Wise women choose their doctors and trust them. The wisest ask the fewest questions.

I am currently reading the book Lying-In A History of Childbirth in America by Richard W,. Wertz and Dorothy C Wertz for my History of Midwifery module. The wealth of knowledge I am obtaining through this study is overwhelming, enrages me and inspires me all at the same time. Basically throughout the 1800's and 1900's women have be lead into a model of health care that preyed upon societies belief that they were inferior and not intelligent or trustworthy enough to make their own decisions! This combined with a DVD I watched on Susan B. Anthony and Elisabeth Cady Stanton has stoked a fire in my belly for the injustices forced upon women in the name of religion, society and patriotism. I don't have the words today for all that I am thinking but I wanted to share this quote from the above mentioned book that I read and highlighted last night while reading.

"Quote from a book I'm reading for my midwifery course. " S.Weir Mitchell, a prominent nineteenth-century physician to women, described the ideal patient thus: ' Wise women choose their doctors and trust them. The wisest ask the fewest questions. The terrible patients are the nervous women with long memories, who question much where answers are difficult. The nervous woman should be made to comprehend at the outset that the physician means to have his way unhampered by the subtle distinctions with which bedridden women are apt to trouble those who most desire to help them."

Reading this material has made me both enraged and thankful at the same time. Enraged at the mental and physical suffering that women had to endure at the hands of male Dr.'s and the society that supported this horrible lie. Thankful that women and men stood up for women's rights and continue to do so now. Women we are able to think for ourselves, we don't need to trust the Dr.'s knowledge of our bodies over their knowledge. Unfortunately in my experience with some medical Dr.'s even today this same mentality is present when dealing with a parents knowledge of what's happening with their child, and even when dealing with mine or my husbands health.