Medical women : a thesis and a history / by Sophia Jex-Blake.

  • Sophia Jex-Blake
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical women : a thesis and a history / by Sophia Jex-Blake. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    NOTE T, p. 106. Perliaps the most remarkable petition sent up to Parliament in our favour was one signed by nearly 200 medical men, from whose names my space allows me to select only a handful, viz. :— John Adams, F.R.C.S.; T. Clifford Allbutt, M.D.; Francis E. Anstie, M.D.; Archibald Rilling, M.D.; Lionel Beale, M.D.; Robert Beveridge, M.D.; John Birkett, F.R.C.S.; W. II. Broadbent, M.D. ; Charlton Bastian, M.D. ; William B. Carpenter, M.D. ; Thomas King Chambers, M. D.; Andrew Clark, M. D.; Sir James Coxe, M.D. ; W. B. Cheadle, M.D. ; Charles A. Cameron, M.D.; Campbell De Morgan, F.R.C.S.; J. E. Erichsen, F.R.C.S.; W. H. Flower, F.R.C.S.; Joseph Hooker, M.D., C.B., D.C.L.; Joseph B. Hardie, M.B. ; Berkeley Hill, M.B. ; George Harley, M.D. ; N. Heckford, M.R.C.S.; F. Brodie Imlach, F.R.C.S.; J. Hughlings Jackson, M.D.; Thomas Keith, M.D.; Edwin Lankester, M.D.; Sir Ranald Martin, F.R.C.S. ; Rawdon Macnamara, Pres. R.C.S.I. ; J. G. M'Kendriek, M.D. ; C. Murchison, M.D. ; Robert M‘Donnell, M.D.; J. R. Martin, Inspect. Gen. Hasp.; John Murray, M.D. ; John Niven, M.D. ; A. T. Norton, F.R.C.S.; T. W. Nunn, F.R.C.S.; J. Frank Payne, M.D. ; J. Russell Reynolds, M.D.; Andrea Rabagliati, M.B. ; E. H. Sieveking, M.D.; W. Tyler Smith, M.D.; F. W. Salzmann, M.R.C.S.; J. A. Sidey, M.D.; Sir Henry Thompson, F.R.C.S. ; T. Hawkes Tanner, M.D. ; G. Thin, M.D.; Forbes Winslow, il.D.; Alexander Wood, M.D. NOTE U, p. 108. AVhat I said was, I believe, correctly reported in the Scotsman as follows ;— “ I want to point out that it was certain of these same men, who had (so to spieak) pledged themselves from the first to defeat our hopes of education, and render all our efforts abortive —who, sitting in their places on the Infirmary Board, took advantage of the almost iiTcspon- sible power with which they were temporarily invested to thwart and nullify our efforts. I believe that a majority of the managers desired to act justly in this matter; but the presence <d those bitter jmrtisans, and the overwhelming influence of every kind brought to bear by them, prevailed to carry the day—to refuse us not only admission on the ordinary terms, but also to refuse us every opportunity which could answer our purpose. I know of the noble ]irotests made against this injury by some of the most respected and most learned members of the Board, but all their efforts were in vain, because strings were pulled and weapons brought into play of which they either did not know or could not expose tlie character. Till then, ■luring a period of five weeks, the conduct of the students with whom we had been associated in Surgeons' Hall, in the most trying of alt our studies, that of Practical Anatomy, had been ■luiet, respectful, and in every way inoffensive. They had evidently accepted our presence there in earnest silent work, as a matter of course, and Dr. Handyside, in answer to a question III mine after tlie speeches made at the meeting of the General Council, assured me that in the course of some twenty sessions, he had never had a month of such quiet, earnest work as since we entered his rooms. But at a certain meeting of the managers, when our memorial was presented, a majority of those present were. I understand, in favour of immediately admitting us to tlie Infirmary. Tlie minority alleged want of due notice to the question, and succeeded in obtain- ing an adjournment. What means were used in the interim I cannot say, or what influence was brought to bear; but I do know that from that day the conduct of the students was utterly changed, that those who had hitherto been quiet and courteous became impertinent and offensive; and at last came the day of that disgraceful riot, when the college gates w'ere shut in our faces and our little band besfiattered with mud from head to foot ^shame). It is true that other students, who were too manly to dance as puppets on such ignoble strings, came indignantly to our rescue, that by them the gates were wrenched open and we protected in our return to our homes. But none the less was it evident that some iiew Influence (wholly distinct from any intrinsic facts) had been at work. I will not say that the rioters were acting under orders, but neither can I disbelieve what I was told by indignant gentlemen in the medical class—that this disgraceful scene would never have happened, nor would the i>etition have been got up at the same time, had it not been clearly understood that our opponents needed a weapon at the Inflrmary Board. This I do know, that the riot was not wholly or mainly due to .the students at Surgeons’ Hall. I know that Dr. Christison's class assistant was one of the leading rioters—(hisses, and order)—mid the foul language he iise«l could only lie excused on the su]>position I heard that he was intoxicated, ^ I do not say that Dr, Christison knew of or sanctioned his presence, but I do say that I think he would not liave been there had he thought Gie doctor would have strongly objected to his presence.