Elizabeth Anderson
By Illa Vij

IN the year 1860 when medicine as a career for women was unthinkable, a British family heard its indomitable yet grave and slender girl of 24 years say, "Papa I want to be a doctor!" The mother wept in disgrace and the father’s temper roared, but Elizabeth was not ready to accept defeat.

Elizabeth Garret Anderson was born in a rich family, in 1836. On growing up, Elizabeth realised that there was only one registered woman doctor in the world — Elizabeth Blackwell. When Blackwell visited England she gave a lecture on "Medicine as a Profession for Ladies." Elizabeth was in the audience and felt inspired. She argued with her father that if women could become such efficient nurses like Florence Nightingale, why couldn’t they become doctors. Moreover how could studying the human body be disgraceful when God was its maker? Finally her father not only gave her his consent, but also gave his full support. He too was determined to help her fulfil her dream. Together they spoke to London’s famous medical men who in turn declared the plan an absurd one. They all felt that working in operation theatres was horrifying and no medical school or hospital would admit her as a medical student, and no examining board would examine her.

Obstinate and determined Elizabeth wouldn’t give up that easily. She finally did achieve her target, but by most cumbersome ways. With the help of the governor of Middlesex Hospital, she was appointed as a nurse at the hospital so that she could experience the worst situations and see whether she would be able to bear the horrors. Elizabeth worked very courageously. She stood determined and strong while she watched operations without anaesthesia; she experienced the nauseating smell of gangrene. Soon Elizabeth knew what lay ahead of her and she was prepared for it. A senior resident medical officer gave her physiology and anatomy lessons thrice a week. One day a distinguished doctor while lecturing a group of students asked a question which none but she could answer. Out of sheer irritation, 40 students, obviously all men, gave a written statement , opposing Elizabeth’s presence in the hospital. They stated that either she should leave the institution or they would leave. The hospital could not afford a mass walkout, hence the committee decided to bar women from attending future sessions.

Elizabeth finally became the first woman doctor licenced to practice in Britain. But she yet had to obtain her MD; she began practising. She became a physician for women and children. Thousands of poor ailing women and children benefitted and her fame spread.

Later Elizabeth even became a visiting medical officer at a children’s hospital in London. Here she fought against dirt and official interference. She heard that the medical faculty at Sorbonne had finally opened its doors to women. But she was required to pass the six tests in French. After much toil and struggle, Elizabeth was given her due — she became the first woman MD in the history of Sorbonne.

James Skelton Anderson who had watched the determined lady all these years, proposed to her. They had a very happy married life. They had their first daughter when Elizabeth was 37 years old, followed by a daughter who died at the age of 15 months, and then came a boy, who 50 years later became chairman of the hospital founded by his mother. The hospital named Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital was entirely staffed by women keen to study medicine. Elizabeth’s noble and unparalleled part in the progress of the medicine field and the scope for women, made her a legend. She died in 1917.