Doctors’ views on the service of the sisters of mercy (mid-19th — early 20th centuries)
Abstract
This article focuses on archival materials kept in the Russian State Military Historical Archive. These materials appeared in 1910 after the Main Directorate of the Russian Red Cross Society appealed to doctors who worked with sisters of mercy. Doctors were asked about the qualities that the nurse should have. These historical sources are compared with the statements of doctors of earlier times (from the middle of the 19th century). This allowed us to consider the views of doctors about the necessary professional level and the main purpose of nurses in the mid-19th — early 20th centuries. The answers were provided by doctors from diff erent departments who had diff erent experience working with nurses in war and peace times. The requirements formulated by doctors for the functionality of nurses allowed us to distinguish three types of nurses, which were mentioned by doctors. The fi rst type is a sister-servant to suff ering people, whose main purpose is to carefully care for and provide moral support to the sick and wounded. She does not need deep medical knowledge. The second type is made up by the nurse with basic medical skills which allow her to care for patients. The third type is a nurse who is equal in professional level to a paramedic. At the same time, all doctors emphasised that for this medical staff , it is necessary to have education in the spirit of love for the infi rm, sick and wounded.
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