Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-27
WOMEN DOCTORS IN HOSPITALS. %
Their appointment Should BE Surrounded
by Proper Safeguards.
To the Editor of the DISPATCH:
To the Editor of

In the report of the State Lunacv Com.
mission of the State of New York for the
year 1S90-the year the women's doctor
bill, which was prepared by the commits
sion, was passed-the following words are
used: While the commission had ex-
pressed no opinion upon the subject. 1t
vet saw no objection to the measure being
put in force. provided il were surrounded
with proper safeguards. II fully realized
the importance of properly trained women
physicians to perform certain work 10 and
about the care and treatmen of the insane,
but it was not prepared TO 60 TO the extent
of holding that all of the women insane
should be treated exclusively by women
B D6s eo s believing Of that other as ys
sons. sufficient number of properly
qualified women physicians could not be
found. The commission made no objec-
ton TO trial, but it aimed TO surround
the appointment Of these physicians in
the bill prepared BY 1t with such safe
guards as in its judgment would secure
the best possible results, and it provided
that each woman physician so appointed
should be in addition TO the regular medi-
cal staff aud should receive an amount of
compensation sufficient TO induce the best
grade of medical women to enter the ser
vice; also that the power of appointment
should be vested solely in the medi-
eel superintendent, in order that he
alone might be held responsible for the
success or failure OF the experiment"
NO MANDATORY LAW.
That IL now the New York State law.
There is no mandatory law in that State
that woman doctor shall be placed ex-
c,usively in charge of the female depart
ment of the insane hospitals, nor 10 there
any such law in any State in this country.
The law in those States. where they have
any law on the subject, is simply to place
one of that persuasion on the medical
stuff.
1t is reported that the bill before the
Legislature contemplAtes mandatory
law compelling the boards of directors to
do away with the faithful and experienced
medical gentlemen who now have charge
of the female departments OF the respec-
tive insane hospitals Of this State. and TO
employ instead women doctors. Where in
Virginia car there be found properly
trained and experienced women phyd.
clans, who have been practicing their pro-
fession for any length Of time in the re.
spectiye communities OF the State? Why
should the asylums be the pioneers OF in
Producing female doctors. when they have
not established themselves ~ sue
cessful practitioners OF medicine any,
where in this State ? Are not the lives
of the poor insane dear TO them. and is
there any evidence of any dimir ished
mortality in the insane hospitais OF the
country by the employment Of women
doctors. II Is ell sentiment to say that
they get nearer to the female patients than
the male doctors. Whoever got nearer TO
our grandmothers. mothers, sisters. and
aunts than the only family physicians. and
nobody's modesty Wa ever shocked bytt;
but " tempora mulantur," 10.
u Is better to lesve the details OF ap-
pointing the oGIcera Of che respective
asylums 10 their boards OF directors. The
present Law givee them full authority u
the premises and hold them responsible
fns tina mansgAmaUt- T.