Letter of the Day: May 16

Curatorial Records: Numbered Correspondence 03883

May 16, 1899.

Chief Medical Officer
Army of

General:

I have the honor to request information upon the subject of the employment of trained female nurses, or nursing sisters, in the Army medical service under your control.

1st. Have you a small force of female nurses, or sisters, employed in time of peace, and a registry of those available in time of war? If employed in time of peace, how many? Are such nurses obtained through the agency of charitable societies, or such an association as that of the Red Cross, and under what rules as to length of service, payment, and subordination to military authority.

2nd. Whether employed in the general and large permanent hospitals only, or employed in the infirmaries and hospitals in the camps of instruction, or even in the field hospitals of troops not actively engaged in a campaign.

Should this information be included in any publication relating to the medical service which you have the honor to direct, will you be kind enough either to send such publications to this Library, for deposit, or to inform me where it can be obtained?

With an apology for any trouble which this request may give you, and asking your courtesy in the matter, I remain, General

Your obedient servant,
Dallas Bache
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S. Army,
In charge of Museum & Library Division.

Chief Med. Officer, Army of Norway, Christiania, Norway
""" Mexican Army, Mexico, Mexico.
""" Belgian Army, Brussels, Belgium.
Director General, Army Med. Dept. Army of Great Britain, London, Eng.
Chief Med. Officer, Army of France, Paris, France.
""" of the Army of the German Empire, Berlin, Germany.
""" Army of the Austrian Empire, Vienna, Austria.
""" Army of Italy, Rome, Italy.
""" Russian Army, St. Petersburg, Russia.
""" Turkish Army, Constantinople, Turkey.
""" Army of Switzerland, Geneva, Switzerland.
""" Army of Greece, Athens, Greece.

The Walter Reed Army Medical Center that might have been

Here's a look at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center that might have been - all of these buildings were eventually built, oddly enough, between the 1920s and 1971. They looked different of course - let me know if there's any interest in the built versions.


REEVE 0002723
Army Medical Center. Army Medical Museum (sketch) proposed, ca 1917. [Architectural drawing.]


REEVE 0002897
Army Medical Center Chapel. Sketch (proposed). ca. World War 1


Reeve 003121A
Sketch of Army Medical School (proposed). Alaska Avenue Elevation. [Walter Reed General Hospital (Washington, D.C.). Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Architectural drawing.]


REEVE 0003146
Sketch of Army Medical Center. Nurses quarters training school. [Walter Reed General Hospital(Washington, D.C.). Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Architectural drawing.]

May 6: A Conversation on Nursing at Walter Reed

A Conversation on Nursing at Walter Reed

Second in NMHM’s Walter Reed Centennial Year Lecture Series

When: Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Where: Russell Auditorium, National Museum of Health and Medicine

What: Kick off National Nurses Week with "A Conversation on Nursing at Walter Reed." An informal discussion, featuring the history of nursing at Walter Reed, perspectives on current practices, and thoughts on the future of the Army Nurse Corps, will commemorate 100 years of nursing at Walter Reed.

Presenters: Debbie Cox, former Army Nurse Corps Historian; CPT Jennifer Easley, Medical/Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, WRAMC; LTC Patrick Ahearne, Staff Officer, Office of the Army Nurse Corps, Office of the Army Surgeon General

Cost: Free

Info: (202)782-2200 or nmhminfo@afip.osd.mil

www.nmhm.washingtondc.museum

McClelland's WW1 nursing experience

OPENING OF ARMY NURSING EXHIBIT [AT THE MEDICAL MUSEUM], FEBRUARY 1972. COLIN THOMBSON, DESIGNER AND MS HELEN MCCLELLAND, WW1 REGISTERED NURSE.

For Rea P, a quick transcription from p. 4-5, discussing being assigned to a hospital in Belgium, to a British nursing team with one other American nurse:

There were seven surgical teams; five British and two American, besides the regular staff of officers and sisters. Four teams were put on day duty; three on at night until a "push" began - then the schedule was changed and the teams would work for twelve hours - go off for eight - then on again for twelve. In this way, all the teams would be working for part of the twenty-four hours.

There were five operating tables in a Nissen hut and two in a large tent (marquee). The two American teams were on duty at the same time and our tables were next to each other in the hut.

When the first big drive came - which was the heaviest that we had known, all the teams worked overtime - no one felt like going off when the men were pouring in. One day, we worked for twenty-two hours - only stopping for something to eat. After cleaning up our tables, we went to bed at 2:00 A.M., but were back on duty at 4:00 A..M, and worked for another twelve hours. At the end of that period, when the men were not coming in so fast, we were relieved for eight hours.

WW1 speech by nurse

The blog slipped open so here's a quick post. Historical collections had a request for info on Helen McClelland, a World War I nurse. They're not finding anything, but the archives has 2 pictures of her at an opening of a 1972 exhibit on nursing and a folder of clippings. The folder of clippings at first glance was just photocopies of articles about her, but it turns out there's also a talk in there that she gave about her WW1 service. Pretty neat!

"A Village Hospital 1928 Through 1953"

Another of our researchers has just had her book published. Beverly Moore emailed me late last week that her book, A Village Hospital 1928 through 1958, is now available online. It was a lot of fun working with Beverly, finding pictures of hospitals and nursing activities of a time long gone. Best of luck, Beverly!

Navy nurse who was at Pearl Harbor dies

Capt. Ruth A. Erickson, 95; Leader of Navy Nurse Corps
By Patricia Sullivan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Page B04

This one's posted for my colleagues Jan and Andre, the historians at the Navy's Bureau of Medicine & Surgery. They've interviewed lots of people involved in the Navy's brand of military medicine and I'll bet they talked to Capt Erikson. They also put out Navy Medicine, a monthly journal as well as DVD histories. We're going to work with them this year to get their photo collection scanned with an electronic catalogue.

Army School of Nursing Annuals now on Internet Archive

Kathleen got the rest of them up over the past two days:

The Annual
1921 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1921
1923 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1923
1925 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1925
1926 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1926
1927 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1927

Taps
1929 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1929
1930 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1930
1931 http://www.archive.org/details/ArmyNursingAnnual1931

1923 Army Nursing Annual now online

1923 Army Nursing Annual now online at the Internet Archive. We have all of these but one and we've scanned them all for posting.

1921 Army Nursing School Annual online

We've loaded a 1921 Army Nursing School Annual up to Internet Archive. These schools were based in Washington at Walter Reed and in California. More to come!

Women's History Month lecture at the National Museum of Health and Medicine!

Women's History Month at the National Museum of Health and Medicine!

Plan now to enjoy a special lecture on women and the American Red Cross. Thomas B. Goehner, Manager, Historical Outreach American Red Cross National Headquarters, will discuss "American Red Cross Women: Embracing Opportunity," on March 26, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. in Russell Auditorium at the NMHM.

From the time of Clara Barton to the present, the American Red Cross has offered women opportunities for leadership, travel, independence, volunteerism and professional growth. Wherever the Red Cross is serving--either on the battlefront or the home front--women continue to embrace and achieve success with each new challenge. This talk will celebrate the achievements and unique opportunities given to women through the Red Cross, shedding light on the contributions of rank-and-file Red Cross women as well as the pioneers from the past, like Clara Barton and nursing legend Jane Delano.

Admission is free!

What: Women's History Month Lecture: "American Red Cross Women:
Embracing Opportunity"
Where: Russell Auditorium, National Museum of Health and Medicine/AFIP,
Building 54, Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Time: 11:00 a.m.

For more information, call (202) 782-2456 or email nmhminfo@afip.osd.mil. Learn more about the Museum online at http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum.