History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

448 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisauspices of the school, in the Hull House district,and the Lincoln StreetDispensary of the college was under the supervision of Dr. Eliza H. Root.In gynecology and surgical gynecology, the school provided abundantmaterial and exceptional instruction under such outstanding operatorsand clinical teachers as Drs. Byford, Mary Thompson, Marie J.Merglerand Bertha van Hoosen. In children's diseases, the students had the advantageof the Children's Clinic at the Women's and Children's Hospital,as well as the valuable instruction of Dr. Earle, Professor of Pediatrics, inthe steadily growing children's clinic at the college.The school was proud of its pathological laboratory under the able directionof Dr. Veta Annette Latham. Dr. Christian Fenger, known as thefather of modern pathological surgery and an internationally famous brainsurgeon, was not on the staff of the college but he was a firm believer in themedical education of women. Annually in the late1880's he held a competitiveexamination for the senior students of the college in pathologicalmicroscopy. The competitors met in the evening in his home office wheremicroscopes and slides were ready. Following the examination he gave amost illuminating lecture on the pathologic specimens and their significance.The winning competitor won a prize of $25.00.Dr. Daniel R. Brower, Professor of Nervous Diseases,built up an excellentclinic and once a year conducted a clinic for the senior class at theCook County Insane Asylum at Dunning.Dr. E. Fletcher Ingals,Professor of Diseases of the Throat and Chest,with his associate, Dr. Edwin Rhodes, built up a large clinic in his department.Dr. Bertha van Hoosen, graduate of Michigan University and demonstratorin embryology, had always been much interested in the school.Students were invited to attend the clinics at several hospitals and teachinginstitutions with which she was connected: Women's and Children's, CookCounty and University Hospitals and Loyola University. Because she wasan excellent teacher and a skillful operator, these clinics were of greateducational value.During the 1890's, great changes took place in the attitude of the medicalprofession and the laity towards women in medicine, in keeping with thetrend of the times when women allover the world finally conquered intolerableprejudice and injustice and attained the right to enter any sphereof work on equal terms with men. It now seemed desirable for NorthwesternUniversity and the Woman's Medical College to become united,and in 1891 the college was made a department of the University and assumedthe name "Northwestern University Woman's Medical School."The announcement contained the following paragraph:"During the year of 1891-92 the Woman's Medical School of Chicago became apart of the Northwestern University and is now under its control. It will here-