Magdalena Bendzisławska

[1][2] Magdalena was the wife of Walenty Bendzisławski, a Barber Surgeon working at the salt mine in Wieliczka near Kraków in southern Poland.

The couple lived next to the mine where workers routinely suffered from many kinds of injuries, contusions and fractures and came to the barber for medical attention.

When her husband died, she took over his business, which was a common course of action at the time, but she decided to do the barbering work herself, breaking with tradition and not employing a barber-journeyman to perform the actual procedures.

[1][2] Officially, she obtained the right to practice her profession by virtue of a royal diploma issued by King Augustus II the Strong on 6 October 1697.

She had to complete several steps: take an oath; present a set of tools (a box with razors, scissors, combs, tooth forceps, dental tweezers, a jar of leeches and others) and demonstrate the ability to make ointments and dressings; and know anatomy and be able to use medicines for internal injuries.