The history of modern Romania is marked by personalities who profoundly changed society, yet who were unjustly pushed into the shadows by the passing of time. Among them is Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu, a woman of extraordinary will who managed to break the barriers of a century dominated almost entirely by men. The first woman doctor in Romania, an advocate for women’s rights and a pioneer of social assistance, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu laid the foundations of essential institutions for the protection of mothers and children, decisively influencing Romanian medicine and social policy.

Origins and childhood in an era of limitations for women

Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu was born on February 10, 1857, in the locality of Știrbei, Călărași County, as the third of the four children of the Cuțarida family. Her father, Vasilache Cuțarida, was a magistrate of Greek origin, a cultivated man open to modern ideas, while her mother, Elena Vieroșanu, came from a respected Romanian family. In an era when girls’ education was often considered unnecessary, her father’s support proved decisive for Maria’s destiny.

The family encouraged her to study, and this turned her into one of the few young women in the second half of the nineteenth century who had real access to higher education. From childhood, Maria displayed a lively intelligence and an uncommon ambition, qualities that were to define her entire life.

The arduous path toward medical studies

After completing her primary education in Bucharest, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu made a courageous decision: to pursue medicine. For a woman in the nineteenth century, this choice seemed almost impossible. European universities were only beginning to accept female students, and social prejudices were extremely strong.

Inspired by remarkable female figures such as Trotula di Ruggiero Platearius, one of the earliest women physicians of the Middle Ages, and Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman doctor in the United States, Maria chose to leave the country. She attended high school in Zurich, one of the few academic centers in Europe open to women.

In 1877, she enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine in Zurich, but later decided to continue her university path in Montpellier. There she defended her medical degree, demonstrating outstanding academic results. Her desire for perfection led her further, to Paris, where she pursued specialization studies.

Doctorate in Paris and international recognition

In 1884, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu obtained the title of Doctor of Medicine in Paris, with the thesis Hydrorrhea and its semiological value in cancer of the uterine body. Her work was appreciated in academic circles, and the results she achieved earned her the distinction “magna cum laude”.

At that time, only 17 women were studying medicine in France, a fact that further highlights the exceptional nature of her achievement. The Romanian press proudly reported the success of the young woman doctor, presenting it as a reason for national pride and a symbol of social progress.

Although she had become the first woman doctor of medicine in Romania, the true difficulties began only after her return home.

Returning home and confronting discrimination

In 1884, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu returned to Romania with the hope of practicing her profession and contributing to the development of the medical system. Reality, however, proved painful. Her request to collaborate as a secondary physician at the Brâncovenesc Hospital was rejected, despite her internationally recognized diploma.

One year later, she was accepted only as a volunteer at the Filantropia Hospital, where she provided free consultations. The refusal of the authorities to grant her an official position represented a clear form of gender discrimination that limited her professional opportunities.

Between 1884 and 1904, she was forced to open a private medical practice. Even so, at competitions for senior physician positions she was constantly rejected, being allowed to occupy only inferior roles, although her competence was undeniable.

Turning toward social assistance and the protection of women

Confronted with the barriers of the system, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu chose to channel her energy toward an almost nonexistent field at that time: social assistance. Convinced that women and children were the most vulnerable categories of society, she began to actively advocate for their protection.

In 1897, under the patronage of Queen Elisabeth, she founded the society Leagănul, dedicated to supporting orphaned and needy children. The initiative had a major impact, offering not only shelter, but also medical care and basic education.

Later, under the patronage of Princess Maria, the Materna Society was established, with the purpose of supporting working mothers — a social category extremely exposed to medical and economic risks.

The first nursery in Bucharest and care for workers’ children

A landmark moment in her activity occurred in 1899, when Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu founded the first internal nursery in Romania, at the Tobacco Factory in Bucharest. There, women working in the factory could leave their children in safety during working hours.

At the same time, the doctor offered free medical consultations to the approximately 2,000 female employees, combining medical practice with social protection. The initiative was revolutionary for Romania at that time and later became a model adopted by other institutions.

At the same time, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu contributed to the development of professional training centers for orphaned children, offering them the chance for a dignified life.

International recognition and the refusal of a personal career

Her activity did not go unnoticed abroad. She was invited to international congresses held in Paris, Brussels, and Copenhagen, where she presented papers on the role of women in society and methods for reducing infant mortality.

She also received extremely advantageous offers: to become the personal physician of a Turkish pasha in Istanbul, with an annual salary of 60,000 lei, as well as an invitation to take a position at the imperial court of Japan. She refused them all, choosing to remain in Romania and continue her social work, despite the difficulties.

War, withdrawal, and the end of an exemplary life

During the First World War, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu was mobilized as chief physician at Temporary Military Hospital no. 134, actively contributing to the care of the wounded. After the war, her health deteriorated, forcing her to withdraw from medical and social activity.

She passed away on November 16, 1919, in Bucharest, and was buried at Bellu Cemetery, the resting place of many of Romania’s great personalities.

A forgotten but essential legacy

Although she was a leading personality of Romanian medicine, Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu is today little known. In her native area of Călărași, there are no streets, schools, or medical institutions bearing her name. Historian Nicolae Țiripan pointed out with bitterness that the memory of this great personality is almost nonexistent within the local community.

Nevertheless, her example remains profoundly relevant. Maria Cuțarida Crătunescu was the first woman doctor in Romania, the founder of the first nurseries and children’s homes, and a tireless fighter for women’s rights.

Through determination, courage, and professionalism, she opened paths that today seem natural, but which in her time appeared impossible. Her story remains a lesson in dignity and devotion, a landmark for all generations of women in Romania.

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