History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. VI] FEMALE DOCTORS. 299

In recent years a movement has been successfully made to train young girls in the science of medicine, and already ten are receiving regular medical education side by side with their male fellow-students. Of these four are Parsi girls, who have boldly faced the difficulty, not only of going through a course of lectures on all branches of this noble science, but of overcoming all caste and social embarrassments. It is most creditable to the Parsi nation that, of the numerous races to be found in Bombay, four Parsi girls have ventured to join a medical college for the first time in the history of native education. The significance of this step is increased by the fact that the rest of the pupils are Europeans.

The students of the Grant Medical College have lately established the commendable practice of holding an annual dinner in the beginning of the spring of each year. To the last dinner which was recently held they invited their sister students, who graciously accepted their hospitality. The decorum with which the dinner and its subsequent proceedings, accompanied by music and singing, were conducted augured a bright and happy future for the cause of female education among the Parsis.

When the Engineering College was opened the Parsis hastened to utilise its advantages, and a large number have since become licentiates of civil engin-

eering. The post of executive engineer at the