Born: February 17, 1828 (Dorchester County, Maryland)
Died: 1908
Biography:
Mary Amanda Dixon Jones (February 17, 1828 – 1908) was an American physician and surgeon in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. She was the first American physician to propose and perform a total hysterectomy to treat a tumor in the uterine muscle (myoma). Jones had a successful career until her work doing gynecological surgery at Woman’s Hospital of Brooklyn drew the attention of the news media, resulting in a 24-article investigative expose by the Brooklyn Eagle. As a consequence, she was charged with one count of murder and one count of manslaughter. However, she was found not guilty and decided to sue the Eagle. Unfortunately, she lost the libel case and had to close her medical practice. Jones then devoted the remaining years of her medical career to researching the tissue pathology of gynecological conditions.
Mary Amanda Dixon was born on February 17, 1828, in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was the daughter of Noah Dixon and Sally Turner Dixon. Mary grew up in a Methodist family of shipbuilders on Maryland’s eastern shore. Thanks to her parents’ prosperous shipbuilding trade, Mary had the opportunity to receive a higher education. She attended Wesleyan Female College in Wilmington, Delaware, where she graduated in 1845. After graduation, Mary joined the faculty of the college, teaching physiology and literature as a professor for four years. She also became the principal of a girls’ seminary in southern Maryland. During this time, she developed an interest in medicine and informally apprenticed with Henry F. Askew, the president of the American Medical Association. In addition, she taught at Baltimore Female College from 1850 to 1852 and continued her medical studies under Thomas E. Bond Jr. in Baltimore, who founded the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery. It was quite rare for women to have apprenticeships with established practitioners, making Mary Dixon Jones’s achievements all the more impressive.
In 1854, Mary Dixon married John Quincy Adams Jones, a lawyer, and they moved to Illinois and then Wisconsin. Together, they had three children. However, in 1862, Mary made the courageous decision to leave her family and further pursue her medical career. She traveled to New York City to study medicine at the Hygeio-Therapeutic Medical College, an institution that focused on water-cure treatments. This college provided women an opportunity to study medicine and obtain a license to practice, making it a trailblazing institution for women in the field. During her time in New York, Mary was also introduced to abolitionism, reform, and women’s rights. She became an advocate for these causes and delivered lectures on the laws related to women.
Mary Jones’s medical career took off when she joined the Woman’s Hospital of Brooklyn. She established herself as a skilled obstetrician and gynecologist, gaining recognition for her innovative approach. She proposed and performed the first total hysterectomy in the United States to treat a myoma, a tumor in the uterine muscle. This groundbreaking achievement marked a significant advancement in the field of gynecological surgery.
Unfortunately, Mary’s career took a turn when the Brooklyn Eagle published a series of articles investigating her work at the hospital. The media attention led to her being charged with murder and manslaughter. Despite the intense scrutiny and legal battle, Mary was ultimately acquitted of the charges. She then filed a libel case against the Eagle but, regrettably, lost.
As a result of the public scandal, Mary was forced to close her medical practice. However, she did not let this setback deter her from pursuing her passion. Instead, she shifted her focus to research, particularly on the tissue pathology of gynecological conditions. Mary spent the remainder of her medical career contributing valuable insights to the field through her diligent investigations.
Throughout her life, Mary Amanda Dixon Jones broke barriers and defied societal expectations for women. She demonstrated exceptional skill and determination in a male-dominated field, establishing herself as a pioneer in obstetrics and gynecology. Although her career was marred by controversy and unjust accusations, Mary’s contributions to medical practice and research remain significant.