The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-03-05
4 SOUTHERN WOMAN DOCTOR.

-
Miss Belle Kearney, OF Mississippi,
writes TO the Boston Woman 5
Journal:
DR.. Rosa Wiss, OF Mississippi, is a
| striking example Of what determined
Young wOmanhood can achieve. She
was born in South Carolina, and was
brought by her parents to this State
at the age OF seven, and was reared on
a farm near Meridian. From her EAR.
lest years she was possessed OF great
love for natural science, and was TILED
with an ambition to be a physician.
But she was poor and the future was
shadowy and forbidding. 1t was not
so dark, however, as not be overcome
by a restless energy. AT one time her
little brother gave her the large sum
OF five cents. With this a yard 6i
calico was bought, Of which she made
a sun bonnet and sold 1t for forty
cents. That amount was invested In
more calico, and a dress was made and
sold then Refreshments followed un-
ill sl2 was realized. She persuaded
her father to let her have an acre oil
ground to cultivate for a year; her re-
quest was granted, and from her own
labor and the help Of the sl2 capital a
bale Of cotton was produced, on the
proceeds Of which she entered the In
dustrial Institute and College for
Young women at Columbus, Miss.
During the six years spent there she
paid her own bills 10y doing whatever
work she could get, such as washing
dishes and sweeping halls and reclta-
tiun rooms.
In 1891 she graduated with the de-
gree Of b. A. The next year was pass
ed in Meridian studying medicine I'M
der one Of the leading physicians. In
the Fall of 1892 she entered the Wo-
mans Medical College Of Pennsyl-
vania, paying her way through that
institution by giving private lessons
in physiology and chemistry to the
students, for which she received " an
hour, and at odd times, working as a
waitress in a restaurant. During the
; summers she stayed in Philadelph1a
! nursing, thus making her expenses
= and gaining much practical know
} ledge. In 1895 she graduated from the
Woman's Medical College, and return
/ ed at nee to Meridian. Very sooE
she was requested by two mission
u boards to 90 to China and take charg'
~ Of hospital work there, but she salt
II she felt called to practice medicine II
y the South. in her own State and anon
her own people, Six months after he
y graduation as Il physician, she to-"
t. the State Medical Examination an
- was granted IA license to practlce-ttl
u first woman in Mississippi who ha
gained such a distinction. Her rcCel
VI ton by the physicians Of her State la
: been cordial and courteous IN the c,
Us IRENE. DR.. Wiss has been plying HI
nc profession only two years, but She III
III supported herself from the start, ar
III has established a splendid practic
IN The following incident is a sligI
NJ foregleam Of the change that is to cor
VI in the minds Of Southern women
Nv the future;
!" DR.. WisS was sitting in her Office
l'c Meridian one day, when the do
no opened suddenly, admitting IA lit
an ~ten-year-old girl. Going up to t
lcI doctor with a delightful childli
ire dircctness, she said; "Dr. Wi
mother thinks | should see a ply
DIS clan. | decided that no one shot
aNc practice on me but you, for belle
'"' in woman doctors"