Nurse-training at the 'Dreadnought' Hospital, Greenwich in the late 19th century: Part I

By the early 20th century, nurse-training at the Seamen's Hospital Society 'flagship' hospital at Greenwich was at least as well established as that in the London teaching hospitals. It had its origins in the late 19th century--in the light of Florence Nightingale's nursing reforms (she had initiated the training school at St Thomas's in 1860). Although Nightingale's major interests lay in the welfare of the soldier, she was clearly concerned with the health of the seafarer also. However, those early days of nurse training at the Dreadnought hospital posed numerous problems, not only for nurse training but for nursing in general. The second part of this article will appear in the next issue of the International History of Nursing Journal.