Short Term Impact
This is an image of the New York Infirmary and the crowds of people that wanted to see Blackwell.
New York Infirmary photo courtesy of Joycelyn Green Inspiring Faith and Courage
After gaining valuable experience, Blackwell opened a practice for the poor in New York City. At first she did not attract many people because many were not used to seeing a female doctor. Because they did not want to see a woman doctor Blackwell started the New York infirmary for women and children in 1857. Treating just women and children was more of an appropriate place for Blackwell. Emily Blackwell, Elizabeth’s younger sister, also joined this practice. Emily was the third woman in the United States to earn her medical degree.
"The physicians there at that time were all female. It was totally different. It was unique because nothing else like it existed." ~ Pauline Hecht -(87, a surgeon, began working at the New York Infirmary in 1961 and recalls a highly dedicated team of all female surgeons)
In 1861 the civil war began. Blackwell noticed that there was no organization that would distribute the needed supplies to soldiers. Blackwell organized volunteers that included thousands of New York City women to help get soldiers the supplies they needed. The organization was called the Women’s Central Association of Relief. Elizabeth and Dorothea Dix worked to train other female nurses to care for the injured soldiers.
In this image Elizabeth Blackwell is taking care of some soldiers during the civil war.
Elizabeth Blackwell in the Civil War photo courtesy of study.com
