The Fall and Rise, of (some) Women

These were the words uttered by Dr A G Malcolm, the Orator of the day, during his opening lecture to The Belfast Medical School, at a time when the General Hospital was in Frederick Street. There was no mention of women, as there were none in the audience. The 1850’s were a low point for women in the history of Homo sapiens. A point from which some have managed to find the road back to the summit, but worldwide, most have failed to get back from whence they started. It was 1890 before an Orator was able to say, “Ladies and gentlemen – it has fallen to my lot to inaugurate this academic year”.