The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-07-12
STORIES OF WOMEN DOCTORS
EXPERIENCES MET HITH IN
 FOLLOWING
Their Profession, Especially at Mig h
 Time.

Time.
 While women physicians are now be- coming too numerous to be regarded any more as novel, it is doubtful if many people realize the amount of req! courage which woman doctor iE gea- eraI practice is frequently called upon to display. Competition in a city, is al ways keen, and the women physician. like her male rival, is generally on the alert for patients-consequentl no call is refused because it should happen to come at late hour of the night or from a part of the city that is not the pleasantest to visit. The meeting If the Alumnae Association of the Women's Medical College held recently brought numbers of women physicians together, and, while talking shop is generally ta- booed among themselves, to a layman several were willing to tell some stOr- ies connected with their work.
 T can truthfully say that I never was frightened but once in my life," said a quiet-looking, dark-haired lady, whose manner denoted primness and determination. Tt was after midnight on winters night when a man came 
 the slums, to see a woman he said was dying. He was a rough-lookng man, and I told him to go on down and I would follow. I went to my room and gathered together the things I felt needful, intending to go over to Broad Street Station and order cab, as did not wish to be dependent on the street cars in that downtown neighborhood at night. But the man was waiting out side my house, and insisted upon escort ing me, and could not get rid of him. Before I reached Broad Street Station made up my mind it would not do to run the risk Of offending the man by taking a cab by myself, and that might be safer walking the streets with him than shut up in the confines of a cab. So we walked all the way down together.
 .I found my patient in a very dan gerous condition. and the squalid room in which she lay was occupied by no less than ten other people. I promptly ordered every one not before proceeding with my examination. All went save one gigantic negro, who said he would not go out in the cold insisted, how ever. that could do nothing for the patient while he was in the room, and finally the other tenants succeeded in getting him out.
 s'It was an hour or more before was ready to go home, and I intended to walk up to Eighth street and take a car. The man who had accompanied me down offered to go home with me, but I refused and started alone. Before I had gone a block saw I was being follow ed, and by crossing over the street I managed to turn my head, and saw it vas the negro I had sent out of the room. I walked steadily on, but my heart beat faster than ever before or since in my life. I missed the tar I wanted to take, and, knowing it would be long time at that hour of the right before another would come walked on, still hearing those footsteps just behind me. When we reached the shadow of the Pennsylvania Hospital wall I felt sure of an attack. My knees fairly knocked together as I walked, and prayed for policeman to appear, but none was in sight.
 I still kept on, however. until got to Chestnut street. and from there, block by block, to Fifteenth and Arch streets, still heard those footsteps, and at times I almost imagined I felt the mans breath upon me.
 1T made up my mind the negro would attack me as I reached my own door, bps, fortunately, my kep turned easily essNsnd I stepped in. Then from window I looked out, only to see that my pur- suer had evidently turned some time before I had entered my door and was now retracing his steps. The next morning when I went back to see my patient was received like princess. It seems that they had doubted my ability to go home alone and that rough negro, whose aspect had struck terror to me as l remembered how had or dered him out, had determined to act as my guard in case someone should at tempt to attack me. I then learned that two ner physicians who lived nearer had refused to go to the house at night on account of it being in dan- gerous neighborhood, a murder having been committed there a few weeks be- E fore. This was some years ago."
 am constantly having rather anus ing things happen to me-" said another feminine M. D.. who has one of the largest practices of any woman in the city. Some time ago I was standing near Ninth and Race streets waiting for a car. It was about o'clock in the evening. A very well dressed man came up to me. He was reeling from drink.
 Lady he hiccoughed in most re- spectful manner: Lady, want to go home. I ought to go home, and I don't know how, so I've been waiting, waiting for a lady or a gentleman. to tell me, Seen lots of women going mast saan