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 In the summer of 1866 she went into a drug store in Philadelphia, at the same time continuing the study of medicine; in October 1866 she entered the Female Medical college of Philadelphia, at the same time receiving practical instructions at the Woman's Hospital of Philadelphia.
From September 1867 to September 1868 was junior assistant in the New York Infirmary for women and childred (sic), under Doctor Elizabeth Blackwell who was the first woman to receive a diploma from a regular medical college in the United States.
Mrs. Briggs attended the first college course in 1868; was admitted to lectures in Bellevue and Charity hospitals, took a course in practical anatomy and received a first grade certificate in department of chemistry in the free night scientific lectures at Cooper union.
From September 1868 to October 1869 she was senior student assistant in the New England Hospital for women and children at Boston, Massachusetts; was admitted to lectures in Massachusetts General Hospital; to Lowell courses of anatomy and practical chemistry in Institute of technology and a course in Boston Society of Natural history.
In 1869 entered Woman's Medical college of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia. Was one of the thirty nine women who received the disgraceful reception at Pennsylvania Hospital November 6, 1869.
The decision to admit women having been published, the male students from all medical colleges of Philadelphia gathered in the amphitheater to no standing room, hissing, cheering and worse demonstrations, and when adjourned, flew to the exit forming in line compelling the women to take the cart track, they moving with the ladies so they were escorted down Chestnut street.
She graduated March 1870 and was assistant physician in the woman's hospital of Philadelphia till 1871; then sent out as physician to the Otoe and Missouri tribe of
Indians, was sent by society of Friends of Philadelphia, an approved by the United States Indian agent, A. L. Green and United States superintendent of Indian affairs, Samuel
Janney, April 30, 1872.When the Otoes started on their annual buffalo hunt the last of November 1872 Briggs loaded up his wagon with supplies and started to follow them up. but lost trail of them at Republican City Nebraska. Here he met Ed Newell who represented himself as being a member of the firm of Newell Bros of Norton, Kansas. He said he would trade Briggs furs and hides for his supplies. Ed also traded Briggs his team at that time, but reserved them until he made a trip to Lowell, Nebraska, the exchange to be made at Norton. Briggs drove his outfit to Norton thinking he had struck a bonanza, he expected to trade out and go home. On the way up Prairie Dog, a terrible trip in mid-winter without any road, he upset one wagon down a bluff and smashed a wheel: this detained him two days, so he got to Norton behind the time set by Ed. The first news they got was that Ed did not own the team he traded. They waited five days but no Ed. came, but Sam Newell said he would buy him out. When they come to invoice, he took one pair of boots, 50 cts. worth of sugar, 50 cts. tobacco, paying for them in sod corn that had been raised by Jim Hall below Almena. Briggs and outfit accompanied by Charles Hillsinger started on west in search of the Otoes. They left Norton for the west on December 15, 1872. Their trip on the Beaver and their connection with Pawnees and Sioux trouble has already been described. They returned to Norton January 25, 1873. They left part of their supplies with Hillsinger, returned to the agency to close up his business, preparatory to returning to Norton to live. On May 6, 1873, they returned to Norton to remain permanentIy (sic). On May 10 Mrs. Briggs with the |
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