So many women, so little time. This is what I have discovered while exploring the idea of exploring famous women--women in history who were explorers of a sort in their own fields.
There are hundreds of women of whom I have a bit of knowledge, but some I particularly admire; and for varying reasons, women in whom I have a bit more interest than others. One is Susan Anderson otherwise known as Doc Susie. Susan Anderson was a pioneer in the field of medicine. She made no great discoveries nor did she posses any extraordinary medical skills. But still she was truly a noteworthy practitioner and certainly a remarkable woman.
Susan Anderson was born in 1870 in Indiana. She attended medical school at the University of Michigan and graduated in 1897. From there she settled in Cripple Creek, Colorado where her family was living at the time. She had planned to have a practice there, however, women were generally not accepted as capable doctors then so she moved to Greeley, Colorado where she practiced nursing for 6 years.
Meantime she had been diagnosed with tuberculosis and her condition grew worse while in Greeley. So she decided to move to Fraser, Colorado, a very cold and dry area where she could have an advantage against her condition.
In the early twentieth century there was nothing in Fraser but a sawmill and a few shacks.
Many who knew her wondered why a woman would want to go to such a cold, lifeless place. Just getting there in winter was daunting. The train trip over Rollins Pass was treacherous and unbelievably cold in the passenger car.
But she arrived there safely and settled in a small shack. Susan knew better than to announce upon her arrival that she was an M.D. She was there to cure her health condition not to confront prejudice. However, it was not long before the town folks learned that she was, in fact, a doctor. There were no other doctors in the area. What health care there was was provided by the local veterinarian. She found herself providing veterinarian services and doing so with great success. So it was not long before people realized the lady doctor in town was a skilled physician and soon she had built a practice. Her reputation spread and she was soon treating injuries and illnesses of the men and their families in the remote logging camps as well as the folks in town. In winter she would often trek on foot through deep snow to reach her patients.
“Once, Doc Susie escorted a small boy by rail to Colorado General Hospital in Denver. She announced to the intern on duty that the child needed an appendectomy. The intern was about to throw them both out when a doctor intervened. Once examining the boy they found he truly needed the operation. The hospital doctor turned to the intern and announced, ‘Meet Doctor Susan Anderson, the finest rural physician in Western Colorado...the best diagnostician west of the divide.’
“During construction of the 6 mile long Moffat Tunnel, designed to replace the treacherous Moffat Road line over Rollins Pass, Doc Susie was asked to become the Coroner for Grand County.
“They needed a ‘real’ doctor that was able to confront the Tunnel Commission about the accidents and working conditions that faced workers on a daily basis in this dangerous tunnel. It is estimated that 19 men were killed and hundreds injured during its construction. At times, Susie would have to go into the tunnel to care for the injured and retrieve bodies.”*
The Moffat Tunnel opened in 1928. Doc Susie continued practicing in Fraser and Grand County until 1956. She died in April, 1960 at the age of 90. Apparently her efforts to improve her health were effective.
Susan Anderson, M.D. was inducted into the Colorado Woman’s Hall of Fame in 1997.
Exploring the lives of extraordinary women is always an uplifting and inspiring experience. Ahhhhh! So many women, so little time.
*ellensplace.net
© 2015
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