Cleaves, Margaret (1848–1917)
Cleaves, Margaret (1848–1917)
American physician. Born Margaret Abigail Cleaves, Nov 25, 1848, in Columbus City, Iowa; died Nov 13, 1917, in Mobile, Alabama; dau. of John T. Cleaves (politician and physician) and Elizabeth Stronach; graduate of a medical program at University of Iowa (1873).
Known for work with mentally ill women, became assistant physician at Iowa State Hospital for insane (1873); opened private practice in Davenport, Iowa (1876); was physician at Female Department of Harrisburg State Lunatic Hospital in Pennsylvania (1880–83); after 2 yrs in Europe, directed retreat for women in Des Moines; became 1st woman chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Iowa State Medical Association's annual meeting (1889); established New York ElectroTherapeutic Clinic Laboratory and Dispensary in New York City (1890); taught electrotherapeutics at New York Post-Graduate Medical School and light energy at New York School of Physical Therapeutics.