The month of March is dedicated to celebrating Women’s History. During this month, important national institutions such as the Library of Congress, the National Gallery of Art, the National Archives and Administration, the Smithsonian Institution and more join in commemorating impactful female leaders and their contributions to the betterment of the world. Joining this study, read on to discover fun facts about incredible pioneers in women’s health!
Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910)
Florence Nightingale significantly impacted the field of nursing during the mid-19th century, aiding wounded British soldiers during the Crimean War in Turkey. Her work was so incredible that under the improved sanitary conditions that she introduced, mortality rates decreased from 40% to 2%. Due to the evident success of such an environment, British hospitals began adopting her methods.
Expanding her widespread impact, Nightingale opened up the Nightingale School of Nursing at St Thomas’ Hospital in London after the war. Here, she trained future nurses and midwives, creating a new generation of talented, educated females within the field of healthcare.
Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell (1821 – 1910)
Dr. Blackwell was the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree. After completing her education, she opened up her hospital for women and children in New York, called the Infirmary for Women and Children. Her goal in doing so was to ensure that there was a place with open positions for female physicians to work. Adding to this aspiration, she also later opened a medical college for women in New York City called the Women’s Medical College at the New York Infirmary.
Despite facing much discrimination and judgment, Dr. Blackwell continued to work with incredible determination to achieve such dreams. She was even the first woman within America to publish a medical article, highlighting the disparities between how females versus males treat patients.
Clara Barton (1821 – 1912)
Clara Barton tended to soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. After completing this admirable work, she founded the American Red Cross in 1880. During her time working with this organization, she helped citizens in the aftermath of natural disasters or unfortunate occurrences of other types and aided the homeless or poor.
On top of this, she began the National First Aid Association of America. This foundation aimed to increase awareness around emergency preparation and first aid kits in the case of a spontaneous accident.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831 – 1895)
During the Civil War, Dr. Crumpler graduated from the New England Female Medical College, making her the first Black American woman to earn a degree in medicine. After this incredible accomplishment, she authored a book titled “A Book of Medical Discourses”, administering medical advice to women and children.
Additionally, she partnered with other black physicians to give care to freed slaves who otherwise would not have access to medical treatment.
Citations
“Changing the Face of Medicine | Rebecca Lee Crumpler.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 3 June 2015, cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_73.html.
Clara Barton: Biography, American Red Cross Founder, Nurse, http://www.biography.com/history-culture/clara-barton. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
Elizabeth Blackwell – Life, Education & Accomplishments, http://www.biography.com/scientist/elizabeth-blackwell. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
“Florence Nightingale.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 15 Feb. 2025, http://www.britannica.com/biography/Florence-Nightingale.
“Hobart and William Smith Colleges.” Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell Biography, http://www.hws.edu/about/history/elizabeth-blackwell/biography.aspx#:~:text=Elizabeth%20Blackwell%20founded%20the%20New,creation%20of%20its%20medical%20college. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
Mark Otto, Jacob Thornton. “Women’s History Month.” Women’s History Month 2024, http://www.womenshistorymonth.gov/. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
“Rebecca Lee Crumpler.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Feb. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Lee_Crumpler.
Recognizing Women in Healthcare History | Montage Health, http://www.montagehealth.org/the-beat/women-healthcare-history/. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
“Women Stock Illustrations.” iStock, http://www.istockphoto.com/illustrations/women. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
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