Representative women of New England/Clara E. Gary

by Mary H. Graves

CLARA E. GARY

CLARA EMERETTE GARY M.D., was born in Middlesex, Vt., a daughter of Ephraim and Sarah A. (Robinson) Gary. When she was six years old, her parents removed from Middlesex to Montpelier, "t., eight miles distant, where she spent her childhood days. At- an early age she gave evidence of her mental bent, prophetic of her future career, manifesting a great interest in medical and surgical subjects, experimenting on the broken legs of fowls, and improving every opportunity of gaining a knowledge of the healing processes of nature. She was educated in the public schools of Montpelier, including the high school, and at the Montpelier Seminary. In accordance with the desire of her parents, she then engaged in teaching, but after a while, having become dissatisfied with her acquirements, she entered the School of Cognate Languages at Morgan Park, near Chicago, Ill., where she studied under the direction of Professor W. R. Harper, now the President of Chicago University.

About this time occurred the death of her father and eldest brother, William H. Gary, and under the severe mental strain occasioned by the double bereavement her health gave way, and she was prostrated by a severe illness. Naturally of a frail physique, she was left in an impaired condition, which finally resulted in lameness, compelling her to use a crutch. Active and sensitive in her temperament, she was led through this cause to desire to occupy her mind and time with some clearly defined work pertaining to the good of others. Fearing opposition on account of her health, she secretly consulted with her brother, Frank E. H. Gary, Esq., and at his request entered in 1882 the Boston University School of Medicine, from which she was graduated in 1885. In 1884 she received an appointment as house surgeon in the Massachusetts Homoeopathic Hospital, being the first woman who had that honor; and she was acting in this capacity at the time of her graduation. In the meanwhile her health and strength improved untler the skilful care and guidance of Dr. Conrad Wesselhoeft and Dr. J. Heber Smith.

In September, 1885, she opened her first office at 767 Tremont Street, Boston. Here the early struggles of her practice commenced. She kept in touch with college and dispensary work, holding the positions of pharmacist to the dispensary and physician to one of the children's clinics. Becoming very much interested in electricity as applied to medicine, she entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for study of the science, in order to lay a good foundation for work in that line, attending the lectures outside of her office hours. Afterward she studied electricity as applied to medicine under Dr. Rockwell in the Post-graduate School of New York City. In 1888 she removed her office to 546 Columbus Avenue, Boston, where she continued her work as a general practitioner and electrotherapeutist for twelve years. At the end of that period the death of her mother, to whom she was devotedly attached, so affected her health that she felt compelled to temporarily relinquish her practice. She then went to Europe for the double purpose of recuperating and of studying more deeply the science of electrotherapeutics. The latter object was accomplished under Dr. Planet, of Paris, France, the skilled assistant of the late Dr. Apostle, and in the large hospital at Vienna. When she returned to Boston, .she removed her office to "The Marlborough," 416 Marlborough Street, where she is now practising.

Dr. Gary has occupied in the Boston University School of Medicine the positions of demonstrator in anatomy and lecturer in osteology and electrotherapeutics. She is a member of the National Society of Electrotherapeutists, of which she has served as secretary in 1894, second vice-president in 1895, first vice-president in 1896, and presitlent in 1897. She is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy, Massachusetts Homoeopathic Medical Society, Massachusetts Surgical and Gynecological Society, Boston Homceopathic Medical Society, and La Socicte Fran^aise d'Electrotherapie et de Radiologic, Paris, France. In nearly all of these societies she has held official positions.

Dr. Gary is also a member of many social organizations, and has written many articles and papers bearing upon medical and scientific sub- jects. It is hardly needful to say that one of her greatest delights is in helping women less fortunate than herself. In religious affiliations she is a Baptist, having united at the very early age of fourteen with the First Baptist Church of Montpelier, Vt., a church which her father and mother were largely instrumental in establishing. She is now a member of the First Baptist Church, Clarendon Street, Boston.