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Dr. James Berry (1795-1865) Doctor


Dr James Barry was the first woman in England to go to medical school. When she was growing up, she could not go to medical school because she was a woman. Therefore she disguised herself as a man to be able to accomplish one of her many goals.

No body knows her real identity, but some records show that she was born in 1795 in London.
Dr James Barry became a medical student at the University of Edinburgh were some class mates fun of her because she didn’t have a beard and she was only five feet tall. Although no one, thought that she was a girl. She was one of the youngest students to complete her studies and graduated at the age of 20. For the next 45 years Dr. James Barry was a British officer and successful surgeon.

In 1856 she went to South Africa, and she was soon known as the best doctor a surgeon in the colony. People admired Dr. Barry, but she also had a reputation as a troublemaker. She easily got angry for a various number of things, such as when people talked about her high voice or tiny figure she became very angry. She was an excellent swordsman, and she started fights often.

In 1857 at the age of 62 Dr Barry became Inspector General and moved to Canada, There she worked to improve the soldiers living conditions and get better food for them. In 1859, Dr Barry became ill with flu and fell sick though, as usual, she refused to be examined. She went back to England to retire and was very lonely, after that. She died in 1865 at the age of 71. Soon after she died someone discovered she was s woman. The secret was out but the army never made an official announcement about this female doctor. They buried her sacrifices and all. Although she didn’t give woman the right to become doctors she did show the world that you can accomplish what ever you set your mind not no matter if you’re a female or male you can because you have the power!