A for Aspasia: Female Scientists Before Our Time

First Century AD seems a terribly long time ago for a woman to have practiced medicine in a male-dominated field, but consider Aspasia, a Greek woman who practiced obstetrics and gynecology.

Aspasia was a respected Athenian physician. What little we know about her can be found in a book written on gynecology by Aetius of Amida, a male physician and medical writer during the Byzantine period (5th to mid-6th century AD). He had learned much from her teachings passed down. Aspasia was considered an authority in gynecology - on pregnancy care,  sickness during pregnancy, delivery problems, embryontomy and care, abortion, menstruation problems, uterine ulcers, displacement of the uterus, uterine hemorrhoids, tumors of the labia, varicose hernia, and more. 

One procedure Aspasia practiced was to rotate the infant in the womb when stuck in a breech position.

Greek women used a Birth Stool during delivery.

Aspasia’s acceptance as a physician by her male counterparts  was a far cry from her predecessor’s experience, Agnodice, a practicing midwife and obstetrician in 300 BC. Agnodice had been forced to cut her hair and wear male clothing in order to practice medicine in Athens. Although Agnodice was a practicing physician, some debate the accuracy of her story, suggesting it was more of a folk tale, but the story is worth noting, because legends, some would argue, often reflect the culture of the day.

“A modern engraving of Agnodice, midwife and 
obstetrician, who according to legend disguised 
herself as a man in order to practice as a doctor.”

Medical practice in a male-dominated field in 300 BC could not have been easy for Agnodice, and not wishing to debate the scholars who caution against generalizations, I would point to Aristotle (384-322 BC) who thought women, being the weaker sex, were less rational than men and therefore less capable intellectually.  

As the story goes, Agnodice proved her naysayers wrong and became quite popular with her female patients. After being exposed as a woman, she was taken to court and found guilty, but her female followers rallied in support and changed an existing law so women could practice medicine in Athens.

Ancient Greek toys.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_medicine_in_antiquity; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspasia_the_Physician
https://rebelwomenembroidery.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/aspasia-the-physician-1st-century-greece/
Parker, Holt N. 1997. "Women Doctors in Greece Rome, and the Byzantine Empire." Women Physicians and Healers. Lillian R. Furst, ed. Univ. of Kentucky Press 131-150.

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing