In the last week or so, I ran across an article or book that talked about a woman who went to medical school in a very early period (?? 1900) and wrote a final article about "a brain tumor that killed the author." I couldn't remember where I read of this, or who the person was.
I tried some phrases and keywords in Google and got nowhere.
Without much expectation, I tried a prompt in Chat GPT 4o and the result was accurate and instantaneous.
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Once I had the info below, I went back to Google and found my source, a 12-6-2024 article in NYT by Janice Nimura reviewing, "The Cure for Women," by Lydia Reeder, subtitled, "Dr Mary Putnam Jacobi and the Challenge to Victorian Medicine that Changed Women's Lives Forever."
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/06/books/review/the-cure-for-women-lydia-reeder.html
Here's a Google search on Putnam.
But before I had that, here's where I started with - just a bit of memory fragment to work with:
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I was reading an article or a book about a woman who went to medical school in the United States in the early 1900s. In her 60s, she wrote a book about a brainstem or cerebellar tumor which, in the title of the article killed the author. I can’t remember where I read about this person and her unusual terminal article.
## Chat GPT 4o
You're referring to Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi, a pioneering physician and writer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was the first woman admitted to study medicine at the University of Paris and had a distinguished career in medicine and advocacy for women's rights.
In her 60s, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Dr. Jacobi documented her symptoms and experiences in a paper titled "Description of the Early Symptoms of the Meningeal Tumor Compressing the Cerebellum. From Which the Writer Died. Written by Herself." This work provides a detailed, first-person account of her illness and was published posthumously in 1906.
Dr. Jacobi's contributions to medicine and her advocacy for women's education have left a lasting impact, and her self-authored account of her terminal illness remains a remarkable piece of medical literature.
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I can’t for the life of me remember exactly where I was reading about her, but it was I believe in connection with her work on women and leadership in menstruation.
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Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi was a pioneering physician and writer in the 19th century, renowned for her contributions to medicine and women's rights. She was the first woman admitted to study medicine at the University of Paris and had a distinguished career in medicine and advocacy for women's rights.
One of her most significant works is "The Question of Rest for Women During Menstruation," published in 1877. In this groundbreaking study, Dr. Jacobi challenged prevailing medical opinions that advocated for women's rest during menstruation, arguing that menstruation shouldn’t stop women from getting an education—and that science should be supported by facts, not hunches.
Her work was a direct response to Dr. Edward H. Clarke's 1873 publication, "Sex in Education; or, A Fair Chance for the Girls," which claimed that higher education could harm women's health, particularly their reproductive systems. Dr. Jacobi's research provided empirical evidence to counter these claims, demonstrating that women were healthy when they were educated, mentally engaged, and physically active.
Dr. Jacobi's contributions were instrumental in advancing women's roles in both medicine and education, challenging societal norms, and advocating for gender equality. Her work continues to be recognized for its impact on women's health and rights.
If you're interested in exploring her writings further, here are some of her notable works:
[more links and short explanations of each link]
If you're interested in exploring her writings further, here are some of her notable works:
The Question of Rest for Women During Menstruation
An 1877 publication where Dr. Jacobi challenges the notion that women require rest during menstruation, providing empirical evidence to support her claims.
INTERNET ARCHIVE
Common Sense Applied to Women's Suffrage
A 1894 work in which Dr. Jacobi argues for women's right to vote, combining medical knowledge with political advocacy.
Hysteria, and Other Essays
A collection of essays published in 1888, discussing various medical conditions and societal views affecting women.
Physiological Notes on Primary Education and the Study of Language
An 1889 publication where Dr. Jacobi examines the relationship between physiology and education, emphasizing the importance of language studies.
Description of the Early Symptoms of the Meningeal Tumor Compressing the Cerebellum
A poignant 1906 work where Dr. Jacobi documents her own medical condition, providing insights into her experiences with a brain tumor.
These works highlight Dr. Jacobi's dedication to medicine, education, and women's rights, reflecting her profound impact on these fields.
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About Putnam at NLM https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_163.html
About her "last article." https://neuwritesd.org/2015/10/01/mary-putnam-jacobi/
Txt. https://archive.org/stream/maryputnamjacobi00jaco/maryputnamjacobi00jaco_djvu.txt
PDF https://archive.org/details/maryputnamjacobi00jaco/page/n5/mode/2up "The writer died..." p 501 (PDF 538).
