Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-17
TO THE MeksEas OF LEGISLATURE.
Uhntnsas Of Women Sss Doctors In Inssas
Asylums and Elsewhere.
mo. al
KYcHNoxp. January II, 1891,
NJ o. EDITOR OF Qs Dispdach.


10 ne Editor OF ne Dispdach.
This movement for women doctors IN IN
ssne asylums follows close in the heels
of women in the pulpit, ct the bar. and at
the polls. In this country II Is fankee
born and bred. am satlsded the medical
profession in the South IL Unit on THIS
question. aud believe in the legal profess
sion the same unity prevails- There may
be an exception or two: Some lawyer may
Joke. The pool Of politics is already dirty
enough, many gentlemen refusing to enter
IL on this account. Politics often means
bribery and corruption" tricks and
dirty loCroi.inR. Is this proper work
orreHned and cultivated women? 1t seems
to me impossible that anv woman Of sense
and refinement could put herself in this
position. don't propose to reject on all
men in political life. But am discussing
" weaker vessel" and not prepared to de-
fend herself from insult and disrobed. as
she wouid be, of her true character, would
fare badly at the hands OF ruffians and
towards. She would have to turn the
other check" very often, or have her
clothing torn from her back IN the county
courtyard. As doctor seeking office she
would have to expose herself to suspicion
and perhaps insult Mt the hands OF rude
and uncnltured men. The idea IN the
South has always been that woman should
be- sought after and not seeker OF men.
She is the exact counterpart OF man-sup-
plies what he lacks. As 1t would be both
cruel and unnatural to hitch gazells 70
an OK cart, 90 it would be violation oil all
reason and morality to expose the sensic
tive nature of woman to the hardships OF
political life. The doctor must hide deep
In bis bosom his fears and anxieties. Thls
is morally impossible i'll woman. Tears
come unbidden to her eyes. and the cry OIL
the sufferer would unnerye her hand. An
Amazon might have tho J0rfper IA re.
hut thank God, Virginia at least. doesn't
furnish many Amazons. Then what a6out
"gossip?n Would it be possible tor Mrs.
DR.. Jones not to tell all about nef
patient, Mrs. Smith, across the way IL IL
did not come out spontaneously, very III
tie pumping would bring it all up: bi.
Paul is very severe on "tattlers and busy
bodies in other mems matters" and yet
there were no female doctors in bis day.
A doctor must know how TO keep secrets
from his own wife and all the world; they
must die with him and be buried with
him. There would be. in my opinion. great
danger of women. doctors losing their
minds in insane asylums. Women are very
impressible and initiative. A friend OF
mineLa strong minded man, thought
certainly highly accomplished one-wss
put In charge of an insane asylum, ana
lost his mind and his life. Another case
was mentioned in the DIsPATcH last week.
OF all the positions in the profession THIS
Is the very last / would select. was once
part owner Of hospital, and we took some
insane patients, and they gave us immense
trouble. Some were very dangerous.
see the sense of sending few women doc
tors to heather lands. as they get access to
"harems.n where men would not be ad
mitted: moi do l deny that medical know:
ledge is valuable to every one, man and
woman, but the practice OF medicine Is
another thing.
The great duty OF women is to educate
the world. There is no higher nor holier
Hottest ambition. In twenty-five years the
women of the North, aided by some
preachers, converted that entire section
to the doctrine of abolition, even though
il was plainly against the Constitution OF
the whole country. know all this OF my
own knowledge. Ii is matter of history.
and in my time. So the women OK the
next twenty-five years can educate this
nation to almost anything they will
unitedly set their hearts upon. IL 1t Is
possible to abolish intemperance, they oan
do it. If to unite the country or to divide
it. they can do it. 1t only needs thorough
union and enthusiasm. To show my ap-
probation of women, l SAID to dis
tingulshed minister of this city some
years ago that inclined to the opinion
that in Heaven women will be exalted
above men. He said. Why? Because. said
l, they have far more of that beautiful and
heaven gwen grace Of love than men. and
"God is love, and they that dwell In God
dwell IN love-" Mans power of loving Is
far inferior to woman's, and in Heaven
there is mo male nor female, bond nor
Free" nor are Gods ways as our ways,
nor His thoughts as our thoughts"
But before closing this letter 1t might be
well to say for information that patients In
hospitals are not visited like patients In
private practice. The doctor makes no
pripa,e uis,ts. He "goes the rounds" as It's
called, once day, and alwaysin company
with several attendants. There are many
more attendants in insane asylums than IN
sny Others. They are on duty day and
night. Any violation of these well-estab
lished regulations would be at once noticed
by the numerous attendants. No daughter
is as well protected by her mother as are
the insane women by their nurses. and
for obvious reasons. They really need
constant watching, as tits impossible to
predict what new notion may seize them.
w. w. PARKER. NJ. ID.
Since writing my letter published last
Sabbath, learn from very good authority
that 1.-THE one or two cases" there referred
to of Improper conduct" were never
clearly proven. Very respectfully.
w. w. PARKER, NJ. ID.