Dr.Elizabeth Blackwell

Elizabeth Blackwell was born on February 3rd , 1821, in Bristol, England, of which she was the third daughter of a family of five girls and four boys. Elizabeth's father, Samuel Blackwell,  believed that each child should have a chance to develop his/her skills and so he had the eight children educated by private tutors. 

 

In 1832, her father decided to move the family to the United States where he set up a sugar refinery based in New York City. Unfortunately, after months of buiness the refinery burnt down. It was then that they decided to move once again to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1838; Elizabeth was 11 years old at the time. The buisness rebuild failed to execute and unfortunately, just three weeks after the move, Elizabeth’s father passed away leaving the family in a difficult financial situation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When young, Elizabeth hated the slightest sight of blood and never imagined having a career that involved working around it. Elizabeth wrote in her book about the medical profession, published in 1895 “I hated everything connected with the body, and could not bear the sight of a medical book,” This viewpoint changed when she witnessed a close friend of hers suffer from cancer. Elizabeth cautiously watched as her friend seemed to look uncomfortable when being treated by a male physician. It was that one occurence that motivated her to help others in a way that would make them feel comfortable. 

 

 

 

Beginning of her sense of Leadership
 

Her determination led her to wanting to sign up for medical college. With this she took up a job teaching music in an attempt to raise money to pay for the funds to attend medical college. In preparation she studied a friend's medical books and studied anatomy with a local doctor. After doing all she could she began to apply to different medical schools in hope she would be allowed to study. 

 

During this period of time in the 19th century, women weren't recognised for their own skills and were only used for their ability to give birth and were house wives. With this, getting into a medical college at that time would have been a difficult task to accomplish as men didn't believe she was capable of becoming a physician. This became a big hurdle in her path in becoming a doctor as multiple of the schools she applied to refused to accept her application. Finally, in 1847, Geneva Medical College in upstate New York accepted her.  When the college recieved her request they asked the male students of the school to vote whether they should give her a position. The men decided it would be hilarious to see a female try to achieve this and accepted her in terms of a joke. 

 

 

 

Beginning of  her Legacy

 

Months went by at the college and the men didn't care much about her studies. Although this was a hard thing to overcome, Elizabeth was determined to graduate and do it for the women of the world.  She persisted in achieving what she went there for and suprised everyone when she graduated first in her class in 1849. She was the first woman ever to have her name on the General Medical Coucil's Regster and earn a medical degree in the United States. 

 

Elizabeth continued her education by taking a midwifery course at La Maternité in Paris. While working out in Paris treating a sick child, she got a serious eye infection which made it necessary for her left eye to be removed. because of this she was forced to give up her dream to become a surgeon.

 

 

 

 

 

Over the year, Elizabeth and Florence Nightingale became friends and discussed the idea of opening a hospital together. Their plans, however, fell apart as Florence wanted Elizabeth to train nurses rather than train female physicians.

 

In 1853, Elizabeth and Marie Zakrzewska, a German doctor, founded the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. Inspired by her ways, Elizabeth's sister, Emily Blackwell,  also became a physician herself and in 1874 the two helped start the London School of Medicine for Women.

 

Elizabeth Blackwell was a pioneer for medical education for women, who overcame a myriad of enigmatic challenges and social barriers. It was with her determination that women became respected for their abilities and what they wanted to do in life.  She made it possible for other women to follow in her footsteps. She died on May 31, 1910 in Hastings, England.

 

Her legacy is still an inspiration to many today.

 

She certainly is an inspiration to me.