Dr Elsie Inglis Tending to a Patient in Reni

Elsie Inglis

  • Year
  • 1892
  • Surname
  • Inglis
  • Forenames
  • Elsie
  • Other Information
  • Dr Elsie Maud Inglis (1864–1917) was a surgeon – a Licentiate of the three Scottish royal medical colleges – and a suffragist. Born in India in 1864, she came to Scotland with her parents as a child. She trained initially in Edinburgh, before completing her studies in Glasgow. She sought to improve maternity facilities and healthcare for women throughout her career. In 1901, she founded a maternity hospital in Edinburgh, staffed only by women. During the First World War, Dr Inglis founded the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service, setting up hospitals for the troops in Serbia and Russia. She was the first woman to be awarded the Order of the White Eagle, the highest honour given by Serbia (this medal is amongst a set currently on display in the Surgeons’ Hall Museums, which was donated to the Library and Archive with her correspondence from Serbia as well as certificates). Dr Inglis died in Newcastle on 26 November 1917 while returning from the war, en route to Edinburgh. She is buried in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh.

    Further reading:
    Dr. Elsie Inglis / Frances Balfour. 1918
    Dr. Elsie Maud Inglis (1864-1917): a great lady doctor / Tait, Haldane Philip. 1965
    Shadow of swords: a biography of Elsie Inglis / Lawrence, Margot. 1971
    In the service of life: the story of Elsie Inglis and the Scottish Women's Hospitals / Leneman, Leah. 1994
    Elsie Inglis, founder of battlefront hospitals run entirely by women / Leneman, Leah. 1998
    Between the lines: letters and diaries from Elsie Inglis's Russian Unit / Cahill, Audrey Fawcett (ed). 1999
  • Surgeon Database
  • Triple Qualification