Page 45 - 1920 February - To Dragma

128 TO PRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI

OPPORTUNITIES F O R W O M E N IN MEDICINE

B Y M A U D C A R V I L , M . D . , Delta '99

T H F nineteenth century may well be called the "Woman's Cen-
tury," f o r d u r i n g those one hundred years the greatest advances
were made in the intellectual and economic l i f e of women.

I t was during the later half of this century that women entered
the field of medicine. From time immemorial women have bound
up the wounded, brewed the herbs, nursed the sick, and i t has been
generally accepted that they were preeminently fitted f o r service i n
the sick room. Although the field of medicine comes naturally
w i t h i n the sphere of woman, it was a " f a r cry" to their being ac-
cepted as physicians. W i t h the courage of their convictions the
pioneer women i n medicine demonstrated that women could master
the scientific study of medicine and that they were capable of dis-
tinguished ability in the practice of the art. The prejudice which
was encountered by these women in the early days was gradually
broken down u n t i l at the present time almost every field of medical
opportunity is open to women, i n some of which they are preemi-
nently fitted and are the actual leaders of their specialty. Notable
examples are Dr. Alice Hamilton, Health Expert of the Federal
Board of Labor, recently appointed Professor of Industrial Medi-
cine at Harvard, and D r . Josephine Baker, Director o f the Bureau of
Hygiene of the City of New York.

As there has been a demand i n the past f o r women in the practice
of obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, and general medicine, so there
is today a more urgent call, not only f o r these branches, but in de-
partments of work which temperamental qualities and fundamental
training especially fit women to fill. Colleges and schools are seek-
ing properly qualified women to supervise their physical training
department, to act as resident physicians, to teach physiology and
hygiene. Research and clinical laboratories call f o r women because
of their capacities to do detail work with infinite patience. The
fields of n u t r i t i o n and dietetics are considered by eminent authorities
to be fields which by r i g h t belong to women. T h e work i n the
spheres of social service, sex and moral hygiene i s thrust upon
woman physicians. Municipal, state, and public health departments
are seeking women to fill responsible positions and industrial boards
are asking them to take up research work, while industrial plants are
asking them to take charge of their women workers.

Fewer women have entered on the study of medicine in the past
ten years than previously and there is a growing demand f o r women
in medical work, and at present the demand is greater than the sup-
ply. Medicine is a w o n d e r f u l field f o r work and the end is not yet
to the breadth of opportunities it offers to women.