Seraph Frissell
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Seraph Frissell, M.D., (August 20, 1840 – 1915) was an American
physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
and
medical writer A medical writer, also referred to as medical communicator, is a person who applies the principles of clinical research in developing clinical trial documents that effectively and clearly describe research results, product use, and other medical i ...
who specialized in diseases of women and children. She was the first woman in
Western Massachusetts Western Massachusetts, known colloquially as “Western Mass,” is a region in Massachusetts, one of the six U.S. states that make up the New England region of the United States. Western Massachusetts has diverse topography; 22 colleges and u ...
to be admitted to any district medical society, and the fourth woman to be admitted a member of the
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
Medical Society. Women were first admitted to medical societies in Massachusetts in 1884; but the
Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...
District Medical Society made Frissell an honorary member in 1877, and she attended its monthly meetings, receiving notices as a regular member.


Early life and education


Birth and Ancestry

Seraph Frissell was born in
Peru, Massachusetts Peru is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 814 at the 2020 census. History Originally known as Northern Berkshire Township Number 2 and including all of Hinsdale and part of Middlefield, the town was ...
, on August 20, 1840, the daughter of Augustus Caæsar and Laura Mack (Emmons) Frissell. Her grandparents were Thomas and Hannah (Phillips) Frissell; and Ichabod and Mindwell (Mack) Emmons. Her father and her paternal grandfather had both served as captains in the
state militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
. William Frissell, her great-grandfather, was a commissioned officer in the Revolutionary War, and a
pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land. In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
settler in western Massachusetts. Her mother's father, Major Ichabod Emmons, was a relative of Dr.
Nathanael Emmons Nathanael Emmons, sometimes spelled Nathaniel Emmons, (April 20, 1745 – September 23, 1840) was an American Congregational minister and influential theologian of the New Divinity school. He was born at East Haddam, Connecticut. Emmons graduate ...
, and was one of the first settlers of
Hinsdale, Massachusetts Hinsdale is a New England town, town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The population was 1,919 at the 2020 census. History Originally part of Northe ...
. Her grandfather. Col. David Mack, was the second settler to make a clearing in the town of
Middlefield, Massachusetts Middlefield is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 385 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Middlefield was first settled in 1780 and w ...
, then a wilderness, going to that locality in 1775, and was one of the founders of the town. He enlisted (from
Hebron, Connecticut Hebron is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,098 at the 2020 census. Hebron was incorporated May 26, 1708. In 2010, Hebron was rated #6 in Top Towns in Connecticut with population between 6,500 and 10,000, ...
) in the Revolutionary War, but saw no active service, arriving too late to take part in the
Battle of Saratoga The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War. British General John Burgoyne led an invasion ...
. He was a Captain of troops engaged in suppressing
Shays' Rebellion Shays Rebellion was an armed uprising in Western Massachusetts and Worcester in response to a debt crisis among the citizenry and in opposition to the state government's increased efforts to collect taxes both on individuals and their trades. The ...
, and afterward was Colonel of a regiment.


Childhood

The first eleven years of Frissell's life were spent within sight of Saddleback Mountain. As a child she was reportedly quiet and diffident, not mingling freely with her schoolmates, and with a deep reverence for religious things. Frissell's father died when she was eleven years old, leaving her mother financially responsible for herself and six children, Seraph being the third. At the age of twelve, Frissell was sent to live with an aunt for a year in
western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY in ...
, during which time she derided she would rather earn her own living, if possible, than be dependent on relatives. Returning home, the next year and a half were devoted to school life and helping a neighbor in household work, thereby earning necessary clothing. When she was fifteen, her oldest sister decided to seek employment in a
woolen mill Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods s ...
, and Seraph accompanied her.


Education

The next six years were divided between a factory girl's life and school life. During those years she earned her living and, besides contributing a certain amount for benevolent and missionary purposes, saved enough for one year's expenses in
Mount Holyoke Seminary Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States. ...
. In the fall of 1861, she enrolled in the Seminary, where she remained for one year. Then followed one year of teaching, and a second year in the seminary. After four years more of teaching, in the fall of 1868 she resumed her studies and graduated in July, 1869, having completed the four years' course in three years, in the meanwhile teaching for five years. In 1867, Frissell received from the
American Board of Missions The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the largest and most imp ...
the appointment of
missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
to
Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, but in deference to her mother's wishes, she did not embark upon the mission. The following three years were spent in teaching, during which time the question of taking up the study of medicine was often considered. She began the study of medicine in 1872, in the medical department of the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
. She received her diploma from the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Michigan on March 24, 1875, having had hospital practice in
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, Ypsilanti, and
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
.


Career

In the spring of 1875, Frissell attended clinics in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. Her hospital practice included four months at the Woman's Hospital, Detroit; eleven months, beginning in June 1875 at the New England Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, for hospital and dispensary work; and six months at Doctors Ruth Gerry and Cynthia Smith's Private Hospital, of
Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti (), commonly shortened to Ypsi, is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, and ...
. In September, 1876, Frissell opened her medical practice in
Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield ...
, where she worked for eight years. In 1884, she moved to
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
, where she lived for the rest of her life. During the school years of 1890 and 1891, she was the physician at Mount Holyoke College, keeping her office practice in Springfield. In 1896, Frissell took a course in
electrotherapeutics Electrotherapeutics is a general term for the use of electricity in therapeutics, i.e. in the alleviation and cure of disease. It is used as a treatment, like electroconvulsive therapy and TENS. In the technical working of medical electrolysis the ...
. For some time, she was
medical examiner The medical examiner is an appointed official in some American jurisdictions who is trained in pathology that investigates deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictio ...
for the Berkshire Life Insurance Company. In 1890 and 1891, she was resident physician and lecturer on
physiology Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...
and
hygiene Hygiene is a series of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases." Personal hygiene refer ...
at Mount Holyoke College. Her specialty was diseases of women and children. A part of her professional success she attributed to not prescribing alcoholic stimulants. Frissell became a member of the Hampden County Medical Society in 1885, being the first woman in Western Massachusetts to be admitted to any district medical society, the law to admit women having been passed in 1884. She was a regular member of the Berkshire, Bennington, Rennsalaer, and Washington County Medical Society from its organization until she left Berkshire county. She was the fourth woman to be admitted a member of the
Massachusetts Medical Society The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is the oldest continuously operating state medical association in the United States. Incorporated on November 1, 1781, by an act of the Massachusetts General Court, the MMS is a non-profit organization th ...
. She was an honorary member of the Alumna' Association of the Woman's Medical College,
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
; a member of the
Mercy Warren Mercy Otis Warren (September 14, eptember 25, New Style1728 – October 19, 1814) was an American activist poet, playwright, and pamphleteer during the American Revolution. During the years before the Revolution, she had published poems and pla ...
Chapter,
Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...
; of E.K. Wilcox Relief Corps; of the
American Medical Association The American Medical Association (AMA) is a professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. Founded in 1847, it is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was approximately 240,000 in 2016. The AMA's state ...
; of the Springfield Mount Holyoke Alumna' Association; of the Alumna Association of
Michigan University , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
; of the College Club; of the auxiliary to the
Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...
; and of the American Medical Temperance Association. Frissell was the author of several papers, notably one on
Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...
in
Hampton, Virginia Hampton () is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 137,148. It is the List ...
. She presented before the
American Medical Association The American Medical Association (AMA) is a professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. Founded in 1847, it is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was approximately 240,000 in 2016. The AMA's state ...
a paper on the treatment of
diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...
without alcohol, which was published in the ''
Journal of the American Medical Association ''The Journal of the American Medical Association'' (''JAMA'') is a peer-reviewed medical journal published 48 times a year by the American Medical Association. It publishes original research, reviews, and editorials covering all aspects of bio ...
'', November 13, 1897. She also wrote papers on the following topics: "
Tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
," "Contents of a Teapot," "Why I'm a Temperance Doctor," "Hygiene: Why it should be taught in our Public Schools," "Prevention better than Cure," "Colonial Flags and the Evolution of the Stars and Stripes," also "Pioneer Women in Medicine."


Personal life

Frissell was involved in many of the progressive movements of the day. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Springfield. During her residence in Pittsfield, she was elected the first president of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program th ...
of that city. For seven years, she was president of the Woman's Board of Missions of the South Church. She has been superintendent of the Department of Heredity and Health, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, for Hampden County. She died in 1915, and was buried in the Peru Center Cemetery, Peru, Massachusetts.


References


Attribution

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Frissell, Seraph 1840 births 1915 deaths 19th-century American women physicians 19th-century American physicians 19th-century American writers 19th-century American women writers People from Peru, Massachusetts Physicians from Massachusetts American medical writers Women medical writers Mount Holyoke College alumni University of Michigan Medical School alumni American women non-fiction writers Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century