How far did the achievements of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson constitute a turning point in the history of medicine?

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Natasha Williams 10E

How far did the achievements of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson constitute a turning point in the history of medicine?  (2170 words)

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson is often considered to be one of the most significant women in the history of medicine and society and, as such, her work is often considered to be a turning point in history. However, to what extent was her work actually the pinnacle of the introduction of women into medicine? In order to discuss this matter further, we must ask ourselves what is the precise definition of a turning point? It seems that there are three main factors that ascertain as to whether an event was a turning point or not, these are: how long it was sustained, that it made a sudden impact on society and, lastly, that it was a pivotal event.  

        Garrett Anderson was the first female doctor in Britain and, as such, it is often said that she was therefore solely responsible for the allowance of women into the profession and that she provide the gateway for women, who were, at the time, only allowed to become nurses. She sought the help of her father so that she could enter the profession as it was her ambition. She also wished to earn more money, as nursing wages were much lower than an average doctors annual pay! So, she started to attend the lectures held at the Middlesex hospital, much to the disgust of the protesting male students. However, they couldn’t stop her, as she continued to persevere. This is an example of the attitude barriers that Garrett Anderson had to overcome in order to achieve her goal, as women were often held back due to the arrangement of the patriarchal society at the time. Stereotypical views of women meant that they were thought of as subordinate “assistants” to the male variety, as the novelist W.M Thackeray exhibits in his 1850s work: “[the ideal women should be] an exquisite slave: a humble, flattering, tea-making, pianoforte-playing being, who laughs at our jokes…coaxes us and fondly lies to us throughout our lives.” Similarly, a year later, Thomas Huxley, a leading scientist, stated “In every excellent characteristic, whether mental or physical, the average woman is inferior to the average man.” This clearly illustrates the idea of how women were viewed at the time and even from educated men. Evidently, Elizabeth Garrett disagreed. She went on to pass her exams to become a doctor, as the enrolments for women at the London School of Medicine increased. However, once again she was denied access into the Society of Apothecaries, who she later brought a legal case against, with the aid of her father, so she could be allowed access. Though, they later changed their rules so more women could not follow her example. She was then forced to continue her studies in France so that she could complete her degree.      

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Elizabeth Garrett lived at a time of change, both in society and in medicine. Although she is usually said to be the only cause of the breakthrough, it is possible that other factors played a bigger role than her work. For instance, the enrolments at the London School of Medicine for Women showed a massive increase in the number of students between the years of 1875 and 1917, which, when cross referred with the population census of the time, shows that there was a decline in the number of doctors, both male and female. However, this may not have been ...

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