Laura Margaret Hope

Laura Margaret Hope MBBS (née Fowler) (3 May 1868 – 14 September 1952) was the first woman to graduate in medicine and surgery at the University of Adelaide and Australia's first woman surgeon.^[1]

Early life

Hope was born in the Adelaide suburb of Mitcham, South Australia to Scottish born parents George Swan Fowler and Catherine Janet Lamb.^[2] As a child Hope helped her father, a successful wholesale grocer, to breed leeches for sale to pharmacists on the family's estate in Glen Osmond.^[3]

Education

Hope was educated privately, initially attending Madame Marval's private school in Adelaide as well as schools in England while her brother attended Cambridge University.^[4] The family returned to Adelaide in 1884 and Hope matriculated in 1886.^[5]

In 1887 Hope became the first woman to enroll in medicine at the University of Adelaide.^[6] She was awarded the Elder Prize and graduated in Medicine and Surgery in 1891.^[7]

Career

Hope was appointed the House Surgeon at the Adelaide Children's Hospital where she worked until her marriage in 1893 to fellow doctor Charles Henry Standish Hope.^[8]

Following their marriage, Laura and Charles spent many years working on missions in India, particularly in Bengal where they would spend 30 years providing medical assistance to the local community.^[9] The couple frequently treated cases of typhoid, cholera and malaria and Charles became well known for his expertise in performing eye surgery.^[10]

In 1915 the Hopes assisted World War I efforts treating wounded soldiers in Serbia where they were captured and imprisoned in Hungary for two months.^[11] Following a period of respite in England, they returned to India and their mission efforts in 1916.^[12] Both were awarded the Serbian Samaritan Cross in 1918.^[13]

Hope was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind medal shortly before she and her husband retired to Adelaide in 1934.^[14] She died on 14 September 1952 and had no children.^[15]

References

1. "Adelaide pioneers: Laura Fowler - our first woman medical graduate". Lumen. The University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
2. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
3. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
4. "Adelaide pioneers: Laura Fowler - our first woman medical graduate". Lumen. The University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
5. "Adelaide pioneers: Laura Fowler - our first woman medical graduate". Lumen. The University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
6. "Adelaide pioneers: Laura Fowler - our first woman medical graduate". Lumen. The University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
7. "Adelaide pioneers: Laura Fowler - our first woman medical graduate". Lumen. The University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
8. "Adelaide pioneers: Laura Fowler - our first woman medical graduate". Lumen. The University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
9. "Adelaide pioneers: Laura Fowler - our first woman medical graduate". Lumen. The University of Adelaide. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
10. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
11. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
12. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
13. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
14. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
15. Jones, Helen. "Hope, Laura Margaret". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 15 August 2014.