doctor & suffragette

The rare first edition of the first book by the early woman doctor and suffragette Alice Ker (1853-1943), a short medical guide to caring for girls and young women through puberty, based on a series of lectures delivered at Manchester.

The women of Ker's extended family in Edinburgh were heavily involved in progressive social and political causes, 'their home forming an unofficial centre for the early women's suffrage movement' (ODNB), and she was encouraged to take up a profession. Ker became acquainted with Sophia Jex-Blake during her legal fight to be allowed to graduate as a doctor from Edinburgh University, and when that failed Ker studied at the London School of Medicine and took her examinations at the King and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland. After additional studies in the US and Switzerland she 'was accepted onto the medical register in 1879, only the thirteenth woman to be so recognized' (ODNB). 'Details of Alice's early medical career are sparse, but it is known that she spent some time at the Children's Hospital in Birmingham where she was promoted to senior medical officer in 1881. She also published a book, Lectures to Women nos. 1–3 (1883), which gave pragmatic advice on a number of medical questions' (ODNB).

Ker built a successful general practice in Birkenhead, Liverpool while also raising a family and involving herself in social causes. 'Since her student days she had been a supporter of the idea of women's suffrage, and was a member of the rather sedate Birkenhead Women's Suffrage Society, affiliated to the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS)... but was increasingly frustrated by their gradualist tactics and in the autumn of 1909 switched her allegiance, joining the Liverpool branch of the militant Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). Alice supported a number of militant protests in Liverpool and acted as unofficial WSPU doctor to hunger strikers in Walton gaol. As well as participating in demonstrations and selling Votes for Women in Liverpool's main shopping streets (which she often did in between visiting patients) Alice was also keen to demonstrate the extent of her commitment through participation in higher levels of militancy. In April 1912 she travelled to London with other members of the Liverpool WSPU to participate in a mass window-smashing raid, smashing windows at Harrods store. Unusually she was offered bail, but declined and was sent to Holloway for two months, where she participated in the hunger strike' (ODNB).

First edition; 56-page pamphlet; title page lightly toned, small spot to upper corner of early leaves, otherwise contents fresh; original grey wrappers printed in black, wire-stitched, upper joint professionally conserved by Bainbridge Conservation, very good condition.