Cecilia Grierson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cecilia Grierson
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| Born | 22 November 1859 |
| Died | 10 April 1934 (aged 74) Buenos Aires
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| Alma mater | University of Buenos Aires |
Cecilia Grierson (born November 22, 1859 – died April 10, 1934) was an amazing Argentine doctor and a true pioneer. She was the very first woman in Argentina to earn a medical degree! She also worked hard to make many positive changes in society.
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Early Life of Cecilia Grierson
Cecilia Grierson was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1859. Her mother, Jane Duffy, was from Ireland, and her father, John Parish Robertson Grierson, was of Scottish background. Her family had settled in Argentina many years before.
Cecilia spent her early childhood on her family’s large farm, called an estancia, in Entre Ríos Province. Her family were successful farmers. When she was six, she went to English and French schools in Buenos Aires.
Sadly, her father passed away early. Cecilia had to return home to help her mother manage a country school. She even taught there for a while. Later, she went back to Buenos Aires to study at the Nº 1 Girls Normal School. She became a teacher in 1878. After teaching for some years, she decided to study medicine.
Cecilia Grierson's Medical Career
When Cecilia Grierson wanted to join medical school in 1883, it was very difficult. Women were not usually allowed to study medicine back then. She even had to write a letter explaining why she wanted to be a doctor.
Another woman, Élida Passo, had tried to become a pharmacist. She was the first Argentine woman to get a university diploma in 1885. Élida later tried to become a doctor too, but she got very sick and passed away before finishing.
At that time, very few women in Argentina went to high school, let alone university. But Cecilia was a brilliant student. She even worked for free in the university lab. In 1885, she started helping out at the Public Health Department.
She created an ambulance service there. She was the first to use alarm bells, like today's sirens, for ambulances. Before this, only fire trucks used them! In 1886, a cholera epidemic hit. Cecilia worked tirelessly, caring for many patients. Her hard work earned her a lot of respect.
Cecilia was also a leader in kinesiology, which is about movement and physical therapy. She started a course on massage therapy at the School of Medicine. She also wrote a book called Practical Massage. This book was very important for developing modern kinesiology in Argentina.
In 1888, she joined the staff at Hospital Rivadavia. In 1889, she successfully defended her thesis on gynecology (women's health). This made her the first woman in Argentina to earn a Medical Degree.
After graduating, she worked at Hospital San Roque. She also taught anatomy at the Academia de Bellas Artes. She gave free help to children with special needs, especially those who were blind or deaf mute. She also wrote important textbooks like The Education of the Blind and First National Nursing Textbook.
In 1890, Cecilia Grierson founded the first nursing school in Argentina. It was at the Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires. Students learned about childcare, first aid, and patient care. She directed this school until 1913. Her success helped her become a founding member of the Argentine Medical Association in 1891.
She also learned about first aid training from the Red Cross. This inspired her to create the Argentine First Aid Society in 1892. She even published a book on how to care for accident victims.
In 1892, she was part of the first cesarean section performed in Argentina. In 1901, she founded the National Obstetrics Association and its journal. She also taught gymnastics at the School of Medicine. She helped other female students, like Armandina Poggetti, who became the first woman in Argentina to earn a degree in Pharmacology in 1902.
In 1902, Grierson founded the Society for Domestic Economy. This was the first organization of its kind in the country. It was later renamed the Technical School for Home Management. In 1907, she started the Domestic Sciences course at the Buenos Aires Girls’ Secondary School. This was also the first course like it in Argentina.
She also published Women’s Technical Education, which introduced the study of day care in these schools. She taught at the School of Fine Arts and the National Secondary School for Girls.
Cecilia Grierson's Fight for Women's Rights
The difficulties Cecilia faced as a student and doctor made her a strong supporter of women's rights in Argentina. She joined the Socialist Party of Argentina. She became one of the few women in Argentina who openly supported feminism. This was a movement that fought for women's equality.
In 1889, Cecilia became Vice President of the International Council of Women (ICW) meeting in London. This led her to create the Argentine Women’s Council (CNM) in 1900. In 1906, she and Elvira Rawson de Dellepiane proposed a law to the National Congress. This law would help working women with social welfare and maternity leave. However, the law did not pass. She also worked to stop unfair practices against women.
There were some disagreements within the CNM. Cecilia and her friends wanted to push harder for women’s right to vote. So, in 1904, about thirty university women, including Cecilia, started a new group. It was called the Association of Argentine University Women (AMUA). This was the first university student group for women in Argentina.
The AMUA worked to help both working-class women and female university graduates. They fought against women having fewer legal rights. They also wanted women to have better access to education and to be involved in civic life. They campaigned for civil and political rights, the rights of children, and fair laws. Cecilia Grierson led the First International Women’s Conference, organized by the AMUA.
Cecilia was also a strong supporter of the Argentine Freethinkers Association. This group believed in using science and reason. They also wanted full equality for women. Cecilia joined the Women’s Socialist Centre. In 1910, she led the First International Feminist Conference of Argentina. This conference was organized by the Association of University Women.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1914, Cecilia Grierson was honored for 25 years since her graduation. She was honored again in 1916 when she retired from teaching. She moved to Los Cocos, a beautiful town in Córdoba Province. There, she continued to practice family medicine, often helping people for free. She also opened a school and a home for teachers and artists in the town.
When she retired, she received only a small pension. She was most sad that she was never offered a top teaching position at her old medical school. Cecilia Grierson never married. She passed away in Buenos Aires in 1934, at 74 years old. She was buried in the city's British Cemetery.
Tribute
The nursing school she started in 1891 was renamed after her following her death. A street in Los Cocos and a street in the newest part of Buenos Aires, Puerto Madero, were also named in her honor.
On November 22, 2016, Google celebrated her 157th birthday with a special Google Doodle on their homepage.
See also
In Spanish: Cecilia Grierson para niños
