The Doctors Blackwell by Janice Nimura

Janice P. Nimura’s  The Doctors Blackwell tells the story of a large, multi-faceted  British family who migrated to America but never completely severed their ties to  England. Two of the daughters,  Elizabeth and her younger sister Emily, overcame countless deeply entrenched educational, cultural, and societal barriers to graduate from exclusively male medical colleges and obtain their MD’s. The book follows their careers, struggles, and many accomplishments on both sides of the Atlantic.  The different personalities of the two sisters and how they relate to each other and their family add an important aspect to the story.

I selected the book for the men's Esplanade reading group after having been first introduced to it at a summer book series sponsored by the The Mount Book Review Series of The Berkshires. The author was present to provide readings and discuss the book. I became intensely enamored by the subject and the author's  writing style and very quickly began to recommend it for a summer's read.

The book's attraction for me is its reminder of how recently women were excluded from the medical profession. It reminded me of the intolerance that I witnessed during my medical career towards Jews, women, and people of color.  This remarkable family, in spite of the man-made obstacles, persevered and provided care to woman.  They focused societal concerns for many gynecological issues.  These two woman, although sisters, had different personalities and interests and as a result they offered to society a much needed and varied approach to woman's medical issues. 

Reviewed by Don Putnoi

P.S. from Fred Davis: FYI There is a reference on page 194 to Nancy Clarke, the only non-Blackwell female with an MD, who marries one Amos Binney. This is also referenced in an excellent article on the Binneys in the ECG Newsletter by Ken Winston.