Page:Address on the Medical Education of Women (1864) - Blackwell.djvu/5



The present meeting has been called to consider the subject of organising a Medical College for Women.

I shall take it for granted, therefore, that those present approve of the study of Medicine by Women—either upon the general ground of widening their occupations—or from the feeling that in special departments of medicine, there would be an obvious advantage in being able to consult women—or that they would be valuable as teachers to diffuse sound hygienic knowledge.

There is one other point, however, on which I should like to touch—it is the question of educating good nurses. It has been frequently said to us, "If you would establish a school for nurses,—or if you would make nursing a prominent part in your medical school, it would appeal more forcibly to the public.

Now, we fully acknowledge the need that exists of a good school for nurses. The Infirmary was chartered as a practical school for nurses as well as students; and it has given similar advantages to nurses, in their department, that it has to students—viz., the opportunity of learning, by taking part in practice. In this way it has trained a succession of nurses, who are now employed in New York.