WOMEN DOCTORS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 781, 2 April 1910, Page 14

WOMEN DOCTORS.

NOT SO GOOD AS MEN FOB GENERAL 1 jWQRK. Manchester has been greatly exercised over a controversy as to the admission of lady doctors to residential medical and surgical posts in the Boyal . Infirmary. Some time ago a deputation of women waited upon the Infirmary Board in favour of equality' as between men and women' doctors''-with' regard to the posts in question. ' ■ . Sir William Cobbett, the chairman, on behalf of the board, expressed a general sympathy with the aspirations of the women as concerned opportunities of •perfecting themselves in the knowledge and practice of their profession! He ■ stated "that the appointment of women as medical officers in the In-, firmary had not been fully considered by the board, and that no conclusion had'been come toon, account of the difficulty of. providing accommodation, which was, for the time insuperable." Afterwards , the board. discussed ,'the whole subject] and decided absolutely against appointing women doctors to the Infirmary posts, i .. On the part of the women this was held to.be a wheel round, but Sir William Qobbett; , 'and the members held that the finding was nowise inconsistent with their former attitude. Accommodation, it.was averred, had been stated to be not the whole difficulty, but only one'difficulty. A resolution was after-, wards, with five' dissentients, adopted' by Convocation of Manchester University'asking the board to reconsider the question. : , ~

■ The board did .not do so, but a special 'meeting' of the" infirmary trustees' was held, and the whole'matter was thoroughly - threshed out. . ; By a large majority a resolution was carried declaring "that it is not desirable' to appoint women to resident medical and surgical wards at the Manchester Royal Infirmary." The •appointment of women to the posta in question was strongly opposed on general grounds, though it was held that the resolution left open the question aa to what extent the wishes of the women might be met. by admission to the female wards. An amendment to ;add-tio 'the' resolution the words, "On the' same; terms as. men," wns supported-only by a; majority. Sir William Cpbbett's speech; iir moving the resolution: was.a vigorous. one; and the position taken '. ; ujr.by ; the.'.lnfirmary Board was further :Btr<mgly ;, set'forth by Bishop Weldohj- who'; seconded. The bishop-rested the board on the'anruinent.-th'ati 1 -' : ■ "In a general hospital a woman residentwas not worth-af much' as 'a man for the treatment of all cases. ■. It was by ho means true; that a woman could ever be as good a surgeon as a man," There was a difference in strength, in nervoj and there was at least a possible difference of skill. The trustees who were present must know many men and woineii who. would dislike in a difficult operation to: be submitted to the treatment of a woman. Then wore was: the confidence of the patients. There was evidence to show that a large majority of patients. would - not wish to be. treated by women. Itwas more than" doubtful whether women were capable of dealing with all thecases that might arise in a general hospital."