OBITUARY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12657, 10 January 1912, Page 5

OBITUARY.

DR. SOPHIA JEX-BLAKE. (Press Assn.— By Telegraph.— Copyright) LONDON, January 9. Obituary: Sophia Jex-Blake, Dean of the School of Medicine for Women at Edinburgh. [The deceased lady was born m 1840, and was the youngest daughter of Thos. Jex-Blake, Proctor of Doctors Commons. She had a. distinguished medical career, being Avith Dr. Garrett Anderson one of the first , t\vo lady doctors to be admitted to* practice m Britain. She graduated m the degree of M.D. at the University of Berne m 1877, and became a Licentiate m 1877, and member m 1880 of the Irish College of Physicians. From 1858 to 1861 she held the position of mathematical tutor at Queen's College, London, and m the latter year left to travel on the Continent and m America to inspect the education of girls. It Avas m 1866 that she began to study medicine at Boston under Dr. Lucy Sewall. She returned to England m 1868, and' the following year matriculated m the Medical Faculty of the University of Edinburgh. Not being allowed to complete her studies; and take a degree, she brought an action Avith others against the University of Edinburgh m 1872, Avhich action was practically gained before Lord Ordinary Gifford, but on appeal the decision Avas reA'ersed by a bare majority of the whole Court of Session m 1873. In 1874 she left Edinburgh and founded the London School of Medicine for Women, and m 1878, after gaining her M.D. diploma, Avent to practise ih Edinburgh, where she opened the Dispensary for Women and Children m- 1878, and the Cottage Hospital m 1885. In 1886 she founded the Edinburgh School of Medicine for Women, which the University of Edinburgh recognised for graduation m 1894. Dr. Jex-Blake retired from practise m 1899, and returned to her native Sussex. Deceased Avas the author of " American Schools and Colleges" (1866) ; "Medical Women" (1872) ; "Puerperal Fever" (Graduation Thesis) ? 1877; *' Care of Infants" (1884) ; A*arious articles m the Fortnightly RevieAv (1877), and Nineteenth Century (1887 and 1894). Deceased Avas a cousin of Mr Thos. JexBlake, of Gisborne, and a sister of the Very Rev Thos. William Jex-Blake, headj master of Rugby from 1874 to i%7 — I the first Rugby boy elected headmaster j — and Dean of Wells from 1891 to the date of his retirement a year ago.]