Nadezhda Suslova
Encyclopedia
Nadezhda Prokofyevna Suslova was Russia's first female physician
and a sister of Polina Suslova
. She worked as a gynecologist in Nizhny Novgorod
, was involved in many charity
efforts.
guberniya
. Her father was the Sheremetevs
's serf, but was able to succeed as a merchant
and manufacturer. He decided to give a proper education to his daughters, Polina (a diminutive form of the given name
Apollinaria) and Nadezhda. At home they had a governess
, and a dancing teacher. Later she entered Penichkau Boarding school
in Moscow
, where she learned several foreign languages. Like other young people at that time, Nadezhda was fond of reading, enjoyed the works of Nikolay Chernyshevsky and Dobrolyubov and befriended revolutionary democrats. In 1859 the Suslov sisters moved Saint Petersburg
. In 1861 her short stories Rasskaz v pismah and Fantazyorka were published in Sovremennik
. In the 1860s Nadezhda Suslova joined revolutionary
organization Land and Liberty
.
and Botkin to attended classes at the Kirov Military Medical Academy. Her first article Changes in skin sensations under the influence of electrical stimulation was published in Meditsinskiy Vestnik in 1862. In 1864, after women were officially banned from universities, she moved to Switzerland
and graduated from the University of Zurich
. Suslova was the first Russian woman to be awarded a Doctor of Medicine
degree (1867) as a surgeon
/obstetrician. In 1867 she married Friedrich Erismann
and with him returned to Saint Petersburg, where she had to pass the exams again and defend her diploma
for the second time.
Women in medicine
Historically and in many parts of the world, women's participation in the profession of medicine has been significantly restricted, although women's practice of medicine, informally, in the role of caregivers, or in the allied health professions, has been widespread...
and a sister of Polina Suslova
Polina Suslova
Apollinaria Prokofyevna Suslova , commonly known as Polina Suslova, was a Russian short story writer, who is perhaps best known as a mistress of writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, wife of Vasily Rozanov and a sister of Russia's first female physician Nadezhda Suslova...
. She worked as a gynecologist in Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
, was involved in many charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
efforts.
Early life
Nadezhda was born in Panino village, Nizhny NovgorodNizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
guberniya
Guberniya
A guberniya was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire usually translated as government, governorate, or province. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor , a word borrowed from Latin ,...
. Her father was the Sheremetevs
Sheremetev
The Sheremetev family was one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families of Russia.The family held many high commanding ranks in the Russian military, governorships and eventually the rank of Count of the Russian Empire...
's serf, but was able to succeed as a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and manufacturer. He decided to give a proper education to his daughters, Polina (a diminutive form of the given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
Apollinaria) and Nadezhda. At home they had a governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
, and a dancing teacher. Later she entered Penichkau Boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, where she learned several foreign languages. Like other young people at that time, Nadezhda was fond of reading, enjoyed the works of Nikolay Chernyshevsky and Dobrolyubov and befriended revolutionary democrats. In 1859 the Suslov sisters moved Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. In 1861 her short stories Rasskaz v pismah and Fantazyorka were published in Sovremennik
Sovremennik
Sovremennik was a Russian literary, social and political magazine, published in St. Petersburg in 1836-1866. It came out four times a year in 1836-1843 and once a month after that...
. In the 1860s Nadezhda Suslova joined revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
organization Land and Liberty
Land and Liberty (Russia)
Land and Liberty was a Russian clandestine revolutionary organization of Narodniki in the 1870s...
.
Career
She was allowed by SechenovIvan Sechenov
Ivan Mikhaylovich Sechenov near Simbirsk, Russia – , Moscow), was a Russian physiologist, named by Ivan Pavlov as "The Father of Russian physiology"...
and Botkin to attended classes at the Kirov Military Medical Academy. Her first article Changes in skin sensations under the influence of electrical stimulation was published in Meditsinskiy Vestnik in 1862. In 1864, after women were officially banned from universities, she moved to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and graduated from the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
. Suslova was the first Russian woman to be awarded a Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree (1867) as a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
/obstetrician. In 1867 she married Friedrich Erismann
Friedrich Erismann
Friedrich Huldreich Erismann was a Swiss ophthalmologist and hygienist who was born in Gontenschwil. In 1867 he earned his medical doctorate at the University of Zurich, and subsequently furthered his studies in ophthalmology in Heidelberg, Vienna and Berlin. In 1869 he became an ophthalmologist...
and with him returned to Saint Petersburg, where she had to pass the exams again and defend her diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
for the second time.