Lush, Joan Lydia (Oral history)

British nurse served with Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment at 1st Cambridge Borough Red Cross Hospital in Cambridge, GB, 5/1915-11/1918

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1893-1915: family; father's Dr Percy Lush's work; education at Newnham College, Cambridge University; memories of helping father Dr Percy Lush in cancer ward; reasons for becoming a nurse. Recollections of period as nurse in Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment at 1st Borough Red Cross Hospital, Cambridge, GB, 5/1915-11/1918: recieving board and lodging only; uniform allowance; description of billets and contracting influenza; method of applying for work with Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment; preparation of hospital for patients, 5/1915; daily duties including preparing dressings; caring for mainly convalescent patients; making antiseptic dressings and splints; Zeppelin raids; daily routine including shifts worked and cleaning wards; description of hospital and equipment; opinion of food; problem of patients getting out of hospital and attempts to aggravate wounds; problem of venereal disease among patients; opinion of medical diagnosis and treatment; attitude to other nurse and opinion of hospital Commandant; use of anesthetics. REEL 2 Continues: types of operations; length of stay of patients; treatment of gas gangrene; death of father Dr Percy Lush in influenza epidemic, 1918; nursing methods; leave and recreational activities; censorship of patients' letters; relations between staff and patients; religious services; celebrating Christmas; blackout after Zeppelin raid; attitude to Germans; death of cousin in war and wearing mourning token; attitude to threat of German invasion; age range of nurses; boating on River Cam; use of cupping and leeches on patients; treatment of malaria and fevers; recreational activities; problem of lice; opinion of accommodation and washing facilities; description of uniforms and ranks; personal health. REEL 3 Continues: arrival of patients by ambulance; exercising and rehabilitation treatment; attitude to serving overseas; relations between nurses and medical staff; night duty; opinion of medical treatment; memories of end of First World War, 11/11/1918; post-war career in medicine including further training and as general practitoner during Second World War.