Women Flashcards
1
Q
Role of women in 1848
A
- In the Middle Ages, the Church only allowed men to train as physicians
- By the 1700s, surgeons had to have a medical degree - women could not go to university
- In the 1700s, men start to take over women’s roles as midwives
- Schools for girls were a rarity before 1860 and mainly taught them writing, cooking and dressmaking
- In 1852, the government introduced the Medical Registration Act which required doctors to belong to one of the Royal Colleges (all were closed to women).
- Women could be nurses and played a major role as healers in the home
2
Q
Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War
A
- Nightingale was invited to become the Superintendent of the Female Nursing Establishment of the English General Hospital in Turkey
- In November 1954, she and 38 other nurses went to Scutari Hospital
- Conditions in the hospital were incredibly poor; injured men had to lie on the floor, operations were performed in unhygienic conditions, and more men died from typhus and cholera than their injuries
- She used her abilities as a statistician to collect data on the mortality rate of patients there.
3
Q
Improvements at Scutari Hospital
A
- By February 1855, the mortality rate decreased from 60% to 42%
- Nightingale introduced fresh water, fresh fruit and vegetables, and fresh air
- By Spring 1855, the mortality rate dropped to 2.2%
- Her work was significant because they were able to replenish men at the front a lot quicker.
4
Q
Limitations to Nightingale’s work in Scutari
A
- Army medical staff resisted nurses coming to work in the Crimea
- They thought a woman’s medical knowledge was limited
- Nurses back in Britain were not expected to keep records of the patient’s conditions and were not trained as highly
- Hospitals relied on charity for funding but the standard of care was low still
5
Q
Nightingale’s improvements in England
A
- In 1858 she wrote Notes on Hospitals which recommended space, ventilation and cleanliness (she believed in miasma theory)
- In 1859 she also wrote ‘Notes on Nursing’ which highlighted the importance of observing and recording the patient for the doctor
- In 1860, she set up the Nightingale Training School and Home for Nurses which wanted nurses to have practical training in hospitals and to have its nurses living in a home fit to form a moral life with discipline.
6
Q
Nightingale’s later life
A
- She acted as a Government Advisor on army medical care in Canada
- She published over 200 books and pamphlets
- In 1883 she was awarded the Royal Red Cross for her work
- In 1907, she became the first woman to be awarded the Order of Merit
7
Q
Limitations of change to women as doctors
A
- People thought that women could not cope with the unpleasant aspects of medical training and desire to train as a doctor was seen as unnatural
- Women still could not become doctors because of they were not allowed to go to university or join one of the Royal Colleges
- Nurses still had very little training
8
Q
Elizabeth Garrett and how she became a doctor
A
- Influenced by American Blackwell (first woman doctor in USA)
- She enrolled as a nursing student at Middlesex Hospital and attended classes but was barred after complaints from other students
- The Society of Apothecaries’ rules did not explicitly forbid women from taking their exams. Garrett took them and gained a certificate to become a doctor
- They then changed their rules to prevent women from entering the profession this way
- Garrett taught herself French and went to the University of Paris to gain her degree
- The British Medical Register refused to recognise her qualification
9
Q
Garrett and New Hospital for women
A
- In 1872, Garrett founded the New Hospital for Women, staffed entirely by women
- In 1873, she became a member of the BMA.
- She was the only member for 19 years because they voted against any further women being admitted (limitations)
- In 1883, she was appointed the dean of the London School of Medicine for Women
10
Q
1876 medical act
A
- An Act of Parliament was passed permitting women to enter the medical professions and not allowing societies or universities to bar them
- Even so, numbers remained very low
- In 1881, there were still only 25 women doctors and 64 women medical student
11
Q
Information on Marie Curie may also be included in the women section (1890-1905)
A
blank card
12
Q
QAIMNS (WW1)
A
- Main group of trained army nurses
- Founded in 1902 at the time of the Boer War
- In 1914, it was less than 300 strong
- By the end of 1918, there were 10,000 nurses
- only group properly accepted by male generals
13
Q
FANY (WW1)
A
- Launched in 1907
- Gave women the specialist skills needed to go onto the battlefield
- Came up with new ways to help soldiers e.g. in May 1915, dousing sanitary towels in eau de cologne and holding them over soldier’s faces during a chlorine gas attack
14
Q
Volunteer nurses (WW1)
A
- Many from aristocratic families and had management experience
- Most famous: Duchess of Sunderland, nicknamed Meddlesome Millie
- Worked at casualty clearing stations and drove ambulances
15
Q
Women doctors on front line (WW1)
A
- 1914-15
- Women doctors not welcome on the Western Front
- Dr Elsie Inglis offered to take medical units to the front but was told ‘hysterical’ women was the last thing needed
- Women’s Hospital Corps
- Dr Louisa Garrett Anderson and Dr Flora Murray founded it
- Had to open military hospitals in Paris and Boulogne before permission was given for London
- Mabel Stobart founded a hospital entirely staffed by women
- Women on the front line
- Posted to quieter locations
- Women performed surgery in the war zone
- Worked with the RAMC in Malta
16
Q
The Home Front of women doctors (WW1)
A
- Over half of the male doctors of Britain entered the army so women replaced them
- Dr Louisa Garrett Anderson and Dr Flora Murray were in charge of a military hospital in London which included 15 women doctors
- A shortage of trained staff meant that medical colleges did admit more women
- The London School of Medicine for Women became the largest medical school in the country
- It was believed that there were over 610 women doctors in 1911 and 1,500 in 1921
- Allowed for changed attitudes of people at home, could finally see women doctors in fruition
Limitation: in WW2, the government kept more male doctors home as they saw that as more important than in WW1
17
Q
Limitations of nurses/doctors in WW1
A
- Many of these experiences were temporary and women had to go back to domestic roles after WWI
- 20% of women doctors carried out hospital work but found positions difficult to find
- There was still little specialist opportunities
- By 1931, approximately 10% of the 30,000 doctors were women but could not find work
- After the war, women were discouraged from applying to university
- Women doctors were still dismissed when they got married and were still paid less
18
Q
QAIMNS (WW2)
A
- By 1941, were given ranks that fitted with the army
- Could serve on the front line and were captured and killed
- Sent around the world
- Some became prisoners of war
19
Q
FANY (WW2)
A
- First became involved with Free Poles as supply drivers, cooks, clerks and administrative helpers
- Attached to the British Red Cross, the American Ambulance Corps GB, and the Committee for the French Red Cross
20
Q
Volunteer nurses (WW2)
A
- Worked as ambulance drivers and first aiders
- Helped with the Red Cross at first aid posts and mobile first aid units
21
Q
Women medical students (WW2)
A
- WWII opened opportunities for women to go to university again
- The number of women medical students increased from 2,000 in 1938 to 2,900 in 1946
Limitations: Women were still discouraged from applying to university and had to give up posts as doctors if they got married
22
Q
Women Home Front (WW2)
A
- Fewer men were called up to serve so women were not needed as much as WWI
- They were still more likely to work in hospitals in Britain than on the front line and many worked with the Emergency Medical Service
23
Q
Women in the front line (WW2)
A
- WWII meant women working closer to the battle lines than ever before
- They provided faster care to the wounded
- The RAMC saw women serve as doctors for the first time
- Dr Constance Ross is an example of someone that ended the war as a medical officer
