Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M R Currie.
This important branch of nursing history has been virtually ignored, and yet, as will be seen, it could offer lessons for the future. This paper relies mainly on primary sources. It also demonstrates the value of a nursing journal as a vehicle for records, in this case, those of the Fever Nurses' Association. This original study illustrates how fever nursing arose and declined in an endeavour to serve the needs of society.
This paper is based on evidence from 118 ex-fever nurses. The method used, postal questionnaires, is rarely mentioned by oral historians, yet it proved invaluable in such a scattered target population. It shows the importance of collecting evidence before it is too late. This study gave the respondents a welcome opportunity to recall, analyse and reflect on their fever nursing practice. It complements the previous paper, 'The rise and demise of fever nursing' and confirms its findings.