Born: 1855, Bulgaria
Died: 23 December 1921
Country most active: Bulgaria
Also known as: Teodora Venkova Chehlarova, Теодора Венкова Чехларова, Тота Венкова
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
She was the first woman physician of Bulgaria, and was born in Gabrova. After finishing school in her native city in 1873 she taught until 1878. At this time the Societe Slav offered scholarsships for young Bulgarian women to continue their studies in Russia. Tota Venkova was among those chosen. One must recall the rigid customs of the time, in order to understand the difficulties of a young woman leaving her country, the focus of every critical eye. She arrived in Petersburg and enrolled in a medical school. After finishing her studies she was appointed to the State Hospital of Rousse, Tirnova, Sofia.
A little later she went to Vienna to complete special studies in gynecology in the clinics. Returning to Bulgaria she was named Doctor of Maternity of Sofia. At this time she inaugurated a course for midwifery at the Alexandre hospital. But the malady from which she suffered forced her to retire.
Since she could not remain idle, she organized a small hospital for the free care of patients suffering the same illness as herself. When she died she left all her money for social welfare enterprises.