The Bonds of Womanhood: "Woman's Sphere" in New England, 1780-1835

Abstract

IOWAwomen failed to enter in significant numbers the nation's medical schools and internship programs.In spite of increased female participation in the medical profession following the renewed struggle for women's rights in the early 1960s, Walsh concludes her study with a note of caution.She argues that the recent progress could be reversed as easily as that of the nineteenth century's.Stressing that "sexual discrimination is deeply embedded in the fabric of American medicine," Walsh exhorts women physicians to "recognize the debt they owe to the feminist movement."Only through a strong and politically active women's movement can the recent progress be made secure.Walsh's book, ot course, is not without its flaws.Due in large part to the breadth of the time period covered, "Doctors Wanted" suffers from an unevenness in its presentation.The flrst half of the book, the section covering the nineteenth century, is a tight unit.Upon its conclusion the reader feels left with an understanding of aspiring female medical practitioners and their quest for acceptance in the regular medicai community.The second half of Walsh's study, however, does not display such cohesiveness.Walsh's treatment of the twentieth century, with her shifts in focus from the national to the local scene, is somewhat diffuse.As a result, it leaves the reader with a sense, but not necessarily an understanding, of women, medicine, and the American medical establishment.This reservation aside, "Doctors Wanted: No Women Need Apply" is an important contribution to our understanding of the American past.Well researched and well written, this study provides solid information about the experiences of an emergent professional group.Anyone interested in the evolution of medical education, women in the professions, and the quest for male-female equity can benefit from a careful reading of this book.