ABSTRACT
By some oversight no reference was made in the last number of this REVIEW to an occurrence of great importance in the history of the education of women. It is probably not too much to say that no event of the last ten years has marked so great a step in the progress of the woman question as the opening of the medical degrees of the University of Edinburgh to women candidates. Those of our readers who have followed the movement with interest, will remember that it is now more than a quarter of a century since the famous Septem contra Edinam matriculated at this University but were not allowed to complete their curriculum; and until quite recently Scottish medical women, however scientific and capable they might be, have been obliged to content themselves with the diploma of the conjoint Scottish Colleges, or to seek a degree in London or abroad. A few years' ago this difficulty was partly overcome by the affiliation of Queen Margaret College to Glasgow University, and since then some half dozen Glasgow students have obtained the much coveted M.B., C.M. This advantage, however, was limited to Queen Margaret
student~, and Dr. Sophia Jex-Blake, whose efforts to obtain additional advantages for the women who are following in her steps have been most unselfish and untiring, has made repeated attempts to obtain the admission of women to other Scottish medical degrees. Some two years ago she applied to the University of St. Andrews to admit to graduation women who had studied in Edinburgh, and as the authorities received her application favourably, it seemed for a time as if the point had been gained. But insuperable difficulties arose in connection with new Ordmances of the Scottish Universities' Commission, and the con-
c~ssions made by St.lAndrews were rendered practICally null and void. With characteristic zeal and oourage Dr. Jex-Blake then applied once more to the
University Court of her own old Alma Mater, reminding them, in an admirable appeal, that in 1869 the same Court had conceded the principle of admitting women to graduation in medicine, that that principle had never been disallowed by them, and that the pro-
. blem of its practical accomplishment had been under the consideration of the Court ever since. It had always been a saying among Scotch students that Edinburgh would be the last stronghold to yield, and it was a matter of considerable surprise and general rejoicing when the Court, after full consideration of the subject, rose nobly to the spirit of the resolution passed by their predecessors in 1869, and, in October, 1894, made public their determination to admit women forthwith to graduation in medicine.
