WOMEN MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3911, 26 February 1929, Page 35

WOMEN MEDICAL STUDENTS.

BAN BY LONDON HOSPITALS.

LIKELY TO BE MODIFIED. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, January 9. It is reported that the decision of five of the great London hospitals—the London, St. Charing Cross, King’s College, and Westminster—not to admit women medical students is likely to be modified in consequence of the findings of a committee appointed a year ago by the Senate of London University, whose report is about to be published.

The committee was appointed to suggest a solution of the difficulty. It is understood that they will recommend ways and means which will enable girls who wish to take up medicine as a career to study in London. It is unlikely that the present policy of the hospitals will be completely reversed. A compromise is likely which will provide girl students with fair opportunities for study. The committee’s recommendations will be adopted by the senate and accepted by the hospitals. Sir . James Purves-Stewart. senior physician to Westminster Hospital, contended at the time of the exclusion that usually the ablest women left the profession to marry shortly after graduating. The committee who were appointed by the Senate of London University were: Sir William Beveridge, vice-chancellor; Professor Loney, chairman of convocation ; Dr Filon, chairman of the Academic Council; Dr G'aham Little, M.P., chairman of the External CounSir Holburt Waring, chairman of the Finance Committee: Mr W G Spencer; Dr W. R. Matthews; Dr Halliday, principal of King’s College; S’r Andrew Taylor; Miss Ethel Strud’wick principal of St. Paul’s Girls’ School; and Miss Margaret Take, principal of the Bedford College for Women, London.

. Graham Little, M.P., a member of the University Senate, said, in an interview, that, in his opinion, a solution to the problem might be a decision for each hospital to admit a definite quota of women medical students.

King’s College Hospital, for instance,” he said, “will not admit women students because it is feared that if this Were done there would be a flood of women.”

He added that he knew that some hospitals would be willing to take a quota, but the reason that thev did not take them now was the fear that no other hospitals would do so.

“ University College Hospital does, as a matter of fact,” he said, “accept 12 women each year. If every hospital would take nine or ten, the difficulty would be solved immediately. The authorities of King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, recently announced that the equipment of a new children’s ward, which is to he opened bv the Duchess of York next month, was'to be provided by Mrs Humplireys-Owen, one of the women doctors trained at the hospital.

Lhis offer, which entails a donation of about £lOO9, still holds good, but the conditions attached to it are such that the hospital authorities have been placed tn a dilemma. The donor's proposal was that the inscription on the tablet should be to the effect: “This ward is dedicated to the memory of the women Y 1 , se ’’ ve< ? thi3 hospital lovingly and faithfully in the years 1918-28, and on whom the hospital has now closed its doors.”

Negotiations are proceeding with a view to persuading Mrs HumphreysOwen to-alter the wording of the ‘inscription.