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Clemence Sophia Harned Lozier

Clemence Sophia Harned Lozier was an American physician, advocate, educator, and suffragist. She was among the first women to attend medical school, and began a successful private practice in New York. She began teaching classes from her home on women's hygiene and health, and due to popular demand, decided to open a women's medical college with the help of her good friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton. In 1863, she founded the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women, the first medical college for women. Lozier specialized in obstetrics and gynaecology, and the hospital she founded was the first place women could be treated by female physicians. In addition to her medical contributions, Lozier also strove to improve the lives of marginalized groups through her many leadership positions in groups advocating for social reform like the Women's Christian Temperance Union, National Woman Suffrage Association, Universal Peace Union, New York Abolitionists' Reunion, and Moral Education Society among others.

Early Life

Clemence Sophia Harned, daughter of farmer David Harned and Hannah Walker Harned, was born on December 11, 1812 in Plainfield, New Jersey. Growing up, she observed her mother treating the sick with traditional medicine she learned from Native Americans. Witnessing her physician brother and mother help patients exposed her to medicine at an early age. She was the youngest of 13 children, and was orphaned at 11 years old. She then finished her schooling at Plainfield Academy.

At age 17, she was married to Abraham Witton Lozier, an architect many years her senior. Both her father and husband were dedicated members to the Methodist Church, and she herself felt Methodism built women up and allowed for differences in opinion. When her husband's health began to fail, Clemence started to study physiology, and in 1832 began teaching classes from her home to educate girls in anatomy, physiology, and hygeine. At the time, these topics were not included in women's education, and her classes quickly expanded. Among other topics, she educated women on the physiological consequences of fashion, like the deformities and breathing problems caused by corsets. She continued to teach these classes until 1843.

Soon after, she moved to New York and continued giving lectures and visiting the sick. Widowed by her first husband in 1837, she went on to marry John Baker in New York. The marriage eventually ended in divorce, but little is known about what happened between the two.

Education

She attended Plainfield Academy and learned about medicine from her mother and brother as well as from caring for her ill husband. She wished to attend medical school, but women were not attended at the time, so her brother continued to tutor her. She continued to apply to medical schools and experienced a lot of rejection, even from Geneva Medical College which was attended by Elizabeth Blackwell. Eventually, she was allowed to attend classes at Central New York College of Rochester in 1849, and was later admitted to Syracuse Eclectic College. She graduated top her class in 1853 and dedicated herself to the teachings of Samuel Hahnemann and the new homeophathic movement in medicine.

Medical Career

After graduating from medical school, Lozier began a private practice that focused on homeopathic treatments. She specialized in obstetrics and gynecology, but was also renowned for her surgical skills, especially the removal of tumors. Her practice became very successful and returned over $25,000 annually. She believed that women were better suited to become physicians due to the natural instinct and aptitude of their sex. She specifically advocated for more female obstetricians, citing her own large patient list as evidence of patient preferences--she would often see 50 patients a day.

From 1860 to 1863 she taught private lectures in her home, which led to the formation of "A Ladies' Medical Association". Due to increasing enrollment, she collaborated with her friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton to petition for a charter for a women's medical college. In 1863, she founded the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women, the first medical college for women. She was president of the College and taught diseases of women and children. During its first year, seven female students were enrolled and taught by four male and four female physicians. For seven years, Lozier supported the college with her own income, and donated $10,000 in lump sum. After the Civil War, Lozier visited Europe in 1867 to observe hospitals and speak with physicians. Upon her return, she resumed teaching under the titles of dean and professor of gynecology and obstetrics. After practicing at thirty-sixth street for 11 years, shareholders and investors encouraged her to expand the Women's Medical College. However, after a large new building was purchased, the investors backed out, forcing Lozier to declare bankruptcy in 1878.. Lozier lost everything, but the college survived and she threw herself back into practicing medicine on thirty-fourth street for the next eleven years. The Women's Medical College would eventually become a part of the New York Medical College in 1918.

Advocacy

Lozier was devoted to improving the lives of others, going beyond just treating patients. She hosted Anti-Slavery Society meetings monthly at her own home, and she provided refuge for African Americans during the July Riots of 1862. She helped found the Female Guardian Society with Margaret Pryor, which visited prisons and poor areas of New York to help mistreated women and children. Her son claimed "her house was a Mecca for all reformers, and bristled like a fortress from garret to cellar with ammunitions of war--documents and pamphlets upon woman's disabilities under the law, arguments and petitions in behalf of suffrage, anti-slavery and temperance, sanitary reform, international arbitration, amelioration of the condition of the Indians, moral education, reform of prisons and insane asylums, etc."

She was a well-known suffragist at the time and was good friends with Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She fought for the rights of her female students to attend classes with men at the Bellvue Hostpital College by swaying public opinion during public meetings. She further fought for women's rights in the courtroom and successfully advocated for the release of Hester Vaughan who had been wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death for infanticide. Additionally, she fought for women's right to vote. When Susan B. Anthony was sentenced for voting, she called a public meeting to criticize Chief Justice Hunt who sentenced her. She served as the president of many prominent organizations including the Woman's American Temperance League, the Moral Education Society of New York, the National Woman's Suffrage Association for five years, and the New York Woman's Suffrage Society from 1873 to 1886.

Organizations:

1. Homeopathic County Society
2. WCTU
3. National Woman Suffrage Association
4. NY Suffrage League
5. City Ladies' Suffrage Committee
6. Universal Peace Union
7. NY Abolitionists' Reunion
8. American Female Guardian Society
9. Moral Education Society

Legacy

Lozier founded the first Medical College for women and trained over 200 female physicians. The hospital attracted over 2,000 female patients a year and was the first place a woman could be treated by a female physician, paving the way for women to regain control of childbirth. She, herself, gave birth to seven sons, but only Dr. Abraham W. Lozier survived. Nevertheless, by the time of her death, she had already inspired nine of her direct relatives to become physicians. She also increased the credibility of female physicians. Elizabeth Cady Stanton claimed "Physicians would not recognize her as a member of the profession... they tampered with her patients to see if they could find aught against her. But in spite of all the machinations of her enemies, she triumphed".

As the first woman to read a scientific paper before the New York State Medical Society, Lozier also blazed a trail for female scientists. She also advocated for the incorporation of physiology classes in schools, and preached the importance of education at meetings and in writing. One of her most well-known documents was a short pamphlet, Child-Birth Made Easy, empowering mothers with knowledge. Lozier passed away from heart troubles two days after giving the 25th commencement speech in 1888 at the College she founded.

Quotes

Her Motto: "In certilis unitas; in bublis libertas; in omnibus caritas." --in certainty, unity; in doubt, liberty in all things, charity."

"I desire to do this for the sake of the cause, for the credit of woman, when performing difficult surgery for the first time".

"I am so much indebted to my religious teachings, to an unwavering faith in a present Savior, and his constant inspiring love, that I want to tell all the world about that, and how I feel the gift of healing to be the talent committed to me by him".

"I want to live long enough to cast one vote".