In the latter part of the nineteenth century, women, who had hitherto been barred from medical schools, were gradually granted the freedom to study and practice medicine. Indeed, by 1900, over 7,000 female physicians were practicing in America. Women were sought after to fill the void in women's health care-a substantial one, thanks to Victorian mores-as well as to imbue the medical profession with dignity which only women, it was believed, could supply. Thus the stereotype of women as gentle, virtuous creatures, natural healers, worked in their favor, opening doors to a major profession.
In the latter part of the nineteenth century, women, who had hitherto been barred from medical schools, were gradually granted the freedom to study and practice medicine. Indeed, by 1900, over 7,000 female physicians were practicing in America. Women were sought after to fill the void in women's health care-a substantial one, thanks to Victorian mores-as well as to imbue the medical profession with dignity which only women, it was believed, could supply. Thus the stereotype of women as gentle, virtuous creatures, natural healers, worked in their favor, opening doors to a major profession.
Intended for the general reader, this celebration of women pioneers in medicine includes essays by scholars, accompanied by illustrations collected for an exhibit on this subject. Four articles describe the state of the medical arts in the 19th century and four examine the general experience of women in the health professions. The third section is devoted to an overview of the 1879 class of the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. A final article looks at the decline of the women's medical movement. The commentary occasionally lapses into sentimentality, but the content is accessible and attractively presented. Recommended for public libraries. Cynthia Harrison, M.L.S., American Historical Assn., Washington, D.C.
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