Rupa Bai Furdoonji, born to a Parsi family, was the world's first female anesthetist. She practiced medicine in

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...

, and played a major role in introducing the use of

chloroform Chloroform, or trichloromethane, is an organic compound with chemical formula, formula Carbon, CHydrogen, HChlorine, Cl3 and a common organic solvent. It is a colorless, strong-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to ...

as an anesthetic in India.

Early life and career

In 1885, Furdoonji began her studies and was one of five women to enroll in medical courses at Hyderabad Medical College. In 1889, she obtained a degree of ''Hakeem'', equivalent to that of a Medical Doctor. Subsequently, she pursued a medical degree from

Johns Hopkins Hospital The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. It was founded in 1889 using money from a bequest of over $7 million (1873 mo ...

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

. In 1909, with the encouragement from

Annie Besant Annie Besant ( Wood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, freemason, women's rights activist, educationist, writer, orator, political party member and philanthropist. Regarded as a champion of human f ...

, Furdoonji went to

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

to gain more experience and knowledge in anesthetics. There, she obtained diplomas in

Physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

and

Chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

from The

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

since no specialized course emphasized anesthetics. She chose to study

and

because the knowledge of these subjects was found useful for the doctors who handled anesthetics. Furdoonji was an influential voice at the First and Second Hyderabad Chloroform Commissions held in 1888 and 1891 respectively. From 1889-1917 She had administered anaesthesia in the British residency hospital-(present Sultan Bazaar hospital), Afzalgunz Hospital (present

Osmania General Hospital Osmania General Hospital (OGH) is one of the oldest hospitals in India located at Afzal Gunj, Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. I ...

) and Victoria Zenana Maternity Hospital, Hyderabad. In 1920, she retired as the superintendent of

Chaderghat Chaderghat is considered one of the busiest areas of Hyderabad city and is located on the banks of Musi River (India), Musi River. Chaderghat Bridge was built during the time of the Nizams and connects major suburbs to the main city. The origina ...

Hospital,

References

{{Authority control History of anesthesia Indian women medical doctors Scholars from Hyderabad, India Year of birth unknown Year of death missing Scientists from Hyderabad, India Indian anesthesiologists 19th-century Indian medical doctors 20th-century Indian medical doctors 19th-century Indian women scientists 20th-century Indian women scientists 20th-century women physicians 19th-century women physicians Parsi people Women anesthesiologists