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Subject: [IAHENRY] Henry County Bio-Clara Swan
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 17:28:51 EST

From Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Iowa,Acme Publishing,
Chicago, 1888.

Page 234-235:

CLARA J. SWAN, M.D., homeopathic physician, Mt. Pleasant,Iowa, was born in
St. Paul, Minn. Herparents, Andrew and Margaret Swan, were natives of Sweden,
who emigrated to America in their youth. They were honest and industrious,
and died leaving Clara an orphan when she was but eightyears old. She came to
Iowa in 1873, and lived near Oakland Mills, Henry County, where she received
her primary education in the public schools. In 1882 she came to Mt. Pleasant
and entered Prof. Howe’s Academy and Training School, where she took a
two-years course of general study. She began reading medicine with Dr. J.H. Drake in
1883, and in October, 1884, entered the Iowa State University as a medical
student, taking a general course of study in medicine and surgery, and graduating
in the class of 1887. Immediately after receiving her diploma, she opened an
office at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where at present she is the only lady physician
in actual practice.

Dr. Swan is a young lady of superior ability, and is a thorough medical
student and cool reasoner. Her misfortune in childhood of being left an orphan has
taught her that self-reliance and patience necessary to win an honorable place
in the profession of her choice. She realizes that she has much to contend
with from the competition of the many able physicians in the city, and from the
common prejudice against employing female physicians, especially one so
young. But time remedies many things and rights many wrongs. The most eminent in
the profession have been guilty of the heinous crime of once having been
young, and the world is fast learning that men must not, nor cannot, monopolize the
learned professions. That she may win that high rank among practitioners
that is the result of steadfast determination and earnest effort,is certainly the
desire of all who know her, and who admire the courage that triumphs over
every obstacle.

END
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pat Ryan White
Camarillo, CA

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