New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-06-07
(By Henrietta Rodnlan in New York
Tribune.)

(By Henrietta Rodn1an in New York
Tribune.)
Are women physicians as capable
They are not" says DR.. Richard
G. Cabot, of Harvard.
They are" says DR.. Ira S. Vile.
And there you are. Once more the
doctors disagree. ~
Women doctors disconnected %
laughed DIR. Vile. why, the number
of them has increased 500 per cent
in the past generation while the num-
Der of men physicians has increased
only rs per cent during the same pc
riod.
In the past five years the number
of woman entering the profession has
decreased. largely, / think. in protest
against the lack of opportunities af-
forded them for hospital practice"
d. AS to Their Efficiency.
Are women less efficient in the
profession than mem" I asked.
IF they are / can find no evidence
of it," replied DIR. Vile. "On the con-
trary, their achievements of the past
fifty years appear to me. in view of
upon them, little less than marvel
lous. esr Il
Il have the most scincere admira-
ton for the carnestness. enthusiasm,
energy, perseverance and scientific
acumen by which women have won
their way into profession which has
been barred against them by big
otry, narrow mind edness and indiff-
erence.
Women Who Have Won Distinction.
"since 1855, when Elizabeth Car
ret was refused admission to tile
medical schools of England, women
have won distinction in medicine,
surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, lab
oratory fields and research. ..@
THE names of Mary Putnam ia
cobb in medicine, Mary Rushmore
and Bertha Van Hoesen in surgery
and Martha Wollstein in pathology
are the most effective reply that can
make to assertions of womens in
feriority as. physicians.
AS editor of The Medical Review
Of Reviews which devotes an annuel
to the work of women, I
have made a considerable study of
the subject. and I repeat that have
not been able to find any evidence
of infriority on the part of women.
THE old 'prejudices have been stat
ed and resthted thousand times, but
evidence itS their support has not
been prescribed. - @
Fail to Present Data.
1.-THE scie htists who have made the
statements have not adhered to scien-
tific methods. They have failed to
present the data upon which they
base their, conclusions
"The old accusation of women's in
comented Mrs. Leta Hol-
lingworth, of the Clearing House for
Mental Detectives. First we were
accused of :black magic, then it was
said that OUR brains were lighter than
mems. When it was shown that they
are proportionately heavier we were
said to devjate more than men from
the normal!
Have Achieved Less, Say Scientists.
when Darwin proved .that devia-
ion is an advantage it was discovered
hat womeG deviate less than men
Now scientists are abandoning that
hypothesis and are falling back once
more on the old assertion that we
have achieved less. They ignore the
factors of iime and opportunity. They
can't be cor fortable, it seems, unless
they are assured of womens inferior
ity."
Other men physicians of high
standing besides DIR. Vile disagree
with DR.. Cabot s
Uphold Women Physicians.
DIR. Frederick Peterson, professor in
the department Of nervous and mental
diseases, Columbia university, said:
For a number Of years was teach
er in the Women's Medical college of
the New York Infirrnary. Judging
from that experience with women as
medical stu dents, l believe there is no
physical, pSychical Or sexual reason
why, when: the professional barriers
have been broken down, a woman sur
geon may not equal or surpass any
man we hake now" ..-
No medital college in the United
States stands higher than Johns
Hopkins. For many years it has ad-
mitted women and given them equal
opportunities with men.
DIR. William Fl. Howell, professor
OF physiology at Johns-Hopkins. had
this to sayt I'm matters of zeal for
,,rnrlr aud If infelliceucA In rra sY,iy,v