Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-02-02
FRIDAY MORNING. FEB. 2, 1894

the election OF a woman physician FOR each
of the insane asylums of the State, to have
charge of the female departments therein.
1t is practically the same bill that passed
the Heuse two years ago, almost without
dissent. This is bill which you might say
everybody wants; one of those measures from
which great good is expected and which
can do no harm. A large majority of peo-
ME of every profession, including the pro-
fession of medicine, are in favor of it,
This being the case, why has it not become
law before now?
Well. ideas travel slowly. 1t has not been
so long ago that man physician was con-
sldered as much out of place in
an insane asylum. as, in the eyes
of those blinded by prejudice, a woman
physician is now. In that day shackels
and stripes were the correctives used for III
sanity, and doctor WAS deemed as much
out Of place in an asylum as a clergyman.
It was the work Of Pinel to teach the new
doctriRe that maniacS were not possessed
by demons, but were sick people and to be
iittlCdiIy tlCtslCu So OliCl DiCh FCSB'S3 ssiAC
with as much kindness. When he was
preaching that reform, there were no women
physicians and SO men physicians were en-
ployed. The same Was true when the first
asylums were opened i'll America; there
were 10 educated women physicians and
men took the work. But that is now all &
thing OF the past. Woman has become a
well educated physician and surgeon, and
among the thousands now in practice.
many are distinguished.
In 1870 the gradual enlightenment Of the
age brought about the experiment Of women
physicians for women insane, and an &C
complished one was appointed at Worces-
ter. Mass. Three years after, another was
appointed at the Maine State Asylum at Au-
cnsta, and one at the Iowa State Asylum at
Mt. Pleasant. These appointments were
made against the bitter prejudice of the
male Superintendents. and in five years the
woman physician at Worcester resigned.
and young man was appointed in her
place. The woman physician at the Maine
asylum, also resigned. How this was &C
complished We read in w omen Physicians
in Hospitals for the Insane-An Histori-
cal Retrospect" by DR.. Jennie McCowen.
physician Of standing and the author Of
several works Oh insanity. hesays: TN ali
these appointments there was an under
standing expressed OF implied, that the
new Apprentices were to devote themselves
to the treatment Of female patients, AID
that their professional status was to be Ga
a par with that of other members of the
staff. In more than one hospital however,
the duties assigned to them were almost
entirely clerical. 10 genealogical work
whatever being done; 10 professional
recognition was accorded them, their rank
in reality being that OF nurse or clerk; and
when vacancies occurred above them on the
staff, to which by regular precedent, they
would have been promoted had they been
men. they were ignored and officers below
them passed over their heads" This was
the system pursued by the male Superin-
tendents to get rid OF the intruders twenty
four years ago, and it is the system tried
wherever they are sought to be introduced.
1t failed then and it fails now. It 1886
women physicians were appointed at every
ASYLUM in Michigan. IN the same year
PENNSYLVANIA took a yet more advanced step;
she put the female patients at the Noilis-
town asylum in charge OF q woman physl-
clan as pilysician-in- chief, and with tie
sole responsibility Of tier care and treat
ment. liz that State now there is q woman
ment in the asyiums 1T Warren, Harris
burg. ard DiXmont. and at the Plilade-
pliia Hospital for the insane, In Aassa-
elIlisetts there are women physicians at the
State asylums at Taunton, Worcester,
Danyers and Northampton. III Ohio at
the asyums at PAXTON and Athens. In
Michigan at tie asylums at Kalamazoo aid
Pontiac. In Illinois at the asyIum9 at
Kank;ikee and Cooke County. Ii Indiana
at indianapolis. In IoWaat independents.
In Nebraska at Lincoln. In New I orh 1T
eaeh State asylum.
So decidedly had the plan OF women ply
sicilns for women insane grown, that just
four years ago the Women's Educational
and Industrial Union of New York sent a
letter TO fifty seven superintendent Of in
sane asylums il this country asking wheth-
Ell they employed women physicians, and
whether they would approve OF women
physicians Icing put in charge of their
own sex. Forty-siX answers were received
from twenty-five different States, and OF
these thirty-three were favorable, five OPP
posed, five non committai and three not
prejHdiced. just three years ago in the
great State Of New I Grk, bill was pre-
scented III the General Assembly By the
late Lt.-Goyernor, ". T. Sheehan, and
in the Senate by Hon. John Laughiin. pro
viding for the appointment Of q woman
physician to serve Gil the staff Of State
Insane Hospitals in New OK. 1t passed
the House with only fico Negative votes
CAST as q similar bill did il tie Virginia
legislature two years ago. and passed the
Senate by tweatg-sfa; to three, was signed
by the Democratic Governor. and is HOW 8
law.
The world moves, and what moves sure
ly in it is every idea for the aid of the help
less, the ameliorati0n Of suffering. an(
the advancement OF science. In the ap
pointment Of women physicians for the
women insane all three OF these elements
are combined, and in addition, that motive
of delicate humanity which arouses indig
nation in every chivalric heart at seeing
a helpless woman with a naked and up,
clothed mind exposed to the medical treat.
ment {lloweyer congiderate it may be- o.
physicians of the opposite sex. This move
ment III Virginia has grown in the TIVE
years that Lave passed s;lce one house G.
the legislature deia,Esd tie reform, ii
opposition, TO Tie ;a!lsost nnanilaos,s ycic,
OF the otter .lo;lse and Ct he people, ant