Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-09

Action of the Columbian University at
Washington in Excluding the Sex From
Its Halls-Views of the Lecturers and
Male Students-The Field.
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH1
Shall women be encouraged TO dissect
human bodies and undergo all the other
horrors incidental to the study of medicine?
The old question has been renewed by a
declaration of the Columbian University at
Washington that women shall no longer be
admitted 10 its medical department Eight
Years ago the doors of the institution were
opened to women, the professors voting
orr to three in favor of the step. Since
tHcn the number OF students in petticoais
has steadily increased, and last year % O.;
taem were engaged in acquiring notion OF
lie science OF Galen and HippocrateS
he adverse action of the faculty has been
great sprprise. AN offer, financially
acled by Gardiner Hubbard, to put up
-le physiological laboratory and give it to
he college, on condition that the decision
aalI be withdrawn. has been fatty declined.
Ike faculty declares that the teaching of
women in medical classes together with
,-eu is demo-aliz;ng 10 both sexes. Ii is
.sserlet by the professors that the hardness
ml.d exhibited by the women students is
rin-r ly astonishing.
How the Male Creation Looks at II.
Charles Reade SAYS that the average medi-
-al student is not a model of purity. How
ver tgat may be, it is certain that the stu
..euJs do not like TO have women in classes
with them, feeling their presence as re-
7traiut, and formerly they used commonly
OBJ eyH bit their resentment in uncertain
ways. This was very hard on the women,
who have always adopted the dignifed
course OF ignoring such conduct They still
pursue the same policy with regard TO the
-.t. icai Instructors who the world over are
.oJurious as to their use OF language And
lie latter, according to all the evidence OBJ
unable have not improved at all or modi-
led their manners since women were first
admitted 10 medical colleges on a co-edu-
raGoual basis. Ii has been otherwise with
-ae Laie students, who now usually treat
Tie women with fair degree of considera-
siou- At ali events, they no lon-e~ Insult
them, though they reserve their iaalieaable
ri-h, 40 smoke in the lecture room until
-he atmosphere is almost too sitting TO
Breathe.
Il does rot appear, however, that the
action o. the Columbian University in ex-
c-ui.EC women was really due, IS an
bounced, to apprehension lest the pupils of |
either sex should become demoralized. The !
-gculty daci I'D that The admission of |
women TO the classes kept men away from |
the ..r-e, and the step was taken because |
il Nas a0t considered desirable to turn the !
l4sItutlou Htn a female medical seminary. |
.a: the Class Records Show.
u LAS been argued that women do not |
Do,>e-s a quality ol Intelligence which fits |
then or the study OF medicine On the |
other hand, it IS proved that they average |
higher IN tie examinations and take more
hoEgrs in tie study of this science than the |
men d. This is because they are picked |
women, coUtending in rivalry with the or
dIuary run ot men. Besides, the women
" Boz study medicine are always in earnest.
whereas the male students are very often
.s0- so
Tie zine has passed when such an argu-
DeIt can be used against the education of |
women in medicine. They claim that thev
have right 10 study whatever men are en-
titled TO learn. Furthermore, thew call at |
tenJion to the TACT that it is considered |
proper for female nurses to attend at all |
kinds Of operations If so, then why should |
not omen Be allowed to act as physicians
in general practice? The most liberal
minded among male physicians seem to be |
OF The opinion that women should be af-
1ordgd all the opportunities they want for
the study and practice of medicine. But |
mos OF them think that women should con-
slider themselves called upon to study and
treac almost exclusively the ailments of /
women and children. 1t is surely most
i -. L
m ster tc the maladies OF men, and women
10 those OF women.
Women Physicians Are Needed.
Women physicians and plenty of them
are needed in the world. Most urgently
are they required in Oriental countries.
where lne seclusOn of females and the bar
barous regulations of caste render il impos-
slUle ior " omen to procure proper medical
Attendance. Unfortunately women them
selves do very generally share in the popu-
lar prejudice against female phvscsns
In the province of surgery men will pre-
suElhv maintain superiority always That
kind OF work requires muscular strength,
presence OF mind, GOODNESS and nerve-all |
quail les in which the male human being is
superior to the female. Said Washington |
surgeon Yesterday:
zone can never tell in performing surgi-
cal operation when an emergency NAV &tise |
such as even the best trained woman would
be u.aDle in ali likelihood to cone with.
cut Of mans leg the other dav at hos
pltaI. The section was made above the
knee, and eTery precaution had been taken
10 avoi accident, the ligatures beins bound
around the limb with the utmost care. At
the critical moment, however, one OF them
slipped, and the blood gushed in a stream
from the main artery. Two skilled women
who were in attendance jumped back horri-
red They were so startled and iripbtenedl
as 10 be incapable of action for q moment.
But in that case life and death were merely
q question OF two or three seconds The in
stant the thing occurred i grasped the end
Of the severed artery, stopping the flow at
once, so that nothing serious eventuated. A |
woman Is not organized physically or men,
tally Tor such work as that
The Facilities for Study.
II can no longer be said with justice that