Ella Blaylock Atherton

Ella Blaylock Atherton (January 4, 1860 – September 4, 1933) was a British-born American physician. Atherton was the first woman in the province of Quebec to earn a diploma in medicine from a Canadian institution. She was the first woman admitted to a medical society in the U.S. state of Vermont, the first to be president of a local medical society in New Hampshire, and the first woman to perform abdominal surgery in New Hampshire. Early years and education Ella Blaylock was born January 4, 1860, at Ulverston, Lancashire, England. She was the daughter of William and Margaret (Schollick) Blaylock, and granddaughter of Thomas Blaylock. Atherton was educated by private tutors, and also at Georgeville Academy and McGill Normal School in Montreal. She graduated with honors from McGill Normal School in 1881. Atherton's desire to study medicine was reportedly met with opposition from all of her friends except her mother. She therefore decided to educate herself, serving for two years as principal of Mansonville Academy in Quebec, and tutoring during her whole college course. While there, she studied medicine with Dr. J. McMillan, of Mansonville.