Image Courtesy: Google Doodle
Dr Ogino Ginko (4 April 1851 – 23 June 1913) was the first licensed female physician practising Western medicine in Japan.
Life and Career
She was born on 4 April 1851, in the town of Niwase, in what is now Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Her family, the Ogino’s, held a respected position in the area as they were responsible for its headquarters. She was the youngest among her two brothers and five sisters.
At the age of 16, in 1867, Ogino entered into an arranged marriage with Kanichiro Inamura. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1870 after Ogino contracted gonorrhea from her husband. This divorce had a significant impact on her life, as her family felt ashamed of having a divorced daughter affected by a venereal disease. During that time in Japanese society, divorced women were looked down upon, and those affected by gonorrhea were stigmatized as prostitutes due to the sexually transmitted nature of the infection.
Experiencing the embarrassment of seeking treatment from male doctors for what society deemed a “shameful” disease, Ogino made a firm decision to become a doctor herself to help other women facing similar circumstances. In a women’s paper, she openly criticized male doctors’ inability to effectively address such diseases and emphasized the urgent need for female doctors and a more feminist culture to support women’s health issues.
Dr. Ogino studied medicine at the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in the United States, graduating in 1882. She then returned to Japan and established a medical practice in Tokyo, becoming one of the first female doctors in the country. She was also actively involved in advocating for women’s rights and education and served as the president of the Tokyo Women’s Medical Association and the Japanese Women’s Rights Association.
Ogino opened the Ogino Hospital specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She was also the staff doctor at the girls’ school of Meiji Gakuin University. Additionally, Ogino ran a medical practice in Hokkaido and a hospital in Tokyo.
Dr. Ogino’s contributions to women’s education and healthcare were widely recognized, and she received numerous awards and honors during her lifetime. She passed away on 23 June 1913 because of atherosclerosis, at the age of 62, but her legacy continues to inspire generations of women in Japan and around the world.
Award and Legacy
Dr. Ogino Ginko was a pioneer in the field of women’s education and healthcare in Japan, and her contributions were widely recognized both during her lifetime and after her passing.
She was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1912.
Dr. Ogino’s legacy continues to inspire generations of women in Japan and around the world. Her dedication to women’s education and healthcare helped to pave the way for future generations of female doctors and educators, and her pioneering work in these fields has had a lasting impact on Japanese society. She is remembered as a trailblazer and a symbol of empowerment for women in Japan and beyond.
On 4 April 2022, Google celebrated Dr Ogino Ginko’s 171st birthday with a doodle.