No class requires the aid of English female doctors like
the
ladies of India. They have fairly skilled native midwive- , but for the cure of any grave disease they have absolutely no skilled help whatever. Men cannot attend them, and except as midwives the native women have no medical skill, beyond a knowledge, often inaccurate, of a few simples. So strongly is this grievance, which is both genuine and dreadful, felt by some among them, that the Maharanee of Punnah, in Bundelcund, recently implored Miss Beilby, the female medical missionary in Lucknow, to take a message from her to the Queen, begging her Majesty to try to help Indian women in the matter. The message was conveyed, and very kindly re- ceived, although there is a fancy abroad, based on some state- ment of Sir 'W. Jenner, that the Queen is opposed to female doctors. If the Queen really wishes to remove, or at least alleviate, one of the big miseries of the world, the road is pal- pably open. There are at least two thousand Indian ladies belonging to the families of tribute-paying Princes who are less cared for in severe illness than English paupers. Why should not four female doctors be added to the Indian Medical Staff, with the distinct understanding that they are to attend the native ladies, as other doctors attend native gentlemen ?
Previous page
