Born in London in 1842 to American parents, by 1848 Mary had relocated to New York. From a tender age, her zeal for medicine was evident. A vivid childhood memory she often recounted was her desire at age 9 to dissect a dead rat out of pure scientific curiosity. Mary's inquisitive nature drove her to become the first woman admitted to the New York College of Pharmacy in 1861, leading to her graduation with an M.D. from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, despite her father's reluctance.
Mary's relentless drive saw her knocking on the doors of the École de Médecine in Paris in 1866. Battling deep-seated gender biases, she not only became the first woman to study medicine there but did so amidst stringent conditions—like separate entrances and isolated seating arrangements. Undeterred, she returned to the U.S., marking another milestone as the first woman elected to the New York Academy of Medicine.
“You must, on the one hand, forget that any social prejudices stand in your way as physicians: but on the other hand you must remember that, in virtue of these, you continue to have certain class interests, which can not, with either justice or safety, be ignored.”
– Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi
The backdrop of Mary’s era was rife with gender discrimination. A significant blow to women’s education came in 1873 when Edward Clark, M.D., published "Sex in Education; or, A Fair Chance For Girls". His work, based largely on anecdotal evidence, insinuated that rigorous academic pursuits could render women sterile. The timing was sensitive; women had only recently secured the right to further education. Clark's claims threatened to undo this hard-fought progress.
Dr. Jacobi’s methodical response, "The Question of Rest for Women During Menstruation", was a tour de force. Her rigorous research involving multiple medical trials concluded that menstruation neither impaired women’s physical nor mental capacities. This paper, which went on to win Harvard’s Boylston Medical Prize in 1876, was a triumphant rebuttal to Clark's unfounded assertions.
"During the long ages of class rule, which are just beginning to cease, only one form of sovereignty has been assigned to all men—that, namely, over all women. Upon these feeble and inferior companions all men were permitted to avenge the indignities they suffered from so many men to whom they were forced to submit."
- Dr Mary Putnam Jacobi
Mary's meticulous research did more than just rebut a flawed theory; it chipped away at entrenched beliefs of the time. The late 19th century was marred by widespread misconceptions about the biological differences between men and women, often to the detriment of the latter. Dr. Jacobi's work was instrumental in debunking myths about the female body and promoting a more informed, data-driven understanding.
Her legacy isn't just that of a distinguished medical researcher. Mary's life was a tapestry of mentorship, advocacy, and literary accomplishments. Early in her career, she received support from pioneering women like Ann Preston and Marie Zarkrzewska. Drawing from these experiences, Mary became a staunch supporter of women in the medical field, passing on the knowledge she had amassed through her groundbreaking work and extensive experience. Mary also took up teaching roles at esteemed institutions, such as the Women’s Medical College of the New York Infirmary for Women and Children.
In 1874 Mary founded the Association for the Advancement of the Medical Education of Women, which was later renamed the Women’s Medical Association of New York City. This organization played a vital role in promoting and supporting the education and advancement of women in the medical field.
"Men, accustomed to think of men as possessing sex attributes and other things besides, are accustomed to think of women as having sex, and nothing else."
- Dr Mary Putnam Jacobi
Mary frequently lobbied universities and medical schools: she wrote letters and held meetings with decision-makers in various universities and medical schools, presenting arguments backed by her research and the successes of her female peers, advocating for the admission of more female students into their programs.
Her literary contributions were vast, ranging from her debut short story, "Lost and Found", in The Atlantic to over 120 medical articles and 9 books. Her personal life saw her marry Dr. Abraham Jacobi, a pediatric specialist, and together they had three children, though tragically only one reached adulthood.
Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi began to experience symptoms from a brain tumor in the early 1900s.
In a final act of profound self-awareness, Mary meticulously documented her own declining health, culminating in a paper predicting her own demise. The detailed investigation was titled "Description of the Early Symptoms of the Meningeal Tumor Compressing the Cerebellum. From Which the Writer Died. Written by Herself." She passed away in 1906 at the age of 63.
In an era where debates on female health topics still do not receive the attention they deserve, Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi’s life underscores the dire need for more women and feminists in medicine, politics, and public domains. As we navigate these challenges, Dr. Jacobi's indomitable spirit remains a source of inspiration, urging us to challenge conventions and usher in change.
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