ABSTRACT
The hearing of the dispute over the Infirmary election was postponed until July so, regardless of its outcome, the women students would be deprived of hospital training for more than half of 1872. Of course ‘certificates of proficiency’ would not entitle the women to be registered as qualified medical practitioners. Preparation of the women’s case evidently was carried out as efficiently as Sophia could wish, since by 27 March the Senatus had been served notice of the action and was meeting to consider its response. Some of the audience were a little disappointed that the fire they had come to expect from Sophia Jex-Blake was lacking on this occasion. In June Sophia had just finished work on the manuscript of Medical Women when she received a telegraph that her mother was seriously ill. Sophia was so anxious about her performance in the examinations that she kept copies of her answers to all the questions.
