Language
Country/Area
No result found
From Ancient Egypt to Modern Times: What Are the Legends of Female Doctors?
Since ancient times, the contribution of women in the fields of science and medicine cannot be ignored. Despite facing numerous difficulties and challenges, female doctors throughout the generations have always left a profound mark on the history of promoting scientific progress. This all dates back to ancient Egypt, when women's medical careers began to take shape.
The ancient Egyptian female doctor Peseshet is known as the earliest known female doctor. She served as the "female supervisor of female doctors" from 2600 to 2500 BC. With the evolution of history, even in male-dominated societies, women still actively participate in various medical activities.
During the ancient Greek period, women also demonstrated their talents in the fields of medicine and science. The famous poet Homer once mentioned a female doctor named Agamede.
As we entered the Middle Ages, women's status changed. The monastery became an important place for women to learn and practice medicine. Hildegard of Bingen was a famous female doctor and polymath. However, as society tightens the status of women, educational opportunities are gradually deprived, which creates serious obstacles to women's development.
In the 11th century in Europe, the first universities began to appear, but women were often excluded. Most women did not have access to higher education, although some places, such as the University of Bologna in Italy, were relatively open to women's education. Italian female doctors Trotula di Ruggiero and Dorotea Bucca are particularly famous for their contributions to the medical community.
"In the 17th century, although women were not necessarily officially recognized as scholars, they often played an important role in internal academic discussions and publications."
With the rise of the Scientific Revolution, female scholars such as Margaret Cavendish and Maria Sibylla Merian began to break traditional boundaries and actively participate in In scientific experiments and natural observations. Merian even traveled to South America for fieldwork, where her research advanced knowledge of insects and plants.
However, despite the remarkable efforts of these women, society generally remains skeptical of women's contributions to science. According to historians’ observations, male scientists at that time often used new scientific theories to emphasize women’s disadvantages, solidify women’s role in the family, and regard them as “natural mothers”, preventing women from receiving the respect and opportunities they deserve. .
"In the 18th century, although some women achieved scientific success, they still encountered tremendous resistance in their pursuit of further knowledge and education."
With the advent of the Age of Enlightenment, women gradually broke through the limitations of tradition. The rise of celebrity social circles has provided women with more networking opportunities. Mary Wortley Montagu in England introduced this technology to Britain by observing smallpox vaccination in Turkey and became one of the pioneers in promoting public health reform.
During this period, Italian scientist Laura Bassi became the first woman to receive a university professorship in 1732, an important milestone for subsequent women's education. Under her influence, as women's status gradually improved, more women began to devote themselves to the field of scientific research.
However, despite the difficult pace of progress, the contribution of women in science is becoming increasingly evident. As time goes by, more and more women have published important results in the fields of physics, chemistry, and biomedicine, and many women have even won Nobel Prizes.
"As of 2022, 60 women have won the Nobel Prize and have made outstanding contributions in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine."
Throughout history, women's roles in medicine and science have had their ups and downs, but their stories of continued struggle have been an integral part of the field. In the future, how will the efforts and contributions of women in science affect our understanding and practice of gender equality?
