WOMEN AND MEDICINE.
Feb., 1887.]
women
4 cl i 4 it I
Jndimt
FEBRUARY,
cine is
and the arguments for and against a career for women are discussed
as
and
clearly, cleverly, Miss and
of medicine
practice
founded
fairly.
claims for
Huntley
natural
innate instinct and the
on
mankind.
primitive
the
women
as a
the
Among
study
right,
usao-es
of
uncivilized
and savage, the art of healing is the prerogative of old women; the dosing and doctoring of children is
the
everywhere
of the mother
or
nurse;
function
peculiar
and in the hour of sick-
ness, it is the mother and sister whose minis-
trations also
points
to women
valued by the sufferer. She that the function of giving aid
most
are
out
in childbirth
women, and does
of mankind. double
grouud
tude.
The
belonged originally to a large majority
still among
argues, therefore, on the of innate right and natural aptiShe
question arises, therefore,
face of these
typed by
so
how in the
prerogatives,strengthened or stereo-
the great fact of
medicine and the craft of
possession, the art of midwifery passed, at
any rate in England, so entirely into the hands of men as to justify the use of the terms "possession" and
"monopoly,"
which Miss
Huntley
is very fond of employing; women retaining the subordinate position of nurse?general and
monthly?and fulfilling her rights under the superior control and men?
ing
The transfer of the
from
and instincts direction of
profession
the other is
of heal-
fact of
history Huntley freely admits; and in no country has the transfer been so complete as in England, where women possess more liberty and a freer access to high education than in any other country in the world. The explanation which Miss Huntley assigns for the transfer is one sex
to
a
which Miss
that the
scientific,
profession so
of medicine has become
elaborated,
and
so
specialised,
The
so
that
Study and Practice of Medicine by Women Prize-essay by Edith A. Huntley. 1
"
society are, therefore, unnatural, and here follows a lovely example of the petitio principii ; But surely the right to tend sickness and
and "
given,
medicine
pace with " Nature, she
keep
to
"
have made to enter the ranks of medi-
womeu
been able
owing to deficient education. says, assigned medicine chiefly to women ; aud education, which is regulated and controlled by society, gives it exclusively to men." Education
of the efforts which
history
not
it
1887.
WOMEN AND MEDICINE. This is the short title of a very readable
book,1 iu which the
have
47
;
a
suffering
at all involves the
right
to do it
com-
thoroughly." The science and art of medicine having thus outstripped the educational endowments of women, the mainspring and aim of the present movement are to assert the right of women to the exercise of the healing art as it exists now, by demonstrating their capacity and power to undergo the necessary education by exhibiting those qualities of cool judgment, tact, prompt resolution, and pluck which its practice demands?by establishing their physical fitness for undergoing its hardships?and by laying successful claim to that sphere or field of practice for which they are best fitted by nature and endowments. Miss to addresses herself these various Huntley points with ingenuity, she recounts with competently
and
?
mendable conciseness the various incidents of the
struggle
which the
had
undergo,
ment
to
pioneers
of the
move-
both in America and
Britain, in order to obtain facilities for study public recognition of fitness to practice. The facts are stated accurately aud temperately ; but in too many places an unworthy or maliand
cious motive is attributed to the opponents of the movement, who may have been, and probably
were,actuatedbyconscientiousconvictions. Thus meet with such terms as monopoly, established masculine interested monopoly, antagonism, prejudice, selfish, unchivalrous, reproach, slander, sneering, &c.; while we are told that men have locked against women the door of scientific training, and taken possession of the key." The unkindest, but not least feminine, cut of all is we
"
reference to the " old-fashioued man-doctor." There is a refinement of disparagement iu this epithet which only a female miud can fully a
appreciate. There are two points in which we think Miss Huntley has failed to make a stroug case.
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
48
The first is the demand for the services of We
doctors. careful the
bound
are
of the
perusal
say, after that nothing
to
book,
of evidence is advanced in
name
demand.
a
lady very
worthy proof of
The indica-
the existence of such
a
tions which
way of illustration are remark applies to India.
given by
are
very flimsy. The same The demand did not precede the movement In both cases its existence partakes to supply. of the character of an a priori assumption. Whetlie-r a demaud will arise when the article
fairly in the market is another question; and, touching this matter, we quite agree with Miss Huntley that the article ought to be of genuine merit and first quality. The other point, and
is
it is
substantial one, is whether
a
extent
people
will
two medical
any great employ one male for male members, and practitioners,
to
any
or
the other female for female members of their families.
specialists
If not, lady doctors must practise as aud missionaries, and the field of
exercise of their The
calling family-doctor
will
necessarily
be
is an old institution, hardly, as society is constituted, old-fashioned." Miss conceive its becoming discussed the has not question from the Huutley
limited. but
we
cau
"
of view of social evolution; but as that is speculative aud philosophical, rather than
point
sentimental
or
practical,
that she had not done
it is
perhaps better
so.
We conclude this brief comment
interesting which we entirely essay
able
on
every and
by quoting agree
:
account
"
a
ou a
sentence
It is
most
very with
undesir-
that the attitude of
should be that of reciis work for both to do There procal animosity. without mutual interference, aud they should be
medical
men
women
complementary oot antagonistic?allies, not foes."
[Feb.,
1887.
Feb., 1887.]
women
4 cl i 4 it I
Jndimt
FEBRUARY,
cine is
and the arguments for and against a career for women are discussed
as
and
clearly, cleverly, Miss and
of medicine
practice
founded
fairly.
claims for
Huntley
natural
innate instinct and the
on
mankind.
primitive
the
women
as a
the
Among
study
right,
usao-es
of
uncivilized
and savage, the art of healing is the prerogative of old women; the dosing and doctoring of children is
the
everywhere
of the mother
or
nurse;
function
peculiar
and in the hour of sick-
ness, it is the mother and sister whose minis-
trations also
points
to women
valued by the sufferer. She that the function of giving aid
most
are
out
in childbirth
women, and does
of mankind. double
grouud
tude.
The
belonged originally to a large majority
still among
argues, therefore, on the of innate right and natural aptiShe
question arises, therefore,
face of these
typed by
so
how in the
prerogatives,strengthened or stereo-
the great fact of
medicine and the craft of
possession, the art of midwifery passed, at
any rate in England, so entirely into the hands of men as to justify the use of the terms "possession" and
"monopoly,"
which Miss
Huntley
is very fond of employing; women retaining the subordinate position of nurse?general and
monthly?and fulfilling her rights under the superior control and men?
ing
The transfer of the
from
and instincts direction of
profession
the other is
of heal-
fact of
history Huntley freely admits; and in no country has the transfer been so complete as in England, where women possess more liberty and a freer access to high education than in any other country in the world. The explanation which Miss Huntley assigns for the transfer is one sex
to
a
which Miss
that the
scientific,
profession so
of medicine has become
elaborated,
and
so
specialised,
The
so
that
Study and Practice of Medicine by Women Prize-essay by Edith A. Huntley. 1
"
society are, therefore, unnatural, and here follows a lovely example of the petitio principii ; But surely the right to tend sickness and
and "
given,
medicine
pace with " Nature, she
keep
to
"
have made to enter the ranks of medi-
womeu
been able
owing to deficient education. says, assigned medicine chiefly to women ; aud education, which is regulated and controlled by society, gives it exclusively to men." Education
of the efforts which
history
not
it
1887.
WOMEN AND MEDICINE. This is the short title of a very readable
book,1 iu which the
have
47
;
a
suffering
at all involves the
right
to do it
com-
thoroughly." The science and art of medicine having thus outstripped the educational endowments of women, the mainspring and aim of the present movement are to assert the right of women to the exercise of the healing art as it exists now, by demonstrating their capacity and power to undergo the necessary education by exhibiting those qualities of cool judgment, tact, prompt resolution, and pluck which its practice demands?by establishing their physical fitness for undergoing its hardships?and by laying successful claim to that sphere or field of practice for which they are best fitted by nature and endowments. Miss to addresses herself these various Huntley points with ingenuity, she recounts with competently
and
?
mendable conciseness the various incidents of the
struggle
which the
had
undergo,
ment
to
pioneers
of the
move-
both in America and
Britain, in order to obtain facilities for study public recognition of fitness to practice. The facts are stated accurately aud temperately ; but in too many places an unworthy or maliand
cious motive is attributed to the opponents of the movement, who may have been, and probably
were,actuatedbyconscientiousconvictions. Thus meet with such terms as monopoly, established masculine interested monopoly, antagonism, prejudice, selfish, unchivalrous, reproach, slander, sneering, &c.; while we are told that men have locked against women the door of scientific training, and taken possession of the key." The unkindest, but not least feminine, cut of all is we
"
reference to the " old-fashioued man-doctor." There is a refinement of disparagement iu this epithet which only a female miud can fully a
appreciate. There are two points in which we think Miss Huntley has failed to make a stroug case.
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
48
The first is the demand for the services of We
doctors. careful the
bound
are
of the
perusal
say, after that nothing
to
book,
of evidence is advanced in
name
demand.
a
lady very
worthy proof of
The indica-
the existence of such
a
tions which
way of illustration are remark applies to India.
given by
are
very flimsy. The same The demand did not precede the movement In both cases its existence partakes to supply. of the character of an a priori assumption. Whetlie-r a demaud will arise when the article
fairly in the market is another question; and, touching this matter, we quite agree with Miss Huntley that the article ought to be of genuine merit and first quality. The other point, and
is
it is
substantial one, is whether
a
extent
people
will
two medical
any great employ one male for male members, and practitioners,
to
any
or
the other female for female members of their families.
specialists
If not, lady doctors must practise as aud missionaries, and the field of
exercise of their The
calling family-doctor
will
necessarily
be
is an old institution, hardly, as society is constituted, old-fashioned." Miss conceive its becoming discussed the has not question from the Huutley
limited. but
we
cau
"
of view of social evolution; but as that is speculative aud philosophical, rather than
point
sentimental
or
practical,
that she had not done
it is
perhaps better
so.
We conclude this brief comment
interesting which we entirely essay
able
on
every and
by quoting agree
:
account
"
a
ou a
sentence
It is
most
very with
undesir-
that the attitude of
should be that of reciis work for both to do There procal animosity. without mutual interference, aud they should be
medical
men
women
complementary oot antagonistic?allies, not foes."
[Feb.,
1887.
