H07 Skin, science and suffrage: the trailblazing history of Agnes Blackadder

Abstract Agnes Blackadder, born in Dundee on 4 December 1875, is widely credited as the first female consultant dermatologist in Britain. In 1895 she graduated from St Andrews University, the first woman to do so, with a Master of Arts. Following this she matriculated at Queen Margaret College in Glasgow, going on to obtain her medical degree in 1901. She was known to be a particularly voracious learner, taking multiple subjects simultaneously during her time at St Andrews, resulting in her graduating prematurely. Furthermore, during her medical education she obtained prizes across multiple fields, such as surgery, midwifery and ophthalmology. In 1907 Blackadder moved to London, where she was appointed as a consultant dermatologist at St John’s Hospital for Skin Diseases. Not only is she considered to be the first female consultant dermatologist in Britain, but she was among the first female physicians to be appointed as a consultant in a hospital serving both male and female patients. Her very presence within the medical community was, at the time, considered to be radical. Moreover, her interest in dermatology, radiology and electrotherapeutics diverged from those considered to be more acceptable for female physicians, namely paediatrics and women’s health. Central to Blackadder’s life was her advocacy for gender equality, frequently highlighting the persistent gender disparities in the fields of both medicine and academia. In 1912 she worked as part of the medical team who assessed the impact of force feeding of imprisoned suffragettes participating in hunger strikes. She published her findings, describing this practice as ‘severe physical and mental torture’, and strongly advised against its use. During World War I she served at Royaumont Hospital in France, working as a radiographer. Her research interests continued to be both progressive and wide ranging; she was among the first to identify the radiographic appearances of gas gangrene, and used this to help improve diagnostic accuracy. She observed the impact of music on health and documented its therapeutic implications. She published Music, Health and Character soon after her return to London, and this resulted in the formation of the Council for Music in Hospitals. The exceptional career of Blackadder spanned over 50 years and she continued to practise medicine into her eighth decade before she passed away in 1964, aged 88. Her legacy has left an indelible mark on both medicine and women’s rights. She succeeded in creating space for women in the fields of dermatology and academia, paving the way for subsequent generations to pursue their aspirations.