Today’s Doodle celebrates French doctor Madeleine Brès on her 177th birthday. As the first French woman to graduate medical school and become a doctor of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris in 1875, she made groundbreaking contributions to women’s health and pediatrics.
A native of Bouillargues, just outside Nîmes, Brès found her passion for medicine at the age of eight. As a volunteer at a local hospital, she learned basic medical treatments from one of the nuns on staff.
After a number of years in Paris, Brès approached the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, Charles-Adolphe Wurtz, to advocate for her enrollment in a doctoral program. Despite not having a formal higher education, Brès’ application was accepted, and she was encouraged to attain the proper qualifications before admission. As a self-taught student, Brès passed her baccalauréat exam and enrolled at the University of Paris (known as the
Sorbonne) as a medical student in 1868.
Brès successfully defended her thesis,
De la Mamelle et de l'allaitement (Of Breasts and Breastfeeding), in 1875. At a time where wet nurses were employed by women of means, her work advocated for and encouraged natural breastfeeding.
Brès then started her own practice in Paris, focusing on gynecological and pediatric medicine. Her facility remained open for almost 40 years, often eliminating costs for working women and instructed new mothers on proper infant care.
In 1883, Brès directed a medical journal entitled
L'Hygiène de la Femme et de l'Enfant (Hygiene of the Woman and the Child), educating women on their own biology, as well as on childcare and disease containment.
Madeleine Brès was a trailblazer in French medicine and continues today to be a model for all those aspiring towards a career in medicine.
Early drafts by artist Helene Leroux
(1) 25.11.2019-Monday-திங்கள்-Doodle-Madeleine Brès’ 177th Birthday-PNG.
ReplyDelete(2) 25.11.2019-Monday-திங்கள்-Doodle-Early Draft _ 1 _ by Artist Helene Leroux-Madeleine Brès’ 177th Birthday-PNG.
(3) 25.11.2019-Monday-திங்கள்-Doodle-Early Draft _ 2 _ by Artist Helene Leroux-Madeleine Brès’ 177th Birthday-PNG.