Elizabeth Blackwell (1821 - 1910) was the first woman awarded the MD degree in the United States. This is the story of her dedicated, groundbreaking struggle to practice the medical profession, eloquently told in her own words.Full of insightful reflections on the philosophy of medicine, women's education, the evils of slavery, and the nature of American society in the nineteenth century, this unique autobiography will interest scholars and students of women's studies and the history of science.