History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

442 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisfield of medicine, meeting with prejudice, discrimination and obstacles ofmany kinds, not only from the medical fraternity but also from the generalpublic, women included. Their greatest problem was where to obtain theirmedical education. All regular schools of medicine were closed to them, buthope rose high when Elizabeth Blackwell, after having been refused admissionby twelve regular schools, finally was admitted to the Geneva MedicalCollege in New York in 1847, graduating in 1849, the first woman in themodern world to receive a diploma from an accredited school. Her careeris a wonderful record of achievement. 10The State of Illinois was slow in providing medical education for itswomen. 11 Finally, in 1869, Hahnemann Homeopathic College became coeducationaland, in 1870, the Woman's Medical College of Chicago wasfounded.In 1863, during the Civil War, Dr. Mary Harris Thompson, a graduate ofthe New England Female Medical College of Boston, came to Chicago.Soon after her arrival she became acquainted with Dr. William G. Dyas andhis public spirited wife, Miranda, both of whom belonged to the patrioticwar organization called the "Sanitary Commission." Dr. Thompson enteredheart and soul into the work of relieving the distress and illnesses of thousandsof war widows and orphaned children. Chicago was then sadly lackingin hospitals. She soon recognized the necessity for a hospital especially forwomen and children. Through the generosity and active cooperation ofDr. William H. Byford, Dr. and Mrs. Dyas and other interested citizens,she established a hospital in May 1865 bearing the name of the ChicagoHospital for Women and Children. From that date until her death onMay 21, 1895, Dr. Thompson was head of the medical and surgical service,assisted by a staff of some of the most prominent physicians in the city. Thehospital occupied an old building on Clark Street. It soon attracted womenof the Western States to its clinical advantages, which was the nearest approachto medical instruction. It thus became the forerunner of theWoman's Medical College.Dr. Thompson, realizing the need for further medical studies, applied toRush for admission but was refused. Dr. Byford, a member of the facultyof the Chicago Medical College, persuaded his colleagues to admit a certainnumber of women students to the college courses. Three women en-10In 1852, her sister, Emily Blackwell, attended a course of lectures at Rush MedicalCollege. When she applied for admission the following year, she was refused, but wasfinally graduated from the Western Reserve College at Cleveland. Referring to the incidentDr. Charles Warrington Earle wrote: "The Illinois Medical Society saturated withthe then prevailing prejudices against female medical education censured the RushMedical College for admitting women to the lectures."11The material which follows is taken largely from the history of the Woman's MedicalCollege prepared by Dr. Marie Mergler who was at one time its Dean.