Mollie Moore was a fairly young woman still when she decided to defy the odds and become a doctor when there were not very many women doctors and it was very hard to be trained as one and then to practice as one was even harder. Since she was married to a doctor, she figured it would be easier and her husband was behind her during her training and as she began working in the practice with him she was frustrated that she felt like she did not have her own money and living with her mother-in-law who hated her beloved dog made her feel like she wanted more for her life. <p. Mollie left her husband, with only a small amount of money, and went to serve in a remote place called Bannack, MT. She felt out of place because not only was she a female doctor, she was without a husband.
This story continues through her struggles as a female doctor, a women’s right’s activist, etc.
I found it interesting although I could hardly believe the story! She divorced her husband because her mother-in-law kicked her dog basically and she wanted her own money and not to ask her husband for it. I cannot comprehend the that, myself. Her husband comes to her in the book, crying, begging her to come home, yet she felt like it was more important to do what she wanted to do “be a doctor on her own”.
She speaks of how a man lobbied against birth control and made it illegal to mail it through the US postal service. She was angry because she instead treated women who attempted “abortions” that were self-induced by taking large amounts of dangerous herbs and dying, or almost dying. She teaches one such woman how to attempt to prevent pregnancy without her husband’s knowledge by using a homemade thingy
She divorced her husband and later remarried with the understanding she would have no children. The other thing that surprised me was her stand against abortion! She believed it was wrong as a doctor to harm life in any form and was very angry with women who attempted this. When she was older though she was surprised with a pregnancy of her own and although the thought crossed her mind to end it, she was also angry at herself and she had a beautiful baby girl.
She even though she was married, wanted a life that was independant and free to do as she chose, she would have left her 2nd husband I believe also if she thought he would stop her from what she wanted.
It was a interesting story, a biography that was well written although I totally disagreed with most of her beliefs, it was interesting to read the history of MT. One of the thriving towns she served in is now a ghost town and not really anyone lives there!
Her daughter grew up to be a regular housewife and mother, in spite of her mother attempting to control her to stop her from ever having children also. I guess she went to buy birth control for her daughter and the pharmisist told her “Isn’t that your daughter’s decision?” and she left in a huff!
Anyhow, it was interesting historically and oh, so sad!
You can be so selfish and not really see the selfishness of your deeds, but others who look back over your life can see them and cry for you!
That does sound interesting. I will have to look it up. I'm going to the library today! :)