[Historical Archives of Italian Nephrology: The role of women in the history of Medicine and Nephrology].
The aim of the present survey of the history of medicine is to provide a series of succinct assessments of the role of women in the development of nephrology. The inadequate role played by women in some areas of medicine underlines the trend that considers health history as part of external history modulating the branches of science. If "external" or social history considers women's role as marginal in many segments of society, no wonder they play a marginal role in the history of medicine. Nonetheless, when women are offered the opportunity to map out new medical paths or handle new health systems they have always been excellent. Tratula, a doctor from Salerno's medical school, is just an example. Women have been excellent in nursing and popular medicine. Florence Nightingale (1823-1910), an English woman of rare ability and humanitarian enthusiasm, was the first to understand the role of women in organising nursing. In this area she had such a striking success that her method contributed to the founding of the first school of nursing in England and in the world. On the other hand, women doctors have had many difficulties in the medical area. The first modern woman to take her degree in medicine was Elisabeth Blackwell, who graduated from the Geneva Medical School of Western New York in 1849. She managed to open a private dispensary, which within a few years developed into a great hospital and training school for women. In the nephrology area a great Australian woman entered the universal history of medicine, Priscilla Kincaid-Smith. Her outstanding contribution was to improve the diagnosis and treatment of glomerulonephritis. Her positive attitude and the novelty of a woman being on the same scientific level as men, combined to secure her unique reputation in both her own country and the world. We hope that new social trends will develop in which women with scientific ideas will be able to completely express their medical ability and the tendency to eliminate the vestiges of old traditions will be reinforced through the granting of new scientific and academic opportunities. In Italian nephrology this tendency has been accelerating.
D001315:Australia; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006666:History of Medicine; D006676:History of Nursing; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D009398:Nephrology / Q000266:history*; D009518:New York; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000266:history*; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000266:history; D014930:Women / Q000266:history*
Archivi storici della Nefrologia Italiana: Il ruolo della donna nella storia della Medicina e della Nefrologia.