Nineteenth century medicine (Role of women)

Question 1

Why was it hard for women to become doctors in the ancient world?

Answer 1

Throughout history, there have been female doctors. However, in the middle ages, a law was passed that prevented women from becoming doctors. This law was loosened as time went on but in the 1700s, it was nearly impossible for women to become doctors since university degrees were required to practice medicine and most universities didn’t allow women to attend.

Question 2

Why was it difficult for women to become doctors during the nineteenth century?

Answer 2

In 1815, doctors must take examinations in order to become qualified. This law was made made more prominent when in 1858, the introduction of the General Medical Act meant that all qualified doctors must put their names in the General Medical register in order to practice medicine.
At this time, most universities still didn’t allow women to attend.

Question 3

How did Elizabeth Garrett become a doctor?

Answer 3

1. No English universities would accept Garrett so she found men who privately tutored her.
2. In 1865, she passed an exam that made her a qualified chemist. This inspired her to go further to become a doctor.
3. She then went to Paris to study medicine since French universities accepted women. She passed her exams and became a qualified doctor.
4. She then returned to England and was placed on the General Medical register.

Question 4

What changed in the late part of the nineteenth century which allowed women to become doctors?

Answer 4

In 1876, Parliament passed a law which stated that women should not be restricted from achieving medical qualifications based on their gender alone.

Question 5

What were hospitals and nursing like before Florence Nightingale?

Answer 5

1. Hospitals were funded by people who had subscriptions in them, but many people could not afford these. Some hospitals specialised in treating the poor, but these places were dirty and infection was common.
2. Nurses were mostly untrained and had a reputation of not caring for patients. Some nurses were even paid in alcohol.

Question 6

How did Florence Nightingale improve hospitals in the Crimea.

Answer 6

When Florence Nightingale arrived in the Crimea, she was appalled by the conditions the hospitals were in. They lacked toilets, wash basins, soap, mops and cleaning materials. She quickly wrote to the British government, demanding all sorts of clean materials. She even funded some herself.
Her nurses and her quickly set to work cleaning every part of the hospital; removing rubbish, washing bed sheets. Florence Nightingale even paid builders to rebuild some parts of the hospital.

Question 7

How did Florence Nightingale affect Britain?

Answer 7

When Florence Nightingale returned to Britain, she wrote an 800 page report on improvements that should be made to hospitals; including how wards should be spacious, well cleaned, well ventilated; how staff should have good hygiene habits. She then published the book ‘Notes on Nursing’ in 1860 where she explained how nurses should be trained and then opened Britain’s first nurse training school at St Thomas’ hospital.

Question 8

How did Florence Nightingale affect the world?

Answer 8

In 1863, she published the book ‘Notes on Hospitals’ where she outlines how hospitals should be designed. The whole world consulted her book when building new hospitals.