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Dorothea Erxleben
German stamp issued in 1987 in the Women in German history series
Born	November 13, 1715 Quedlinburg
Died	June 13, 1762 Quedlinburg
Nationality	Germany
Fields	medicine
Influences	Laura Bassi

Dorothea Christiane Erxleben née Leporin (November 13, 1715 in Quedlinburg – June 13, 1762 in Quedlinburg) was the first female medical doctor in Germany^[1].

Erxleben was instructed in medicine by her father from an early age^{[2 ]}. The Italian scientist Laura Bassi's university professorship inspired Erxleben to fight for her right to practise medicine, and in 1742 she published a tract arguing that women should be allowed to attend university^[3]. After being admitted to study by a dispensation of Frederick the Great^{[2 ]}, Erxleben received her M.D. from the University of Halle in 1754^[3]. She went on to analyse the obstacles preventing women from studying, among them housekeeping and family^{[2 ]}.

Dorothea was the mother of Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben.

References

1. ^ Schiebinger, L. (1990): "The Anatomy of Difference: Race and Sex in Eighteenth-Century Science" p. 399, Eighteenth Century Studies 23(3) pp. 387-405
2. ^ ^{a b c} Sutherland, M. (1985): Women Who Teach in Universities (Trentham Books) p. 118
3. ^ ^{a b} Offen, K. (2000): European Feminisms, 1700-1950: A Political History (Stanford University Press) p. 43

External links

• Works by or about Dorothea Erxleben in libraries (WorldCat catalog)