Louise McIlroy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louise McIlroy
DBE FRCOG
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Louise McIlroy
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| Born |
Anne Louise McIlroy
11 November 1874 Lavin House, County Antrim, Ireland
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| Died | 8 February 1968 (aged 93) Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland
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| Education | MB ChB (1898), MD (1900), DSc (1910) University of Glasgow LM (1901) Dublin |
| Known for | Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist first woman awarded Doctor of Medicine from the University of Glasgow first woman medical professor in the United Kingdom |
| Medical career | |
| Sub-specialties | obstetrics and gynaecology |
| Awards | Croix de Guerre (1916) Médaille des Epidemies Order of St. Sava Serbian Red Cross Medal OBE (1920) Dame (1927) FRCP DSc LLD (Glasgow) |
Dame Anne Louise McIlroy (born November 11, 1874 – died February 8, 1968) was a very important doctor from Ireland. She was an expert in obstetrics (helping women during childbirth) and gynaecology (women's health).
Louise McIlroy made history several times. She was the first woman to earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Glasgow. She was also the first woman to become a medical professor in the United Kingdom.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Louise McIlroy was born on November 11, 1874, in Lavin House, County Antrim, which is now in Northern Ireland. Her father, James, was a local doctor in Ballycastle.
In 1894, Louise started studying medicine at the University of Glasgow. She earned her first medical degree, a Bachelor of Medicine, in 1898. Just two years later, in 1900, she received her MD degree. She was very good at her studies, winning awards in both medicine and pathology (the study of diseases).
A Career in Medicine
After finishing her studies, Louise McIlroy traveled around Europe. She wanted to learn even more about women's health and childbirth. In 1901, she became a qualified midwife in Ireland.
Her first job was in 1900 at the Samaritan Hospital For Women in Glasgow. From 1906 to 1910, she worked as a surgeon at the Glasgow Victoria Infirmary. She continued to study and earned another advanced degree, a Doctor of Science (DSc), from the University of Glasgow in 1910. In 1911, she became the First Assistant to Professor J. M. Munro Kerr, a leading expert in obstetrics and gynaecology at the university.
Helping During World War I
When First World War started, Louise and other women doctors offered to help the government. At first, they were told that "the battlefield was no place for women." But they didn't give up! Instead, they decided to create their own hospitals called the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service.
Louise McIlroy led one of these hospital units in France. Later, she was sent to Serbia and then to Salonika (in Greece). In Salonika, she started a training school for Serbian girls who wanted to become nurses. She also helped set up the only orthopaedic (bone and joint surgery) center for the army in that area. She finished her war service as a surgeon at a military hospital in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey).
Becoming a Professor
In 1921, Louise McIlroy was appointed as a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Royal Free Hospital in London. This was a big step! She also became the first woman Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the London School of Medicine for Women. This made her the first woman to be a medical professor in the entire United Kingdom.
She retired in 1934, hoping to have some free time. However, she still worked privately in London. When the Second World War began, she came out of retirement to help. She worked as a consultant for maternity services and was a senior obstetrician at a hospital for officers' wives.
Louise McIlroy was also very active in many medical groups. She was the president of the Medico-Legal Society of London, which looked at medical issues and the law. She also held important roles in the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal Society of Medicine.
Honours and Awards
Louise McIlroy received many awards for her amazing work, especially during the First World War.
- In 1916, she was given the Croix de Guerre from France.
- She also received the Médaille des Epidemies and two awards from Serbia: the Order of St. Sava and the Serbian Red Cross Medal.
For her services to medicine, she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1920. In 1929, she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This is why she is known as "Dame" Louise McIlroy.
She was also a founding member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. In 1932, she became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians, and then a Fellow in 1937. She received several special honorary degrees, including a DSc from Belfast, which she was very proud of.
Later Life
After the Second World War, Louise McIlroy fully retired. She left London and moved to Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland, to live with her sister, Dr. Janie McIlroy.
Louise McIlroy passed away in a Glasgow hospital on February 8, 1968, at the age of 93. She never married.
Sources
- The Lancet, Vol. 1 (1968), p. 429.
- British Medical Journal, Vol. 1 (1968), p. 451.
