Jennie McCowen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennie McCowen
M.D.
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| Born | June 15, 1845 Harveysburg, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | July 28, 1924 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Iowa |
| Occupation | physician, writer, editor |
| Medical career | |
| Sub-specialties | nervous diseases and diseases of women |
Jennie McCowen (born June 15, 1845 – died July 28, 1924) was an amazing American doctor, writer, and editor for medical journals. She also gave talks and strongly supported women's right to vote.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jennie C. McCowen was born on June 15, 1845, in Harveysburg, Ohio. Her parents were Dr. John and Maria (Taylor) McCowen.
Jennie went to public schools in her hometown. She also attended a Normal school, which trained teachers. She earned a special degree called A. M. from the Ohio Normal school in 1883. Before that, she taught school for twelve years, starting when she was just sixteen!
Becoming a Doctor
In 1869, Jennie was suggested for a job as a school superintendent in Audubon County, Iowa. She almost won, missing by only fifteen votes.
By 1873, she had saved enough money to study medicine. She began learning from Dr. William Stephenson Robertson. He was a professor at the Medical Department of the State University of Iowa (now called the University of Iowa).
Jennie took three courses there and graduated with honors on March 4, 1876. She even won a prize for her special paper about puerperal fever, a type of infection. While still a student, she was offered a job. She became an assistant doctor at the State Hospital for the Insane in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. She started this job right after she graduated.
Medical Career in Davenport
In 1880, Jennie left her job at the hospital. She moved to Davenport, Iowa, and opened her own practice. She focused on treating nervous diseases and health issues specific to women.
Jennie held many important roles:
- She was the doctor for the Cook Home for Aged Women starting in 1880.
- She led the Woman's Hospital in Davenport from 1892.
- She was president of the medical board for the Iowa State Nursery of the Children's Home Society. This was located in Davenport, and she started there in 1894.
- She also worked at Mercy Hospital from 1893 to 1894.
- Jennie helped run the Hadlai Heights Women's Hospital with her close friend and colleague, Eliza "Lile" Bickford.
Jennie was a member of many medical groups. She was secretary, president, and treasurer for the Scott County, Iowa Medical Society. She also joined the American Medical Association. In 1885, she was the third woman ever to be chosen for the Medico-Legal Society of New York. She later became its vice-president.
She also represented Iowa at meetings about charities and corrections. Jennie was a member of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences. She was president of this group twice and helped with their publications. She also joined the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1889, she was made a fellow of the Society of Science, Letters, and Art in London.
World's Columbian Exposition
In 1893, Jennie McCowen attended the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This was a huge world's fair. She represented Iowa at several important meetings there:
- In May, she spoke at the Congress on Woman's Progress.
- In June, she gave a speech about "Progress in Child-Saving Work."
- In August, she talked about "Prevention of Impurity among Children."
- She was also on the planning committee for the International Congress of Medical Jurisprudence.
- She spoke about "The Postal Rights of the Insane" that same month.
At the World's Congress on Geology, Jennie gave a presentation about crinoids. These are ancient sea animals. She showed real examples from the Davenport Academy of Sciences. Her talk was so interesting that the British Museum in London and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, asked for copies of it.
In October, at the congresses in the Woman's Building, she spoke about "The Child Problem of To-day." Jennie also helped judge exhibits at the Exposition. She looked at medical tools, artificial limbs, and health displays.
Writing and Editing
Jennie McCowen wrote for many different publications. She helped write for the Iowa Medical Journal starting in 1895. She was also an associate editor for the Iowa State Medical Recorder from 1886 to 1890. By 1905, she was the State Medicine editor for the Woman's Medical Journal.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Jennie McCowen was a strong supporter of women's right to vote. She spent a lot of time studying how to prevent social problems. She helped start clubs for working girls.
She was a member of the Association for Advancement of Women from 1881. She was also its vice-president for Iowa from 1883 to 1885. She played a big part in the Woman's Congress in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1885.
From 1893, she was president of the Woman's Alliance. This group helped Davenport get a police matron (a female police officer) in 1890. She also helped start the Lend-a-Hand Club and the Charitable Alliance of Women.
Jennie lived with Clara Craine, who was in charge of the Visiting Nurse Association. Jennie McCowen passed away on July 28, 1924. She was buried in Oakdale Cemetery in Davenport.
Selected Works
- Relations and Duties of the General Profession Toward Insanity, 1883
- Insanity in women, 1886
- Women physicians in hospitals for the insane : an historical retrospect, 1886
