I very much enjoyed In Love and War: Nursing Heroes by Liz Byrski which is a non-fiction account of the history of plastic surgery and how it was used to help burn patients in England during and after World War II. The author was a small child living in East Grinstead, Sussex. Close to the town was the Queen Victoria Hospital whose patients had been seriously burned while they were flying RAF planes during the War. The hospital was run by a remarkable man, pioneering plastic surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe. Many of his patients became members of his Guinea Pig Club. McIndoe also looked after his patients in unconventional ways. He understood the diminished self-esteem which could be fatal in a patient's rehabilitation. He insisted on having pretty nurses to look after the patients and encouraged an atmosphere of flirting and more. McIndoe also enlisted the help of the local townspeople to ensure that when his "Guinea Pigs" went to town they were treated well. The author conducted a number of interviews with Guinea Pigs, relatives, and nurses to try and see beyond the facade. She wasn't sure about writing the book so left it for seven years. She has written a fascinating true story about this topic. Highly recommended. 5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment