History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

Medical Education in Illinois 443tered the college: Dr. Thompson, Julia A. Cole and Augusta Kent. At theend of the year, Dr. Thompson received her diploma, the only woman toreceive a diploma from the Chicago Medical College. Miss Cole and MissKent successfully passed their junior and part of their middle year studieswhen the doors of the school were suddenly closed to further admission ofwomen students. Again Dr. Earle wrote: "Although the relations of theladies and gentlemen students had always been dignified and respectful,the male members of the class, at the close of the college year, sent to theFaculty a formal protest against the admission of their fair visitors, claimingthat certain clinical material was not as ready in coming forward and thatcertain facts and observations of value were omitted from the lectures inthe presence of a mixed class."This defeat was a blessing in disguise. For some time, plans for a schoolexclusively dedicated to medical instruction to women students had beenAccording to andormant in Dr. Byford's mind. These now sprang to life.Alumnae report: "Dr. Byford called a meeting to be held in his office onAugust 2, 1870, to discuss the expediency of founding a medical college forwomen exclusively." Present at this meeting were Drs. Mary Thompson,Charles W. Earle, Norman Bridge, and Dr. and Mrs. Dyas. A Committeeon Organization was appointed, which created a Board of Trustees composedof men and women friendly towomen in medicine. To secure afaculty must have been an almost Herculean task at a time when "it wasalmost a disgrace to be seen walking on the street with a woman doctorto say nothing of the enormity of showing her a kindness." There were nofunds nor appliances, a condition not likely to inspire a teacher withenthusiasm. However, Dr. Byford succeeded in securing an excellent corpsof professors, several of whom were already connected with the Hospitalfor Women and Children. The school was called The Woman's HospitalMedical College, a name it carried until the year 1879 when the word"hospital" was dropped.The first regular course of lectures was delivered in the parlors and dispensaryof the hospital, and the dissecting room was a loft, reached by fourflights of stairs, in an old building by the river. But to the enthusiasts thisdid not matter, and Dr. Addison Foster was an excellent demonstrator and asincere friend of the medical students. The school opened with 17 matriculants,and the session was considered a real success.The second term opened on October 3, 1871, in rooms which had beenfitted up at 1 and 2 North Clark Street, near the hospital. The great Chicagofire swept away the hospital, the college, and the homes, offices and librariesof three-fourths of the faculty. Not daunted by this calamity, on thefollowing day—October 10, 1871— the Faculty decided that the school shouldgo on. The hospital had been established at 600 West Adams Street and the