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Description: | British civilian Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse in GB, 1915-1918.
REEL 1: Background in GB, 1893-1915: family; father a doctor; education at Newnham College Cambridge; memory of helping father in cancer ward; reasons for becoming a nurse. Recollections of period as nurse in VAD Detachment 28 at 1st Borough Red Cross Hospital, Wordsworth Grove, Cambridge, 1915-1918; no payment, board and lodging only; uniform allowance; description of billets and contracting flu; method of application for VAD; preparation of hospital ready for patients; daily duties including preparing dressings; mainly convalescent patients sent from other hospitals; description of making antiseptic dressings and splints; memory of Zeppelin raids; description of typical day including shift working and cleaning wards; description of hospital and equipment; opinion of food; problem of patients getting out of hospital and amusing story of taxi journey; attempts by patients to aggravate injuries; problem of VD among patients; opinion of medical diagnosis and treatment; attitude to other VADs and opinion of hospital Commandant; use of anesthetics.
REEL 2 Continues: types of operations; length of stay of patients; treatment of gas gangrene; memory of death of father in influenza epidemic; nursing methods; leave and recreational activities including cycling; censorship of patients' letters; relationship between staff and patients; religious services; memory of celebrating Christmas; memory of blackout after Zeppelin raid; attitude to Germans; memory of death of cousin in war and wearing mourning token; attitude to threat of German invasion; age range of VADs; memory of boating on river; reason for use of cupping and leeches on patients; treatment of malaria and fevers; recreational activities; problem of lice; opinion of hospital accommodation and washing facilities; description of uniforms and VAD ranks; personal health.
REEL 3 Continues: arrival of new patients by ambulances; exercising and rehabilitation treatment; attitude to serving overseas; relationship between VADs and medical staff; night duty; opinion of medical treatment; memory of end of war. Various aspects of post-war career in medicine including further training and as GP during Second World War. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Brooks, Margaret A | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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