The Crimean War, Medical Care (1854-56) Flashcards
Using 2 examples, describe how much of a priority medical care was for the army leadership.
- Lord Raglan had limited the number of medical staff and equipment because he wanted to reserve space on ships for troops
- Medical supplies were even taken off of ships so that more troops could be sent to the Crimea instead
List 5 aspects of the medical conditions for the British soldiers in the Crimean War.
- At the start of the war, there were no doctors signed up for the Crimea
- Army veterans were drafted in to carry out roles but were ill-suited to the work and often became ill themselves
- The hospital in Scutari was not fit for purpose as it had originally been a barracks for the Ottomans
- There was a lack of clean water and toilet facilities
- Upon Florence Nightingale’s arrival at Scutari it was clear hygiene had been neglected; there was an inch of liquid filth floating over the floor
What was Florence Nightingale’s background like, and why was this surprising?
- She came from an upper-middle class family
- She was not expected to have a career
- However, she trained to become a nurse
What important advantage did Nightingale’s background give her?
- She was friends with the Secretary of State for War Sidney Herbert
- He therefore asked her to lead a team of 38 nurses to the Crimea
How did the head of the medical staff in the Crimea react to the arrival of Nightingale and her team of nurses, and why? Why did this change?
- Dr John Hall, Raglan’s principal medical officer, tried to have Nightingale and her nurses returned to Britain
- In the army there was strong opposition to women’s involvement in medicine
- The high number of patients eventually forced his hand
What 3 changes did Nightingale implement?
- She kept the wards clean
- She made fresh bed linen was available
- She improved food for patients
How much of an impact did Nightingale have? Give 4 details.
- In February 1855 52% of patients at Scutari died
- She had little understanding of the risk posed by polluted water, a lack of ventilation and poor hygiene
- Death rates continued to rise despite the efforts of her team
- Scutari had the highest number of deaths out of all of the hospitals in the region
How big of an impact did Nightingale’s work have in Britain? What limitation was there to this?
- She became a celebrity
- The Times organised a £30,000 fund for her to manage
- This was to some degree due to her influential friends, such as Sidney Herbert and William Russell, as this gave her access to other influential people
What was the most important outcome of Nightingale’s time in the Crimea?
- The Royal Commission on the Health of the Army, which was appointed in 1857
What impact did the 1857 Royal Commission on the Health of the Army have?
- Sanitary conditions were improved in army barracks and military hospitals
What medical experience and training did Mary Seacole have?
- She was taught herbal remedies by her mother
- She had experience treating cholera patients
How and why did Seacole go to the Crimea?
- She heard about the lack of medical provision, and applied to help
- Her application was rejected, so she went to the Crimea on her own
What did Seacole do after arriving in the Crimea? Give 2 details.
- She set up the British Hotel in the spring of 1855
- It was part hotel and part clinic
- The soldiers could have hot food, shelter, and small luxuries like tea
What set Seacole apart from Nightingale?
- While Nightingale remained at the hospital in Scutari, Seacole went to the battlefields to treat troops
List 2 other groups of women who went to serve in the Crimea.
- French nuns
- Mary Stanley led a group of nurses at the hospital in Koulali
