Nicola Tyrer
Autor de Sisters in Arms: British Army Nurses Tell Their Story
Sobre El Autor
Obras de Nicola Tyrer
Etiquetado
Conocimiento común
- Género
- female
Miembros
Reseñas
Estadísticas
- Obras
- 3
- Miembros
- 95
- Popularidad
- #197,646
- Valoración
- 3.4
- Reseñas
- 3
- ISBNs
- 19
It is impossible not to be moved by some of the most harrowing and painful accounts of the nurses concerned, particularly those women who were taken prisoner by the Japanese after being stationed in Hong Kong, Singapore and Burma. The stoical and matter-of-fact way in which these brave women served their country and then recounted their dreadful ordeals is quite remarkable. I was also struck by how the abuse and disservice is perpetuated after the conflicts are over; the failure by any of the Allied powers to even acknowledge the death of nearly 2000 troops in Italy in 1943 after an explosion of mustard gas from a US relief ship is a case in point. At the time, nobody knew that mustard gas was even part of the theatre of war, consequently the nursing and medical staff didn’t know how to treat the horrific injuries; the War Office in London didn’t even respond to requests for advice. In fact, they have never responded, as it was only once the official records were declassified 50 years later that the true story emerged. As ever, the military imperative took precedence.
The book is largely structured chronologically and geographically. On the downside, there’s relatively little analysis or attempt to interrogate the information provided by these informants, and I was frustrated by the limited analysis of the professional and nursing processes that were used. Well known examples are repeated (such as the early use of penicillin and the delegation of previously medical-only tasks) but I didn't get a comprehensive sense of the professional nursing activities, techniques and practices that were used. The exceptions to this are, of course, nursing’s continued obsession with female uniforms (even more stark in the military, than in civilian settings) and rank and hierarchy.
These criticisms aside, this is still a remarkable book and is an enjoyable, if a sad and sometimes grim, read.
© Koplowitz 2013… (más)