Louise Erich

Louise Erich was born in Baltimore on August 12, 1863, and was the daughter of Dr. Augustus F. and Annie Erich. She graduated from the Woman’s Medical College in 1895 and joined the Medical & Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland in 1897. She became an Assistant professor of Pathology and Histology, as well as the Chief of the Eye Clinic at the Women’s Medical College from 1895 to 1897.

In 1898, Dr. Erich went to Boston to investigate their system of public baths on a trip sponsored by the Maryland Public Health Association. The Secretary of the Bath Department in Boston’s Board of Health took Dr. Erich on a tour of the 26 public baths in the city and explained them in detail. Dr. Erich said that while most of the baths were free, some of them did charge five cents. The city furnishes bathing suits and the soap. Baltimore went on to open several public bath houses, funded in part by the art collector and philanthropist, William Walters.

In 1901, she became the Chief of Orthopaedics at the Women’s Medical College, and lectured on orthopaedics in children at school. There is a long article on this lecture, complete with a series of “lantern slides.” In a 1903 article about graduation at the Women’s Medical College, Dr. Erich is listed as “president of the college.”

Dr. Louise Erich died on March 6, 1932. Funeral services were held at her home at 615 Park Avenue in Baltimore.