Difficulties in Nursing
Unknown women, possibly nurse. Courtesy
of the Library of Congress.
of the Library of Congress.
It may sound easy, but nursing was anything but. In that era there were still many boundaries between the sexes. Some wounds required a man to be undressed to treat. This was far from proper etiquette. In addition, having a woman among so many men seemed improper and possibly scandalous. Some women nurses were viewed with disgust and contempt for this.
There was also always the chance of catching diseases from the patients. Disease was a huge killer, especially during war. It often claimed more victims than the fighting itself. These sick and dying men had to be treated and cared for as well, and there was a number of women who came down with their illnesses. Some even died from them.
Although many women worked in hospitals far behind the front lines, they sometimes got caught up in battles. Especially in the South, where most of the fighting of the Civil War occurred, armies might move into town during their battle, or enemy troops might capture it afterwards. For women who worked in field hospitals, there was always a chance that they could get hit accidentally or the battle lines could move into the hospital.
Despite these dangers, women continued to volunteer to serve as nurses. They soon dispelled the notion that all women were weak and delicate, fainting at the mere sight of blood. In time, nursing became a female dominated occupation, thanks to these Civil War heroines.
There was also always the chance of catching diseases from the patients. Disease was a huge killer, especially during war. It often claimed more victims than the fighting itself. These sick and dying men had to be treated and cared for as well, and there was a number of women who came down with their illnesses. Some even died from them.
Although many women worked in hospitals far behind the front lines, they sometimes got caught up in battles. Especially in the South, where most of the fighting of the Civil War occurred, armies might move into town during their battle, or enemy troops might capture it afterwards. For women who worked in field hospitals, there was always a chance that they could get hit accidentally or the battle lines could move into the hospital.
Despite these dangers, women continued to volunteer to serve as nurses. They soon dispelled the notion that all women were weak and delicate, fainting at the mere sight of blood. In time, nursing became a female dominated occupation, thanks to these Civil War heroines.