== Louisa May Alcott, Hospital Sketches, 1862-1863 ==

== Louisa May Alcott, Hospital Sketches, 1862-1863 ==

A Union Nurse, shows the experience of Louisa May Alcott as a nurse in the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington, D.C. One thing that stood out to me was Dorthea Dix’s call for women nurses. She was specific in that she was looking for “women between 30 and 50 years old, single, sober, hard-working, moral, and plain looking.” At first I thought that the age of 30 was a little old to be a cut off considering there must have been so many single, sober, hard-working, moral, and plain looking girls that were between 20 and 30 that would not have families to worry about so they would have the ability to become nurses. But then I realized that perhaps the act of being a young woman and working in close proximity with men would be considered immoral in and of itself. I am curious if they sent any women away because they were too good looking! –Erin Sanderson

A Union Nurse, shows the experience of Louisa May Alcott as a nurse in the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington, D.C. '''One thing that stood out to me was Dorthea Dix’s call for women nurses. She was specific in that she was looking for “women between 30 and 50 years old, single, sober, hard-working, moral, and plain looking.”''' At first I thought that the age of 30 was a little old to be a cut off considering there must have been so many single, sober, hard-working, moral, and plain looking girls that were between 20 and 30 that would not have families to worry about so they would have the ability to become nurses. But then I realized that perhaps the act of being a young woman and working in close proximity with men would be considered immoral in and of itself. I am curious if they sent any women away because they were too good looking! –Erin Sanderson

I also thought it was really interesting that Dorthea Dix wanted women between the age of 30-50. I agree with Erin that women probably had to be atleast 30 because it would be seen as inappropriate for a younger women to be working with men. I think that Dix extended the age to 50 because there were probably a lot of widows in their 40's. I thought the requirement that the women be plain looking was funny, but I guess it makes sense. If the nurse was too good looking, the patients would probably be hitting on her all day long. On the other hand, if the patients had not been able to pay for prostitutes, they probably would be hitting on their nurses even if they were "plain looking". -Katelyn Lease

I also thought it was really interesting that Dorthea Dix wanted women between the age of 30-50. I agree with Erin that women probably had to be atleast 30 because it would be seen as inappropriate for a younger women to be working with men. I think that Dix extended the age to 50 because there were probably a lot of widows in their 40's. I thought the requirement that the women be plain looking was funny, but I guess it makes sense. If the nurse was too good looking, the patients would probably be hitting on her all day long. On the other hand, if the patients had not been able to pay for prostitutes, they probably would be hitting on their nurses even if they were "plain looking". -Katelyn Lease

Before reading about Louisa May Alcott, I never realized how hard it was for female nurses. Not only did they have to endure the casualties of war, taking care of gravely wounded soldiers, but they had to travel long distances to do their work. Louisa May Alcott originally lived in Concord but left to move to Georgetown to work as a nurse. At 30 years old, I wonder if she had other options she could have considered before becoming a nurse. Was becoming a nurse a last resort or was it something she had wanted to do forever? It was interesting to see how positive Alcott was, despite all the broken men she met through her job. She claimed to "find pleasure" in her job, working with the soldiers and "cheering these poor souls." It amazed me that someone could be so positive in the midst of such sad circumstances. I feel like the fact that many nurses became sick and sometimes died is ironic because they would give up everything they had to work as nurses, yet they ended up suffering more than being rewarded for what they did. --- Alex Mankarios

Before reading about Louisa May Alcott, '''I never realized how hard it was for female nurses. Not only did they have to endure the casualties of war, taking care of gravely wounded soldiers, but they had to travel long distances to do their work.''' Louisa May Alcott originally lived in Concord but left to move to Georgetown to work as a nurse. At 30 years old, I wonder if she had other options she could have considered before becoming a nurse. '''Was becoming a nurse a last resort or was it something she had wanted to do forever?''' It was interesting to see how positive Alcott was, despite all the broken men she met through her job.''' She claimed to "find pleasure" in her job, working with the soldiers and "cheering these poor souls." It amazed me that someone could be so positive in the midst of such sad circumstances'''. I feel like the fact that many nurses became sick and sometimes died is ironic because they would give up everything they had to work as nurses, yet they ended up suffering more than being rewarded for what they did. --- Alex Mankarios

I enjoyed Louisa May Alcott’s piece as it verifies our lecture that nursing was viewed by some as an appropriate wartime occupation for women as an extension of motherhood. Her jobs include sewing bandages, reading to the soldiers, writing letters for them, and just generally seeing to the comforts of the wounded.  She even calls these men her big babies, secretly wishing the doctor would be gentler with them and regrets when she is sick that she cannot care for their needs. This was a very optimistic piece, I wonder though if her tone would have changed had she remained longer? Would she have been more overwhelmed and feeling like she was not making much of a difference as time wore on? -- Elyse Lawrence

I enjoyed Louisa May Alcott’s piece as it verifies our lecture that nursing was viewed by some as an appropriate wartime occupation for women as an extension of motherhood. Her jobs include sewing bandages, reading to the soldiers, writing letters for them, and just generally seeing to the comforts of the wounded.  '''She even calls these men her big babies, secretly wishing the doctor would be gentler with them and regrets when she is sick''' that she cannot care for their needs. '''This was a very optimistic piece, I wonder though if her tone would have changed had she remained longer? Would she have been more overwhelmed and feeling like she was not making much of a difference as time wore on?''' -- Elyse Lawrence

I liked Louisa May Alcott's writing, it was a decent read. She did not write that much but based on what she did write she provided us with incredible insight to what it took to be a nurse in the Civil War. I loved the line "feeling as if I was the son of the house going to war," because becoming a nurse was the closest women would often get to the battles and showed the prestige that Alcott felt went with being a nurse. Once she made it to her post in Washington she described the wounded and sick men as "all were well behaved," as if she had not expected them to be. -Megan Mc

I liked Louisa May Alcott's writing, it was a decent read. She did not write that much but based on what she did write she provided us with incredible insight to what it took to be a nurse in the Civil War. I loved the line '''"feeling as if I was the son of the house going to war," because becoming a nurse was the closest women would often get to the battles and showed the prestige that Alcott felt went with being a nurse.''' Once she made it to her post in Washington she described the wounded and sick men as "all were well behaved," as if she had not expected them to be. -Megan Mc