other,
the few women who choose medicine for
their life-work do so for love OF the
science and with a knowledge that they
are fitted for it. And then these encour-
aging men argue that women are too SYM
pathetic. And where is their sympathy
more needed? No woman will persist IN
the study of medicine who has not found
necessary and to withhold her sympathy
at the proper moment. Another complaint
is that she has not sufficient physical
| strength for the work. Well, perhaps
not: but [ know of many successful ply
sicians who have not the physical strength
of many female practitioners. The argu
ments are usually summed up in some such
Way as this: 1T is not fitting work fol
woman; let her be nurse ii she is sc
anxious to heal the sick. That is a much
more suitable field Is it, do you think
| Well, [ think not. know of no life sc
trying nor one that requires so much nerve
as that of nurse. to which the duties OF 8
physician are comparatively light. ~
| tell YOU what it is" she concluded conf
dentially. "They are jealous, and do moi
wish us to encroach upon their most i'm
portant fields of work. They are very
| willing to ask our assistance as nurses, but
otherwise it has been hard battle to fight
| in order to gain success.
A prominent physician of the city, who
! is connected with the Woman's Medical
| College, expressed his views of the matter
! in favor of the study Of medicine by women
During the earliest period OF the world
| history,'' he said, ''the duties of attending
to the sick were assigned to woman. His
tory records instances of successful prac
tice by women long prior to the time wher
scientific thought and precision had mold
ed rational system OF medicine. 1t is MOI
uncommon to find in woman the strongest
characteristics, will, endurance, calmness
under trial, strong Judgment and practica-
intuition, all of which would give sub
stantial value to her services in the sick
room. The patience, genCleness and sym
| pathetic nature OF woman have conquered
| for her in the sick chamber position boil
| honorable and useful. Whether in the ca
pacity of an attendant OF nurse, or serving
| under the instincts of affection, the minis
trationS Of women are regarded as tender
and appropriate. The sick room offers al
appropriate field for the action Of woman's
trueSt instincts, and when to these quail
ties are added a scientific training and {
knowledge of the art of healing diseases
it would seem, theoretically at least, tina
woman'S character had reached high de
gree of usefulness in medical career. A
late as 1850 the number Of female gradu
ates in medicine could be counted on th'
fingers Of one hand. To-day upward O.
1000 Americans hold a medical degree
The movement has literally conquered
position in science and society, and as wei
attempt to stay the progress OF the tides a
endeavOr to arrest reform which gives t.
woman useful sphere of action, a benev
client occupation and an opening to an hon
Orable livelihood. In the beginning tn
effort upon the part of woman to secure
medical education was trying one. TIL
road which the early female practitione
trod was rugged. There were sentiments
prejudices and opinions presenting for
midable barriers to progress, and woman
knocked hard for admission into the rank
of the medical profession. Admission wa
at first emphatically denied; it was mex
partially allowed. Now the doors al
open, and medical education is within
the reach of any woman who seeks it. TIL
future of this movement in favor of femal
upon woman's skill, knowledge and adap
liability She must master the science. sh
must demonstrate her ability to do scien
tifc work, and if she conquer the usua